US Government Staffer Arrested in Investigation of Israeli Attack on Iran Leak
A US government employee has been charged with leaking classified defense information, according to a federal indictment unsealed Wednesday.
Asif William Rahman faces two counts of willfully transmitting classified material under the Espionage Act, though the indictment does not specify details about the leak itself, but the timeframe aligns with classified materials about Israel’s strike on Iran emerging online last month.
The leak reportedly occurred around October 17, shortly before the pro-Iran Telegram account “Middle East Spectator” published two documents—allegedly from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency—containing intelligence on Israel’s potential attack preparations against Iran.
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This information, derived from satellite imagery dated October 15-16, was reportedly obtained from an anonymous source, with the Telegram account disclaiming any direct connection to the leaker.
The New York Times was first to break the story of Rahman’s arrest. Citing court documents, the newspaper says Rahman worked for the CIA abroad, maintaining a top-secret security clearance as an employee of the foreign intelligence agency.
The FBI confirmed an ongoing investigation into the origin of the documents last month. According to the indictment, dated November 7, authorities believe the leak happened in Cambodia, where Rahman was arrested on November 12. He is expected to appear in federal court in Guam on November 14 before being transferred to Virginia for trial.
The shared documents were accessible within the “Five Eyes” intelligence alliance, comprising the US, Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, all closely aligned English-speaking majority countries. The leaked documents contained highly confidential information regarding Israeli military tactics and weapons technology, such as ballistic missile capabilities and drone-based intelligence gathering.
