US government cencors Lee's book
( 2001-07-25 09:47 ) (7 )

Dr Wen Ho Lee

The US Government is reviewing the autobiography of Wen Ho Lee, 62, who spent nine months in solitary detention for the allegation of "Chinese espionage".

My Country Versus Me, co-written with writer and journalist Helen Zia, detailing his experience under FBI investigation and in solitary confinement until the collapse of the US government's case, said Lee family spokeswoman Stacy Cohen.

Will Schwalbe, editor-in-chief of Hyperion Books and the book's editor told reporters that the book "answers every question that anyone would ever have for him".

"It is being reviewed by the Government now," Mr Schwalbe said. "Censors have had the book less than two weeks. I'm certainly hopeful that they will pass it quickly and without requesting any changes."

The book is scheduled to be published by Hyperion Books in October 2001.

He said Dr Lee's legal team reviewed the manuscript before it was submitted.

Initially portrayed as a Chinese agent, Lee was arrested in December 1999 on 59 counts of mishandling classified nuclear data. He spent nine months in solitary confinement and was released with an apology from a federal judge who criticized the US government for "embarrassing our entire nation."

"In all of this, the voice that has been absent has been Lee Wen-ho's," Mr Schwalbe said. "In this book he really does give readers a complete account of what happened, and it's very, very disturbing as well. Rights we take for granted were instantly taken away," he said of Dr Lee, a naturalised US citizen.