A CIA official has been charged with leaking highly classified documents regarding Israel’s potential retaliation against Iran following a missile attack.
Asif W. Rahman, who held a top-secret security clearance and worked for the CIA overseas, was arrested by the FBI in Cambodia on Tuesday in connection with the leak, according to the New York Times. His arrest follows the circulation of classified materials online last month, revealing details of Israel’s plans to strike back after Iran launched missiles on October 1.
The leaked files, prepared by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, included satellite imagery related to the potential Israeli strike and details about the types of missiles involved. These top-secret documents were only intended for individuals with proper security clearance within the U.S. and its “Five Eyes” intelligence allies—Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
At the time, the Middle East Spectator reported receiving the documents from an anonymous source, though it could not verify their authenticity or establish a connection to the original leaker.
The FBI announced last month that it was investigating the source of the leak, collaborating with the Department of Defense and the intelligence community. The indictment, filed in the case, does not specify the exact nature of the leak but notes it occurred around October 17. The information in the leaked documents was based on satellite imagery taken between October 15 and 16. Investigators suspect the leak occurred in Cambodia.
Rahman, with his CIA clearance, had access to sensitive compartmentalized information, a designation typical for those handling classified material. According to the latest data from 2017, over one million individuals in the U.S. have access to top-secret materials, with an additional 1.6 million granted access to confidential or secret information.
Security clearances are subject to regular reviews through a process called “continuous vetting” to ensure that employees remain trustworthy. This process, revamped by the Department of Defense in the past two years, involves ongoing background checks to identify any emerging threats posed by cleared individuals.
Rahman is charged with two counts of willful retention and transmission of national defense information. After his initial court appearance, he is expected to be transferred to the Eastern District of Virginia for trial.
