A U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) official was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Tuesday, Nov. 12, and now faces charges of leaking top secret military documents. An indictment filed last week alleged CIA employee Asif W. Rahman leaked classified documents revealing Israel’s plans for a retaliatory strike against Iran following an intense missile attack by Tehran toward Tel Aviv on Oct. 1.
FBI agents reportedly took Rahman to Guam where he is expected to appear in federal court on Thursday, Nov. 14. Rahman is charged with two felony counts of willful retention and transmission of national defense information.
Federal authorities accuse Rahman of sharing documents on the Telegram messaging app from the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NCIS) and National Security Agency (NSA). The information shared reportedly showed interpretations of satellite imagery showing plans for an Israeli strike on Iran, including documents revealing Israel was moving military assets in place to launch the retaliatory strike.
The documents were leaked within the U.S., U.K., Canada, New Zealand and Australia. An FBI investigation eventually linked Rahman to the leak, who agents say had top secret clearance.
Israel carried out attacks on multiple sites in Iran in late October.
Rahman’s arrest came the same U.S. Air National Guard member Jack Teixeira was sentenced to 15 years in prison for leaking top secret information on Russia’s war in Ukraine.