A U.S. navy sailor facing espionage and desertion charges is suspected of having worked on behalf of Russia, CNN Television reported Wednesday.

Ariel Weinmann, a 21-year-old fire control technician assigned to submarine USS Albuquerque, attempted on three occasions to pass classified information to foreign agents, the report said, quoting charges against him.

Those times include March 2005 in Bahrain; October 2005 in Vienna, Austria; and March 2006 in Mexico City, Mexico.

In addition to the espionage allegations, Weinmann also faces desertion charges, which could result in the death penalty. He is accused of deserting in July 2005 during his first tour of duty.

A customs agent took him into custody March 26 at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport when he tried to re-enter the United States.

Weinmann has been held at a brig in Norfolk, Virginia, since then.

The case is the second one involving spying allegations by Russia against the U.S. military.

The Pentagon has said it believes Russia collected intelligence on Iraq from U.S. Central Command in Doha, Qatar, in 2003.

Source: Xinhua