Any person who intentionally and maliciously makes or causes to be made or intentionally and maliciously omits to note on inspection any defect in any article or thing with reasonable grounds to believe that such article or thing is intended to be used in connection with the preparation of the United States or any state for defense or for war, or for the prosecution of war by the United States, or with the rendering of assistance by the United States to any other nation in connection with that nation’s defense, or that such article or thing is one of a number of similar articles or things, some of which are intended so to be used, is guilty of a felony.