Extremely sensitive intel was leaked by a rogue CIA agent. This put American security at risk.
And now a federal judge has handed down a stark ruling for a rogue CIA agent.
Former CIA Analyst Sentenced to 37 Months for Leaking Israel’s Planned Strike on Iran
Asif William Rahman, a 34-year-old former CIA analyst, was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison for leaking classified documents detailing a planned Israeli airstrike on Iran. The sentencing, handed down by U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles on Wednesday, followed Rahman’s guilty plea in January to two counts of willful retention and transmission of classified information. His actions, which involved stealing and disseminating top-secret documents, sparked significant national security concerns and forced Israel to delay its military plans.
Rahman, employed by the CIA since 2016, had access to highly sensitive materials. Last October, while working at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, he took records revealing Israel’s preparations to launch airstrikes against Iran in retaliation for a missile attack from the Muslim nation, as reported by the New York Post. The leaked documents, which included intelligence from satellite imagery, surfaced on social media, prompting Israel to postpone its planned operation.
The breach occurred on October 17, when Rahman illicitly removed classified documents from the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where he was stationed. According to the Department of Justice, he photographed the documents, transmitted them to unauthorized individuals, and then destroyed the evidence. The following day, the sensitive materials appeared on the “Middle East Spectator” Telegram channel and spread across multiple social media platforms, complete with their top-secret classification markings.
“Asif Rahman violated his position of trust by illegally accessing, removing, and transmitting Top Secret documents vital to the national security of the United States and its allies,” said U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Erik Siebert in a statement. The leaked documents included satellite imagery of an Israeli military base, captured on October 15 and 16, which exposed critical details of the planned airstrike. As a direct result, Israel delayed its attack until October 26.
Rahman’s actions were not limited to the October incident. Earlier in 2024, while working as a CIA analyst in Virginia, he took five secret and top-secret documents, copied them, and shared them with individuals unauthorized to access them. Later that fall, he leaked an additional ten classified documents, further compounding the breach of sensitive information.
The 37-month sentence was lighter than what the government had sought, reflecting a complex case that stirred debate over national security and personal motivations. Rahman’s attorneys argued that his actions stemmed from personal struggles, including “family-related grief” and the emotional toll of a traumatic assignment in Iraq, exacerbated by the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. These factors, they claimed, contributed to his decision to leak the documents.
“I fully accept responsibility for my conduct last year,” Rahman stated in court on Wednesday, as reported by the Cincinnati Enquirer. “There was no excuse for my actions.” His admission of guilt was no surprise as he clearly compromised sensitive intelligence and strained U.S.-Israel relations.
The rapid response to Rahman’s actions highlighted the government’s commitment to addressing national security threats. “The urgency with which Mr. Rahman was identified, arrested, charged, and prosecuted is a testament to the commitment and professionalism of the investigators and prosecutors who brought him to justice,” Siebert added. His statement emphasized the case’s role as a warning to others who might prioritize personal motives over national loyalty.
The leaked documents’ appearance on public platforms like Telegram amplified the incident’s impact, as the classified markings were visible to anyone who accessed the posts. This public exposure not only disrupted Israel’s military strategy but also raised questions about the security of classified information within U.S. intelligence agencies.
Rahman’s case has drawn attention to the vulnerabilities in handling sensitive materials, particularly by those with high-level clearances. His ability to remove and disseminate top-secret documents from a secure facility like the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh has prompted scrutiny of internal protocols and oversight mechanisms within the intelligence community.
The sentencing marks a significant moment in addressing leaks that jeopardize national security. Rahman’s actions, driven by personal circumstances according to his defense, resulted in measurable consequences for U.S. and allied interests. The lighter-than-requested sentence was allegedly judicial consideration of his guilty plea and expressed remorse, and balanced against the severity of his breach.
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