A US National Guardsman accused of attempting to provide the al-Qaida terrorist network with information about US troops strength and tactics has been formally charged and could face a death sentence.

A National Guardsman is facing charges of attempting to give information to the al-Qaida network.

Military officials were today being briefed by a team of American technicians who have inspected a downed US Navy spy plane in China, a spokesman for the US Pacific Command said.

As US technicians prepared to inspect a grounded Navy spy plane, an American military spokesman said today that Washington still hopes to fly home the aircraft damaged in a collision with a Chinese fighter jet.

The US ambassador to China claims American officials are being denied contact with the crew of a navy spy plane, more than a day after a collision with a Chinese fighter jet.