Israel extends travel ban on whistleblower Vanunu

Israel’s interior minister today extended a travel ban on nuclear whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu for another year, officials said.

Vanunu, who has been barred from leaving the country since he was released from prison last year, must remain in the country until at least April 19, 2006, said Gilad Heiman, a spokesman for Interior Minister Ophir Pines-Paz.

Vanunu, a former technician at Israel’s nuclear reactor, was released in April 2004 after serving 18 years for divulging information about Israel’s secretive nuclear program to the Sunday Times newspaper.