FBI detains CIA official over leaking info about Israel’s strikes on Iran

US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Tuesday (Nov 12) arrested a CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) operative in Cambodia for allegedly leaking classified documents regarding Israel’s plans to strike Iran. According to a report by the New York Times, the operative, identified as Asif W Rahman, was presented in a federal court in Guam.

The NY Times report said that Rahman has been charged with willful retention and transmission of national defence information by a US federal court in Virginia.

The indictment was prepared by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.

More about Asif WRahman

Rahman worked for the CIA’s overseas operations and held top-secret security clearance. Thanks to his position in the CIA, Rahman had access to top-level classified information, including sensitive security-related documents and media.

The leak was identified after the classified documents were found circulating on the Telegram messaging app. Puzzled US officials earlier said they were not aware of the source of the leak.

US officials in October had raised alarms over the leak of two intelligence documents, both related to Israel’s potential strikes on Iran amid the deepening crisis in West Asia.

According to Israeli media, the leak occurred Friday (Nov 8) as the Middle East Spectator Telegram channel said it had received the document from a source within the US intelligence community.

Iran on October 1 launched a massive missile and drone attack on Israel as a response to the killing of leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah. Israel retaliated last month with an airstrike on Iranian air defence batteries and military sites protecting crucial energy facilities. Now, Iran is threatening to launch another major strike on the Jewish nation, which would be the third this year if it actually happens.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday (Nov 12) that a third Iranian attack on Israel “would simply cripple Iran’s economy.”

“It would rob you of many more billions of dollars,” he said of a potential additional attack, after claiming that the October ballistic missile attack on Israel cost Tehran $2.3 billion.

(With inputs from agencies)