WASHINGTON – A defense ministry linguist was charged with espionage on Wednesday for allegedly providing the names of American intelligence sources to a stranger linked to the Hebollah terrorist organization.
Federal prosecutors have accused Mariam Taha Thompson, 61, of having compromised the identity of the sources by providing information to a Lebanese citizen, putting their lives in “grave danger”.
“If this is true, this conduct is a disgrace, especially for someone who works as a contractor with the United States military,” said Deputy Attorney General John Demers. “This betrayal to the country and its colleagues will be punished.”
Thompson was arrested by FBI agents last week at an undisclosed U.S. military facility where she held a highly covert government security clearance.
Beginning on December 30, the same day that protesters stormed the US Embassy in Iraq in response to US air strikes against Iranian-backed forces in Iraq, Thompson allegedly sought access to classified information that does not were not related to his duties.
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“Specifically, for a period of six weeks … Thompson accessed dozens of files relating to sources of human intelligence, including real names, personal identification data, general information and photographs of human property “said prosecutors,
She also obtained “operational cables” containing detailed information that the sources had provided to the United States government, as well as the techniques the sources used to gather the information, according to court documents.
Prosecutors said Thompson then passed the information “in a handwritten note” to the Lebanese national, who was involved in a “romantic” relationship with the linguist. The Lebanese co-conspirator, according to prosecutors, has “apparent links with Hezbollah”.
US District of Columbia attorney Timothy Shea has described the alleged conduct as “a serious threat to national security … that is life-threatening”.
In a written statement, the Pentagon said it was cooperating with the ongoing criminal investigation, adding that the military authorities were taking “all necessary precautions”.
Thompson was scheduled to make his first court appearance in Washington on Wednesday.
If convicted, Thompson faces a maximum life sentence.
