U.S. government official Asif William Rahman appeared in federal court in Guam on Thursday, after being charged with leaking classified information on Israel’s defense plans ahead of a planned missile attack on Iran, last month.
He was arrested by the F.B.I on Tuesday, in Cambodia.
The U.S. Department of Justice petitioned Rahman’s removal from Guam to the Eastern District of Virginia, where he was indicted last week on two counts of willful transmission of national defense information under the Espionage Act.
If convicted, Rahman faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The court granted the recommendations of prosecutors and the probation officer to detain Rahman pending his transfer to Virginia, where he has family ties.
Prosecutor Brett Reynolds cited Rahman’s foreign residence, “extensive foreign travel to other countries,” and his “imminent planned travel to another foreign country” on the date of his arrest, as factors indicating a serious flight risk.
“Additionally, given the nature of the materials that he is alleged to have unlawfully transmitted, there are likely to be foreign countries, adversaries to the United States, that might be likely to accept the defendant and provide him refuge if he sought it,” said Reynolds.
He added that if Rahman is released on Guam, “it’s a particular place where this defendant has no community ties, no employment ties, and might have the ability to use his financial means, which are also reflected in his pre-trial services report, to take advantage of this island’s proximity to foreign nations and international waters.”
Rahman’s defense counsel requested an expedited transfer to Virginia but did not comment on why.
According to the New York Times, the leaked documents, dated mid-October, were prepared by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, which analyzes images and information collected by U.S. spy satellites. It conducts work in support of secret U.S. military operations.
The information in the documents details interpretations of satellite imagery that shed light on a possible strike by Israel on Iran, including the type of missiles, plans, and other aircraft its military could use.
They began circulating on the social media app, Telegram, last month.
Court documents said Rahman held a top-secret security clearance with access to sensitive compartmented information.
