THE long battle fought by Mordechai Vanunu, the former nuclear whistleblower, with Israel’s authorities is due to resume on Wednesday. He will appear in court charged with violating restrictions that prevent him leaving the country and ban him from speaking to foreigners, writes Peter Hounam.

If found guilty he could be jailed for nine months on a total of 21 criminal counts.

Vanunu left jail in April 2004 after serving an 18-year sentence for revealing details of his country’s nuclear weapons production facility in the Negev desert to The Sunday Times.

He is since alleged to have met foreign journalists from newspapers, including The Sunday Times, and broadcasting organisations from as far afield as America and Japan.

Michael Sfard, one of his lawyers, said Vanunu was in good spirits. “He says he has no more secrets to reveal and everything he might have said to the press since leaving jail has not harmed Israeli security,” said Sfard.

“We are confident the court will vindicate him.”

Vanunu has continued giving press interviews since the justice ministry decided to prosecute him. Earlier this month his lawyers failed to get the restrictions lifted by the Supreme Court.

Since leaving jail Vanunu has lived at the pilgrims’ hostel of the Anglican cathedral in Jerusalem. Last week in a message to supporters he wrote: “I want to thank you for your personal support and encouragement and for continuing to follow my case and struggle for freedom.”

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