The Nation - News from May 7, 1989

Several electronic surveillance operations aimed at the Soviet Bloc may have been critically damaged by an Army warrant officer later court-martialed for espionage. James W. Hall III rendered useless one program that had cost hundreds of millions of dollars and was meant to exploit weak links in the Soviet communications network, the New York Times reported. Hall, 30, reportedly was recruited in 1982. He was arrested Dec. 20 and after pleading guilty to espionage in February began a 40-year prison term. The newspaper said Hall was one of the highest-paid Eastern-Bloc spies, receiving $300,000 over a six-year span from the Soviets and East Germany. He reportedly passed on NATO wartime scenarios well into the 21st Century.