ROTTERDAM, Netherlands, Feb 6 (Reuters) - An ex-employee

of major Dutch computer chip equipment maker ASML held

on suspicion of stealing and selling corporate secrets to a

Russian buyer also had contact with Russia's FSB intelligence

service, prosecutors said on Thursday.

The Russian suspect, German Aksenov, has denied any

wrongdoing. ASML and fellow Dutch chip maker NXP, where

he also worked, have said they do not believe Aksenov sold

information that could have seriously harmed their businesses.

Dutch prosecutors said at a pre-trial hearing at which

Aksenov's detention was extended that they had received

information about his contact with the FSB via a message from

Dutch intelligence agency AIVD in late December.

They did not elaborate on the import of the alleged contact

but said the AIVD message had underlined that "gathering

intelligence over science and technology is among the FSB's

tasks."

Aksenov and his lawyer did not address the allegation of FSB

links during the hearing.

At the 43-year-old Aksenov's initial appearance in December,

prosecutors said he had a contact named "Misha" who worked for a

Russian firm called Innovative Engineering Centre and who was

trying to set up a chip production plant in Russia.

Aksenov is suspected of stealing design manuals for

microchips, microchip equipment and for technology with

potential military applications that belonged to ASML, ASML

subsidiary Mapper, NXP and the Delft University of Technology,

to which he had access through his employment.

In court on Thursday, Aksenov protested at his jail

conditions including limited contact with his partner and family

in Russia and said that he "had no other option" but to go on a

hunger strike.

He said he had no other place to stay but jail, calling it a

"Catch 22" that he had lost his apartment and his permission to

remain in the Netherlands.

Prosecutors have said there is a risk Aksenov might flee and

would continue to leak secrets if he were freed from detention.

Judge Annemiek Boer said she expected his conditions would

be improved and set the next hearing in the case for April 4.