CIA Official Charged with Leaking Classified Information on Israel’s Retaliatory Plans Against Iran
A CIA officer identified as Asif Rahman has been charged with leaking classified U.S. intelligence on Israel’s potential response to an Iranian missile attack. He was apprehended by the FBI in Cambodia on Tuesday and is set to appear in federal court in Guam.
Rahman was indicted last week in Virginia on two counts of willfully transmitting national defense information, felony charges that carry substantial prison sentences, according to an Associated Press report.
The indictment alleges that Rahman, an employee of the CIA stationed abroad, intentionally retained and shared the documents with unauthorized individuals. Rahman reportedly held a top-secret security clearance, giving him access to sensitive, compartmentalized information.
The leaked documents, marked “Top Secret” and meant only for the “Five Eyes” alliance, comprising the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, reportedly came from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency. They surfaced on the Telegram account “Middle East Spectator” in October, prompting a leak investigation.
The intelligence revealed sensitive information about Israeli military preparations in response to an Iranian ballistic missile attack on October 1. The documents detailed the Israeli Air Force’s exercises involving air-to-surface missiles and movement of munitions for a possible strike against Iranian targets.
Additionally, one of the documents mentioned Israel’s nuclear capabilities, though there was no evidence to suggest that Israel intended to deploy a nuclear weapon in the event of a strike on Iran.
Officials have suggested that the leaked documents do not present a comprehensive overview but offer a glimpse into satellite-based intelligence assessments by U.S. analysts regarding Israel’s movements and preparations. Such intelligence is often gathered through satellite imagery, a core function of the NGA, which conducts analyses to support U.S. clandestine and military operations globally.
