L-3 division accused of snooping through e-mail

The Air Force is investigating allegations that a division of L-3 Communications Inc. read e-mail messages of employees, government workers and other contractors.

The unit, Special Support Programs Division, has been barred from new federal contracts or orders, according to Bloomberg Businessweek, which quoted an Air Force memo.

L-3 managed the military network and copied and stored e-mail messages to collect information on upcoming competitions, Businessweek reported.

The company is cooperating with the investigation, a spokeswoman told the magazine.

L-3 is ranked No. 8 on the 2010 Washington Technology Top 100 list of the largest government contractors.