Ex-CIA officer charged with defense leak on Iran

10-count indictment for source of book chapter that focused on CIA's efforts to disrupt Iran nuclear research.

Middle East Online

The Pulitzer Prize-winning author refused to reveal his sources WASHINGTON - A former CIA officer was arrested Thursday on charges of leaking classified intelligence about another country's covert weapons program to a reporter, the Justice Department said. Jeffrey Alexander Sterling, 43, was arrested in St. Louis, Missouri on a 10-count indictment which includes charges of revealing national defense information and mail fraud. Sterling is alleged to have stolen classified documents, and first made his disclosures in early 2003 in connection with a "possible newspaper story" and subsequently for a book published by the same reporter in January 2006, the department said in a statement. Although the Justice Department did not name the country or the "national newspaper" reporter by name, the dates and the details of the case suggested it may be related to James Risen, a reporter for The New York Times. Risen was subpoenaed in April and asked to appear before a grand jury in May to reveal his sources for a chapter in the book that focused on the CIA's efforts to disrupt alleged Iranian nuclear weapons research. The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of the book, "State of War: The Secret History of the CIA and the Bush Administration," refused to comply. The Justice Department said Sterling's alleged actions may have been in retaliation for the CIA refusing to settle a claim of racial discrimination that he had brought against the agency. The indictment alleges that in February and March 2003, Sterling telephoned the author's home and emailed him a newspaper article about the weapons capabilities of the country, identified only as "Country A" by the department. The two men remained in touch, and then the "indictment alleges that in January 2006, the author published a book which contained classified information about the program and the human asset," the statement said. Sterling, who is also a lawyer, also allegedly obstructed justice by deleting an email he had sent the book's author about the country's weapons capabilities, the indictment said. He faces up to 10 years in prison for the unauthorized disclosure and retention of national defense information charges, another 20 years for mail fraud, 10 years for unauthorized conveyance of government property and 20 years for obstruction of justice. Each charge also carries a maximum fine of 250,000 dollars or twice the associated loss or gain. "The indictment unsealed today alleges that Jeffrey Sterling violated his oath to protect classified information and then obstructed an investigation into his actions," Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer said in a statement. "Through his alleged actions, Sterling placed at risk our national security and the life of an individual working on a classified mission."