A former C.I.A. analyst admitted in federal court docket on Friday that he violated nationwide protection regulations after he shared categorised knowledge on social media about Israel’s plans to retaliate towards Iran for a missile assault in 2024.
The previous analyst, Asif William Rahman, 34, of Vienna, Va., pleaded responsible to 2 counts of willful retention and transmission of nationwide protection knowledge below the Espionage Act. In November, he used to be arrested by way of F.B.I. brokers in Cambodia, the place he labored for the undercover agent company.
“Mr. Rahman’s movements positioned lives in danger, undermined U.S. overseas members of the family and compromised our talent to assemble essential intelligence at some point,” mentioned Jessica D. Aber, the U.S. legal professional for the Jap District of Virginia.
The paperwork — dated mid-October — introduced a window into American considerations about Israel’s plans and demonstrated the level to which the US watches even its closest allies. The paperwork had been ready by way of the Nationwide Geospatial-Intelligence Company, which analyzes pictures and knowledge amassed by way of U.S. undercover agent satellites. It conducts paintings in toughen of clandestine and army operations.
As soon as the paperwork spilled into public view at the Telegram app, the F.B.I. moved hastily to decide who leaked them. It didn’t take lengthy for brokers to determine that Mr. Rahman revealed the paperwork on Oct. 17 and shared them with unauthorized other folks, prosecutors mentioned. Tomorrow, the paperwork gave the impression on social media.
Brokers additionally discovered that Mr. Rahman went to lengths to hide his non-public perspectives about American coverage and attempted to hide his tracks. Prosecutors mentioned Mr. Rahman destroyed digital gadgets, together with an web router that he used to ship categorised knowledge and pictures. Brokers discovered he tossed the gadgets in public trash boxes.
Prosecutors mentioned that he many times retrieved and revealed categorised knowledge starting within the spring of 2024, simply months after Hamas terrorists waged a brutal marketing campaign on Israel, killing about 1,200 males, girls and youngsters. That assault, on Oct. 7, incited a conflict that left other folks divided about Israel’s reaction and tens of 1000’s useless in Gaza.
Mr. Rahman is about to be sentenced on Might 25 and faces as much as 10 years in jail for each counts within the plea settlement. Mr. Rahman’s attorney, Amy Jeffress, declined to remark.
Seamus Hughes contributed reporting.
