Spies? Them? That seems to be the general reaction from those who know Jonathan and Diana Toebbe of Annapolis, Maryland, the very model of a suburban couple with two kids. Jonathan is, or was, a nuclear engineer for the Navy, Diana is a teacher, and both are currently incarcerated and accused of trying to pass secrets to a foreign government. Prosecutors say Jonathan obtained the info about the US nuclear sub program at his job, and Diana not only knew but sometimes served as his lookout at what they thought were "dead drop" locations. Both face life in prison if convicted. Details:
- Mundane: A New York Times story has some amazing alleged details. In July, Diana Toebbe posted a request on Facebook for a babysitter. But this was no ordinary date for the couple: The FBI says they traveled to Pennsylvania that very day to drop off a memory card concealed in a Band-Aid. Their "foreign" contact was actually an FBI informant. At other drops, the data was stashed in a peanut butter sandwich and a gum wrapper, says the FBI.
- In court: The couple appeared in court Tuesday in West Virginia (site of one of the dead drops and their arrest) for separate hearings that lasted just a few minutes. Neither had to enter a plea. More light on the case might be shed at detention hearings scheduled for Friday, per the AP.