FBI Raids University of Florida Nuclear Institute

ABC News On Campus reporter Miles Doran blogs:

The University of Florida’s Innovative Nuclear Space Power and Propulsion Institute was raided by FBI agents and officials from the office of NASA’s inspector general Wednesday morning. Agents spent several hours searching the institute and the office of the institute’s director, Samim Anghaie.

Law enforcement officials told ABC News the investigation involved a criminal matter that had nothing to do with terrorism, technology transfer or espionage.

“We did have federal agents on campus and we have been fully cooperating with federal officials on their inquiry,” said University of Florida spokesman Steve Orlando.

No arrest warrants have been issued.

“When you throw together all those elements, words like ‘Iranian’ and ‘nuclear’ and ‘FBI,’ people get kind of worked up about it,” Orlando said. “I don’t think it’s nearly as sexy as people would guess from all those elements.”

Students who arrived to Anghaie’s Wednesday morning class were greeted with a message written on the classroom chalk board reading: “Class Canceled.”

One student, who did not want to be identified because of the close-knit nature of the university’s nuclear community, reported seeing agents putting items in boxes. He said he and his peers were shocked to learn of the investigation.

“He is one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met,” the student said.

Anghaie, who was born in Iran, has been employed by the University of Florida since October 1980. He has been placed on administrative leave with pay, which is consistent with university policy.