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Post Magazine
This Week:
From Russia With Love
With David A. Vise
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, Jan. 7, 2002; 1 p.m. EST

FBI agent Robert Hanssen was a frustrated loner isolated from co-workers, family and friends. Finally he found someone to appreciate his mind and talents: the nice folks from the KGB. What followed was a betrayal of his country that was unimaginable -- and a betrayal of his wife that was unspeakable.

David Vise, whose article "Birth of a Traitor" appeared in Sunday's Washington Post Magazine, was online Monday, Jan. 7 at 1 p.m. EST, to field questions and comments about the article and the Hanssen case.

Submit your questions before or during the discussion.

Pulitzer Prize-winning Vise covers the Justice Department and the FBI for The Post. He is the author of "The Bureau and the Mole," recently published by Atlantic Monthly Press, hit number five on the Amazon.com best seller list in its first week of release.

A transcript follows.

Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.

Bethesda, Md.: I thought the article was riveting, but was troubled by the admissions by Robert Hanssen's friend that he had watched him and his wife during intimate relations. Did Mrs. Hanssen know that these details would appear in the article? Did she even know about these two episodes before it was printed?

Just curious.

David A. Vise: I understand and appreciate your concern for Bonnie Hanssen, given the disclosure about the secret hidden camera in her bedroom. In reporting, I always try to live by the doctrine of no surprises.
Bonnie Hanssen was not surprised by anything that appeared in my book, The Bureau and The Mole,or by anything that appeared in the excerpt in yesterday's Washington Post Magazine.

Arlington, Va.: Mr. Vise,
It's interesting you open your article with a reference to Hanssen's religionus practice. I've noticed many, particularly in the media, focusing on religionn, particularly Hanssen's devout Catholicism (as opposed to those who claim to be Catholic yet dispute established church teaching) and involvement in Opus Dei as an explanation for his actions. Clearly you think his family background contributed to his capacity for his acts. Do you think his religionus background contributed as well, and why?

David A. Vise: In trying to understand Robert Hanssen, I felt it was important to understand as much as possible about his professional and personal life. Opus Dei and Catholicism were exceedingly important in his daily life and in the life of his family, and I believe he was sincere in his religionus practices but compartmentalized his actions. I am not suggesting. that Opus Dei contributed directly to his espionage or other activities, only that it is an important part of understanding him.

Fairfax, Va.: Has anyone interviewed the priest who simply told Hansson to give the money to Sr. Theresa? Has anyone asked the church about its policy in such instances?

David A. Vise: I cannot answer your question about the priest who told Hanssen to give the money from his initial spying to Mother Theresa. That was a decision by a single priest, not church policy. As for the church, generally speaking, confessions are viewed as privileged and information from confessions of this nature is not transmitted to law enforcement authorities. The FBI respects that confidentiality.

Fairfax, Va.: I thought Catholic priests were not allowed to disclose anything they heard in a confession. Did the Rev. Bucciarelli have special permission to disclose this information?

David A. Vise: Rev. Bucciarelli was not involved in a traditional one-on-one confession. He met with Bob and Bonnie Hanssen together to discuss how to handle the situation that arose when Hanssen began spying in 1980 and Bonnie caught him writing a letter to the Russian military intelligence. Nevertheless, I have no reason to believe Rev. Bucciarelli sought or was granted special permission from the church to disclose information about this exchange.

Washington, D.C.: Do you think it was necessary to reveal this to the public? Think of their children. Do you regret writing it?

David A. Vise: I empathize with Bonnie Hanssen and the children but I do not regret researching a matter of legitimate public interest.
Robert Hanssen is the most dangerous spy in FBI history, and he remained an enigma after all the early press coverage. My goal in writing The Bureau and The Mole was to understand who he is, where he came from and why he did the things he did. I believe that his unusual sexual practices are an important aspect of understanding him and his psychology.

Phoenix, Ariz.: Please comment on the FBI's procedure for profiling its own agents as security risks. How, if at all, has the Hanssen case changed the procedure? It seems incredible that Hanssen was not detected earlier, given the personality and actions described in the article.

David A. Vise: Hanssen was never given a lie detector test or subjected to a psychological examination during his 25-year FBI career. In the aftermath of his case, the FBI has begun the process of implementing tighter screening procedures, not only when agents are hired and trained but during their careers. They have begun with polygraphs.
The FBI previously had resisted implementing these measures for fear of breaking the bonds of loyalty and trust within the Bureau.

Washington, D.C.: What about the Hanssen children? Is it known how they have been affected so far?

David A. Vise: Bonnie and Bob Hanssen have six children, ranging in age from a high schooler to a parent in her early 30s. In general, they continue to regard Bob as a good father and have been shocked to learn of his spying and other exploits. They are faring as well as anyone could under the circumstances.

Virginia: Wow. I have no question, but thanks very much for writing such an informative and interesting article. I will definitely add the book to my "need to read" list. I had no idea that Hanssen was such a complex and, dare I say, bizarre person.

David A. Vise: Thanks for your comments, and I hope you enjoy reading The Bureau and The Mole. Hanssen is the most fascinating figure I've come across in 18 years at The Washington Post. In the interim,to learn more, you may want to visit www.bureauandthemole.com.

Washington, D.C.: Will you have any local book signings for "The Bureau and The Mole?"

David A. Vise: I am doing several local book signings for The Bureau and The Mole:
Barnes and Noble in Arlington on Jan. 22 (Clarendon Blvd)
Barnes and Noble in Bethesda on Jan. 23
Politics and Prose on Conn Ave. on Feb. 7.
I hope you can make it to one of these.

Washington, D.C.: Hanssen could be a great source for determining the failures of the FBI, CIA and other security agencies that led to our vulnerability on Sept. 11. Is he being made use of for this purpose now?

David A. Vise: Hanssen is in the process of being debriefed now by the FBI, CIA and other intelligence agencies. They typically are meeting with him about twice a week and will continue to do so until he is sentenced so federal officials can learn as much as possible about his spying, failures related to Sept. 11 and other issues.

Washington, D.C.: What happened to the Russian person who gave the FBI Hanssen's case file in Moscow?

David A. Vise: I am not at liberty to disclose this information but it is a terrific question.

Arlington, Va.: To me the most stunning development in this whole sordid episode is the failure of the FBI to follow up on the warning provided by Hanssen's brother-in-law. Has the FBI offered anything close to a satisfactory explanation for how this could have happened? Have any heads rolled?

By the way, how was the relationship between brother and sister after that point?

David A. Vise: The most suprising thing for me to learn in the course of reporting and writing The Bureau and the Mole was that Hanssen's brother-in-law, an FBU agent, had gone to the FBI in 1990 and urged a probe into espionage on behalf of the Soviet Union after discovering Hanssen had excessive cash in his home. The failure of the FBI to follow-up on this appropriately is currently being investigated and the Bureau has not commented pending the outcome of that review.

Baltimore, Md.: I read that his family will draw his government pension. How is this legal or legitimate?

David A. Vise: As part of the plea bargain and under federal law, Bonnie Hanssen is receiving the survivor's portion of her husband's pension, or about $40,000 a year. Hanssen had worked enough years at the Bureau to qualify for a full pension but his spying led to this outcome.

Washington, D.C.: To follow up -- it was a Russian who alerted US authorities to Hanssen? (Somehow I missed this.)

You wrote that Hanssen's own brother-in-law raised a flag 10 years ago. It took a Russian to get the Bureau to look harder?

David A. Vise: A Russian delivered the original KGB file of documents Hanssen had sold to the CIA, which passed it along to the FBI. At that point, neither the Russians nor the FBI knew Hanssen's identity. The FBI launched a secret probe and caught Hanssen red-handed. As for the Bureau's failure to follow-up on the information from Hanssen's brother-in-law in 1990, the FBI dropped the ball.

Annandale, Va.: Have you noticed the preponderance of Catholics that have been accused/convicted of espionage against the U.S? Eg., Agee, Ames, Hanssen. Do you think this would make an interesting follow-up study?

David A. Vise: I had not noticed the religionus connection you describe.

Virginia: Are you the author of "Cassidy’s Run: The Secret Spy War Over Nerve Gas" and "Nightmover: How Aldrich Ames Sold the CIA to the KGB for $4.6 Million?"

David A. Vise: No. I am not the author of those books. They were written by someone with a similar last name and the same first name.

Arlington, Va.: There seems to be a lot of interest (based on the questions you're posting) about what role Catholicism played in Hansen's life as a double-agent.

As an actively-practicing Catholic, it pains me that Hansen's religionus beliefs keep getting trotted out, because they are certainly NOT mainstream Catholic teaching and thinking. I was frankly horrified to read in your article that Hansen apparently thought that by going to Confession regularly, he was keeping himself in a state of grace (which Catholics understand to mean "ready to enter Heaven and meet God"), despite the fact that he had caused the deaths of at least two Soviet double-agents.

While I'm sure there are plenty of Catholics who follow Hansen's routine of almost superstitious following of "rules," that's an immature way to practice ANY religionn. There are mentally unstable individuals who practice all religionns. It's important to realize that many Catholics find his behavior reprehensible on several levels.

David A. Vise: I agree.

Flushing, N.Y.: I know that priests are subject to the seal of the confessional, but they seem to have functioned here as Hanssen's enablers -- if indeed he was being up front with them. Who knows? Have there been any changes you know of in Opus Dei to nip such serious crimes in the bud -- i.e. by advising confessors to insist that such penitents turn themselves in or at least get therapy?

David A. Vise: I am not aware of any changes within Opus Dei re: policies an practices concerning confession.

washingtonpost.com: David Vise will stay on longer than the usual hour to continue to answer questions about his new book, "The Bureau and the Mole." So, stay tuned past the 2 o'clock hour.

Washington, D.C.: Your comments about what an abusive father Hanssen had, do not, in my mind, add up to a guy betraying his country, family and friends. So his dad criticized him and, horrors, held him up by a leg. This was not abnormal behavior 40 years ago.

David A. Vise: I do not think the abuse Hanssen received as a child was normal behavior. At the same time, I agree with you that abuse alone does not mean someone will betray his country and family. However, it seems that the abuse Hanssen received, and the emotional impact it had on his psyche, marked the beginning of a process that led to his espionage.

Fairfax, Va.: What happened to the underground passage under the Soviet embassy? Have the Russians relocated?

David A. Vise: The secret spy tunnel under the Russian embassy is no longer operational. After Hanssen compromised its existence by revealing it to the Russians, they used it to provide disinformation to the FBI.
Per your second question, the Russians have not relocated their embassy. It is still in the same place in Georgetown.

Washington, D.C.: I read that Robert Hanssen owned a Walther PPK. This is the same gun that James Bond uses. Was he fascinated so much with the spycraft that he owned it?

David A. Vise: Hanssen definitely had James Bond fantasies. He loved 007 and was among the first to see every new release of a James bond film. His interest extended to his purchase of the same weapon---the Walther PPK---used by James Bond.

Vienna, Va.: How would you describe Bonnie Hanssen? She comes across as devout, but also very naive or gullible.

David A. Vise: Bonnie Hanssen is a devout Catholic, a devoted mother, and the most loyal spouse imaginable. Some say she is naive; others say she views marriage as holy.
There is no question that Bob Hanssen manipulated her and that he was a master of deception, a clever spy and remains able to play on her emotions even from prison.

Sebring, Fla.: Who at the FBI will be held directly responsible for allowing Hanson to continue to spy after his brother in law turned him in as a possible spy?

David A. Vise: That answer will have to await the results of an internal Justice Department/FBI probe now underway.

San Diego, Calif.: What was Hansen's endgame if he never lived extravagantly or used his funds to buy luxury items or leave the country? Was it purely for the challenge? What was his motivation?

David A. Vise: Great question. The Bureau and The Mole goes into enormous detail about his life and then uses the expertise of psychologists and psychiatrists to understand his motivation. Hanssen himself said it was due to fear and rage -- fear of failing in the work world outside the FBI, and anger at being passed over by the FBI.
This was not primarily about money. It was about ego. Hanssen had a fractured ego seeking recognition and he relished becoming a global player after feeling overlooked.

Duluth, Minn.: David A. Vise: If the FBI and CIA are doing the debriefing of their 'fellow mole'... should the incestuous nature -- or call it, in-house, 'take-care-of-our-own' interrogations, be up for questions by Congress or other branches of government to insure some credibility for the honest, objective outcome of those interrogations? If the mouse in the pantry is questioned by only his fellow mice, who is to say who stole the cheese?

David A. Vise: Good point. In the immediate aftermath of the Hanssen case, there were several Congressional and other federal reviews launched aimed at accountability as well as ensuring nothing like this would happen again. However, after September 11, there was concern about undertaking reviews publicly that would shake confidence in the FBI or distract the Bureau from its mission to respond to the terrorist attacks.

Fairfax, Va.: Louis Freeh resigned just prior to the Hanssen arrest. Was this coincidental or was this date pre-arranged?

David A. Vise: Louis Freeh resigned a few months after Hanssen's arrest. This was not pre-arranged. However, Freeh, who had been politically untouchable, became vulnerable after disclosure that a senior agent had been spying for 20 years without the FBI's knowledge. And it didn't help that this agent attended the same church as Freeh and sent his children to the same schools. The Bureau and the Mole actually moves back and forth between the lives of Hanssen and Freeh, shows how they overlapped and ultimately how Freeh oversaw Hanssen's arrest on Feb. 18, 2001.

Mt. Vernon, Va.: Ames was a second-generation intelligence officer, and Hanssen was as milquetoast as they come. Nevertheless, both became terrible liabilities. How will these episodes affect the recruiting criteria and practices of the intelligence community?

David A. Vise: Both the FBI and the CIA do extensive background checks prior to hiring. I think the major change from the Hanssen case will be beefed up reviews of employees AFTER they are hired and on the job, something the Bureau had been reluctant to do.

Washington, D.C.:
How could the FBI have failed to notice that, at the very least, Hanssen seemed to be a problematic employee in that he did not have good relations with co-workers? Did the FBI personnel office ever look into his behavior, even from a purely administrative perspective? You would think that a law enforcement organization would be attuned to that perennial refrain about serial killers: "Nice guy, but kept pretty much to himself. Kind of a loner."

David A. Vise: Hanssen was a master spy, so clever that the Russians never knew his identity throughout 20 years of spying. I think it is impossible to prevent espionage but having better procedures in place would have resulted in earlier detection of Hanssen's activities. His behavior was never reviewed during his 25-year FBI career, and those closest t him were shocked to learn he was spying for Russia.

Bradenton, FLA.: Is Hanssen restrained from writing his own version of his life and the details of his "side of the story?" I would hate to see him reap any benefits from publication based on his cowardice and treason.

David A. Vise: Hanssen is not permitted to profit from his wrongdoing by writing a book or selling his story in any other manner.

Fairfax, Va.: Go back to the issue of the FBI employee that he grabbed by the arm when she ignored his order to stay after a meeting? Was there more to this? With the information of his deviance -- does this employee have grounds for an harassment case?

David A. Vise: The case occurred more than a decade ago. Both Hanssen and the female employee involved were disciplined at the time, Hanssen for grabbing her by the arm, and the female FBI employee for insubordination.

Vienna, Va.: Do you have any information on how Mrs. Hanssen and the children are surviving financially? Do Hanssen's younger children still attend the expensive private schools that they attended before he was arrested?

David A. Vise: Bonnie Hanssen is a teacher at Oak Crest, a private all-girls school. She also is receiving the survivors portion of her husband's pension, or about $40,000 a year. She has one child still in high school; the rest are in college or older. She is respected and beloved, and viewed as a victim in this case, and has received tremendous community support as well as some tuition waivers.

Boydton, Va.: How could a man this troubled pass the psychological testing, assumedly required periodically, in the FBI?

David A. Vise: Remarkably, once Hanssen passed the tests he was given when he joined the FBI 25 years ago, he was not subject to any further periodic testing. The FBI is in the process of tightening its procedures after decades of not closely monitoring its veteran employees, beyond a financial disclosure statement.

Fairfax, Va.: Mr. Vise,

I enjoyed reading your article and have not yet read your book. This is certainly a fascinating story. One question: We are less than one year from his arrest, and, as you say, FBI and CIA debriefings are still underway. Did you feel it was too soon to write a book about this case? There still seem to be many unanswered questions about Hanssen that might take time to answer. Your thoughts?

David A. Vise: The Bureau and The Mole is aimed at explaining who Hanssen is, what his family and professional life were like, what motivated him to spy and what kind of damage he caused. It led to some stunning revelations. I do not think it was too soon to write a book. However, I intend to follow the story as it unfolds in the hope of answering lingering questions and included fresh material in the movie I am working on about Hanssen and perhaps subsequent editions of the book.

Alexandria, Va.: I am a retired Army colonel, and I am really troubled by one aspect of the Hanssen case. If you commit a serious crime in the Army, especially one that has continued over a period of years, like Hanssen's spying did, then it is routine for you to be denied retired pay. The theory is that you did not serve honestly and faithfully in your job. If ever a case met that standard, Hanssen's did. Yet a deal was cut with Hanssen to allow him (his family) to receive such retirement pay as anyone who served honorably would receive.

Having worked in intelligence, I understand the desire to have him fully debrief the government on what he sold the Russians, but I would have thought this could have been accomplished with the deal not to go for the death penalty.

Have I missed something here, or did he pull a real deal with the government?

David A. Vise:
Hanssen was insistent on doing whatever he could to help his family as part of any plea bargain. Federal law permits payment of a pension; in this case, Bonnie Hanssen, who is viewed as a victim by the FBI, is receiving only the survivor's portion of the pension. Without the pension, there would have been no plea bargain.

Syosset, N.Y.: Why was a previous mole investigation "stonewalled" when it came to the counterintelligence agency of the FBI? Did you come across this in your research?It was reported in the New York Times last May.

David A. Vise: The answer to that question is in The Bureau and The Mole and it is a bit complicated. Please visit www.bureauandthemole.com and resubmit your question there and I will answer it in-depth. In short, it is not uncommon for probes to be stonewalled in govt or the private sector and unless someone at a more senior level forces those in the ranks to cooperate, investigations often are stymied.
thanks.

Park Point: David Vise: Opus Dei is not so far removed from the Taliban... what Opus did with its totalitarian, religion/political power -- to terrorize Latin Americans into subjection, is not that far removed from the patterns of mind control and abuse within from Taliban allegiances.

David A. Vise: You are entitled to your own opinion.

Washington, D.C.: Why did you feel the need to tell your readers about the sexual exploitation of the spy's wife? You're taking money for it, too, via sales of your article and book -- which makes it even more off-putting.

David A. Vise: The Bureau and The Mole contains three appendices: The Betrayals of a Spy, The E-mails of a Spy, and the Sexual Fantasies of a Spy. I included that material in the appendix, just as Hanssen wrote it, so those who want to read it all have the opportunity to do so, and those who prefer to understand the tale and read the book without all of the sordid sexual details can skip it.

Fairfax, Va.: Is the movie going to be on big screen or a television series?

David A. Vise: The movie based on The Bureau and The Mole is a motion picture for the Big Screen being produced by Jerry Bruckheimer Films. As a consultant to the movie, I am interested in your reccomendations for the best actors to play Hanssen and FBI Director Louis Freeh.

Fairfax, Va.: I was surprised to learn that the FBI monitored the conversations between Hansen and his family during their visits after he was incarcerated. Is this standard practice? If so, why the current flack over the government monitoring conversations between suspected terrorists and their attorneys?

David A. Vise: It is standard procedure for the FBI to monitor conversations of an admitted felon with his family. However, there is a long-standing tradition of attorney-client confidentiality that only rarely has been breached. That explains the uproar over monitoring conversations between suspected terrorists, who have not admitted anything, and their attorneys.

Hicksville, N.Y.: From what has been written, Hanssen received $600,000 in cash from the KGB. Outside of $85,000 he spent on Ms. Galey and $20,000 he gave to Mother Teresa's charity, where did the other $500,000 go to? His lifestyle didn't change, but his kids went to Opus Dei private schools. Did he give his spy money to Opus Dei? Did he owe his allegiance not to FBI or KGB but to Opus Dei and the Pope? That question has not been sufficiently answered.

David A. Vise: Hanssen received $600,000 over a period of about 20 years, which means it was about $30,000 a year. He spent some of the money adding on to his family's home. He paid bills that were traceable by check but used much of the rest of the money for an array of items he could pay for in cash. He did not, to my knowledge, give most of that money to Opus Dei or the church.

Piscataway, N.J.: Do you think that Hanssen is aware of other moles in the intelligence community?

David A. Vise: That is an excellent question which Hanssen has been asked in confidential debriefings. Senior Justice officials are aware that there are other moles, and they know this from a variety of sources. But there do not appear to be moles of the magnitude of Robert Hanssen.

Fairfax, Va.: Thank you for the statement that the whole story of Hanssen's life is really "about his ego." Actually, your book could have used that term in its title.

There is no deep dark secret to this small small man. He pretended to be religionus and took his prostitute to church. He called himself Catholic and spit on his children and his wife. He betrayed his country to make himself feel better. He knew people would die because of him and when he was sure they had died he did nothing to end his Russian relationship.

Shame on us for not putting him to death for what he did as a father, not as a murderer and a spy...America will survive.

I imagine his children live with their head's down. You say little about their reactions. Are they destroyed? I hope he develops a belief for my God in prison. I want him to recognize the man who sends him to Hell for what he did to his kids.

David A. Vise: Hanssen's children are suffering from what their father did. They also still believe he was a good dad. Their views also have diverged, as you would expect from six different people affected emotionally and otherwise by such a traumatic event.

Alexandria, Va.: Several questions focus on Hanssen's family, and as you, I empathize with them. But my question focuses on others who are not so close to home. Do you go into detail about the impact that Hanssen's betrayal had on the Russian spies and their families in your book? I'm especially interested in the Russian people that were executed or imprisoned because of the betrayal, and what their families have been going through. Also, were any American (or another nation's citizens) lives put in danger because of Hanssen's activities?

David A. Vise: Great question. Hanssen put the entire United States at risk by selling the Soviet Union the "Continuity of Government Plan," the secret U.S. program for how the president, Congress and govt would continue operating in the event of a nuclear first strike. He did so at a time when the Russians believed they could win a nuclear war.
The Bureau and The Mole does relate information about the Russians who were executed as a result of Hanssen'[s betrayals.

Hudson, Ohio: Comparing Opus Dei to the Taliban is simply ridiculous. But has Opus Dei or or other Catholic organizations been audited for possible contributions of KGB money?

David A. Vise: I have no information about any audits undertaken for this purpose.

Shepherdstown, W. Va.: My question concerns Bonnie as well. Bethesda pretty much asked it already but your response was brief. You say she wasn't surprised and you leave it at that. Certainly it must have upset her, though. Has she given any interviews like Robert's mother? Did you meet with her when you were writing your book? I feel very sympathetic towards her for what she's gone through. I would have been mortified had personal details of my sex life been printed in The Washington Post. Hasn't she been through enough? I even felt sympathetic towards him at times during the article because of his childhood.

David A. Vise: As a journalist and author, I cannot disclose all of the sources of information for The Bureau and The Mole because some of them asked to remain anonymous and I will honor that completely. Therefore, I cannot answer your question re: my contacts with Bonnie Hanssen. I will say that I interviewed many family members who offered enormous insight into this incredible story.

Washington, D.C.: What internal security mechanisms are in place to deter FBI counterintelligence personnel from straying?

David A. Vise: The FBI has instituted a polygraph program. Even though polygraphs are not reliable, their existence serves as a deterrent to illegal activities.
Many experts who have read The Bureau and The Mole say the FBI needs to institute periodic psychological testing of its agents over the years. Thus far, the FBI has not adopted such a program.

McLean, Va.: In both "Black Hawk Down," by reporter Mark Bowden, and "The Bureau and the Mole" it seems, justifiably in my opinion, that the authors are receiving money for film rights to actual events. Did Bruckheimer buy the rights to the film from you because you encapsulated the material? Did Robert Hanssen receive money for the film portrayal of his life? To what degree does the film have to adhere to your book before it crosses a boundary and you are basically getting paid to sell someone else's life story?

David A. Vise: I covered the Hanssen story for The Washington Post when it broke last February. I immediately saw a movie in my head. I pulled two all-nighters and wrote a proposal I sent to Hollywood, which Jerry Bruckheimer films bought. The proposal outlined the extraordinary nature of the story and my commitment to reporting it fully, fairly and accurately.
Hanssen received no money whatsoever. Jerry Bruckheimer Films has assured me that the movie based on The Bureau and The Mole will adhere to the story itself. I think we can all agree that there is no need for anyone to embellish anything here and it is important for the motion picture to portray this incredible tale as it occurred.

Washington, D.C.: I know that some have argued that Hanssen's wife came out too well in the settlement of the case. Your story portrays her as almost a cliche of the "stand by your man" wife, but don't you think her complicity prolonged his spying career. I wonder, for example, if she was not instrumental in squashing any inquiry resulting from her brother's warning in 1990(?) by suggestingesting to someone early on that her brother was jealous of her husband or had some other reason for raising false allegations.

At best, it seems she willed herself to ignore his spying, in which case I don't think she should be allowed to live off a government pension.

David A. Vise: You are entitled to your view about the pension. People seem divided over this question. I have no information at all that Bonnie Hanssen ever interfered in any way with an FBI probe into her husband's illicit activities. The FBI also has indicated it believes she has cooperated fully and truthfully since his arrest.

Hicksville, N.Y.: Why did the FBI insist that Hanssen's plea bargain state that he could not participate in book deals, documentaries or movie deals? What is the FBI trying to cover up? He is a "primary source" of information all the rest that is written about Hanssen is subjective depending on the author. We need to know the "truth and nothing but the truth" in this case. I believe the media is filtered by what is or is not allowed to be printed or shown to us. Its time the government level with the American people.

David A. Vise: It is standard practice for felons to be prohibited from profiting themselves from their own wrongdoing. However, that does not prevent Robert Hanssen and other family members from talking to reporters, authors and producers of films about his incredible betrayal. I agree with you that the public needs to know the truth in this case and that is one of the reasons I wrote The Bureau and The Mole, and developed www.bureauandthemole.com.
Sunlight is a great disinfectant.

Piscataway, N.J.: Did you watch the "60 Minutes" story that they did on Hanssen a few weeks back? What are your thoughts?

David A. Vise: I watched the 60 Minutes story a few weeks back. It contained some accurate information about Hanssen and some information that is either inaccurate or inconsistent with the facts in the case. Overall, I think 60 Minutes presented an important story to the public during prime time. Questions have been raised about whether 60 Minutes used material from The Bureau and The Mole without offering credit, but those involved in producing the segment say they did their own original research.

North Potomac, Md.: I must admit that I was astounded by the amount of access that Hansen had to so many areas of intelligence. Many were areas that I had no idea of FBI access. Actually, his case looks so much like a classic "double operation" that I have wondered how much was his solo operation and how much was disinformation.

If he were on his own for the entire time -- how could anyone ever be so mad as to give him such access? What ever happened to "need to know?"

And one more thing, since the CIA Director is also Director of Central Intelligence -- what was the Bureau doing in these areas? If we had a real Director of Central Intelligence, would there be more control over the FBI and perhaps some limits on their "cowboys?"

David A. Vise: The FBI for years suffered from stovepiping information and failing to share intelligence with other orgs. So a decision was made to share information more openly with senior officials.
Hanssen operated at the highest levels of the Bureau in Soviet and Russian counterintelligence. This gave him access to information from the CIA, NSA,
National Security Council and Pentagon. This also was facilitated by his sharp computer skills.

Flushing, N.Y.: Is Bonnie Hanssen still standing by her husband as of January 2002? After all these terrible things he did to her are in print for all the world to see?

David A. Vise: Bonnie Hanssen prays for her husband's soul daily and visits him regularly in prison. She is not only standing by him; she is super-supportive.

Queens, N.Y.: Two questions: I'm curious about your take on why Dr. Salerian broadcast his diagnosis of Hanssen's mental condition. Did Hanssen let him to try to sway the jury pool? I can't help but be cynical about Hanssen's motives -- he sounds like a high order sociopath to me. Did any of the shrinks you interviewed make that diagnosis?

David A. Vise: Dr. Salerian broadcast his diagnosis of Hanssen because he believed strongly that Hanssen should go to trial and plead insanity, rather than cutting a deal for life in prison.
The psychologists and psychiatrists I interviewed generally concluded that Hanssen had a remarkable ability to compartmentalize his activities. He did not simply wear masks to conceal his espionage and philandering. More details on this in The Bureau and The Mole. It is a fascinating subject.

Hicksville, N.Y.: The intelligence failure of Sept. 11 proves Hanssen's assessment of the FBI was correct. First, the macho mentality of management failed to stop the real enemy of the USA from bombing us. Second, his respect for the authoritarian Hoover who rejected the idea of a CIA but instead wanted a Centralized intelligence agency is right again. We now have a Homeland Security agency to coordinate all intelligence agencies and an authoritarian FBI director Mueller. Third, he claimed Russia was too weak, well it did collapsed in 1991. If Hanssen has the blood of three agents on his hands then the Intelligence agencies have the blood of 3000 innocents on theirs for failing to do their jobs properly. Had someone rewarded Hanssen's idealism, and made him the field spy he craved Sept. 11 may have turned out quite differently. A "beautiful" mind was entirely wasted in the FBI.

David A. Vise: I understand your assertions and you are certainly entitled to your perspective on this case.

Flushing, N.Y.: Why did you reprint Hanssens's pornographic posts rather than just describe them? When people know too much about somebody's sexuality, especially one as repellent as Hanssen's, it's hard to focus on anything else. It's so inflammatory that when you think of Hanssen, you think "yeah, the guy with the kinky sex life" rather than being shocked by his treason.

David A. Vise: I believe the public that wants to read the material has a right to know about what Hanssen wrote himself re: everything from his philosophy about Russia to his sexual fantasies. I organized the material in the Bureau and The Mole with Appendices so those who want to read about his sexual fantasies can do so, and those who want to skip it have the chance to do so while reading the entire book.

College Park, Md.: Do we know who initiated the renewed contact between Hanssen and the KGB in the late 1990's? Or when Hanssen left a fingerprint among material for the Russians? Your article made me wonder whether Hanssen was really dealing with the KGB in his recent espionage, or with U.S. agents who were pretending to be KGB so they could build a stronger case against Hanssen than a single fingerprint in an old KGB file.

David A. Vise: Hanssen was really dealing with the KGB and was not the target of an FBI sting. That is why the FBI, even after identifying Hanssen, waited and did not arrest him immediately. The Bureau waited until they could catch the most dangerous spy in FBI history red-handed as he passed intelligence to the Russians.

That's all for now. I will be back online at washingtonpost.com to answer more questions about The Bureau and The Mole soon. IF you have other questions, you can submit them at www.bureauandthemole.com, where I will be answering queries on a regular basis.

washingtonpost.com: David Vise will continue his discussion of Robert Hanssen this Friday at 11 a.m. EST on NPR's Diane Rehm show and at 1 p.m. here at Live Online.