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The US Department of Justice has charged a US Army intelligence analyst after documents detailing F-22 fighter jets and the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) were allegedly leaked.
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US Army soldier and intelligence analyst Korbein Schultz has been arrested and charged with conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information, exporting technical data related to defence articles without a licence, conspiracy to export defence articles without a licence, and bribery of a public official, according to a statement from the US Department of Justice on 7 March.
The department alleges that Schultz, a top-secret security clearance holder, disclosed national defence documents, writings, plans, maps, notes, and photographs from June 2022 until his arrest in March this year.
“Mr Schultz, a member of the US Army, stands accused of conspiring to obtain and provide national defence information to an individual overseas,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.
“As part of the conspiracy, the defendant provided sensitive government information to his co-conspirator in exchange for thousands of dollars, placing personal profit above the security of the American people.
“(The) arrest shows that such a betrayal does not pay – the Department of Justice is committed to identifying and holding accountable those who would break their oath to protect our nation’s secrets.”
An unnamed conspirator allegedly recruited Schultz and tasked him to gather information on US military weapons systems, classified information, and potential US plans in the event that Taiwan came under military attack.
That information also allegedly contained documents regarding HIMARS, hypersonic equipment information, US military force future development, studies on major countries such as the People’s Republic of China, military drill and operation summaries.
At least three documents, sent by Schultz, allegedly included US Air Force tactics techniques and procedures manual for the HH-60W helicopter, an Air Force tactics techniques and procedures manual for the F22-A fighter aircraft, and an Air Force tactics techniques and procedures manual for intercontinental ballistic missiles.
In exchange, the unnamed conspirator allegedly made at least 14 payments to Schultz totalling more than US$42,000 (approximately AU$63,500). The conspirator allegedly told Schultz that the work was for a Hong Kong-based geopolitical consulting firm.
“Protecting national defence information is absolutely critical to our country’s safety and security,” said US attorney Henry C Leventis for the Middle District of Tennessee.
“The unauthorised sale of such information violates our national security laws, compromises our safety, and cannot be tolerated.
“(The) indictment should serve as a reminder of the Justice Department’s vigilance in protecting the United States against any threat to national security, foreign or domestic.”
The FBI and the US Army Counterintelligence Command investigated the case, with prosecuting occurring under assistant US attorney Josh Kurtzman for the Middle District of Tennessee and trial attorneys Adam Barry and Christopher Cook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
