The United States has brought first-of-its kind cyber-espionage charges against five Chinese military officials accused of hacking into U.S. companies to gain trade secrets. The indictment accuses the hackers of targeting the U.S. nuclear power, metals, and solar products industries. The alleged victims are brand-name companies including Alcoa and Westinghouse.

The indictment includes allegations of trade secret theft and economic espionage. Attorney General Eric Holder and other federal law enforcement officials were announced the indictments.

Holder says in a statement that the U.S. will not tolerate foreign government efforts to sabotage American companies.

The indictments will accuse individuals of participating in cyber-espionage on behalf of a foreign government, said the official, who revealed this information only on grounds of anonymity because this person wasn’t authorized to publicly discuss the case in advance of the official announcement.

The official described the prosecution as unprecedented. The official said Chinese government officials are being charged in the United States with hacking into private-sector companies to gain trade secrets. […]