U.S. Translator Jailed for Passing on Info to 'Hizbullah-Linked Man'
A Pentagon translator has been sentenced to 23 years in prison for passing the names of U.S. informants in Iraq to a person allegedly linked to Lebanon's Hizbullah.
Mariam Thompson, 62, had admitted transmitting the classified information to a Lebanese national in hopes that it would be passed on to the group designated a "terrorist" organization by Washington.
"Thompson's sentence reflects the seriousness of her violation of the trust of the American people, of the human sources she jeopardized and of the troops who worked at her side as friends and colleagues," John Demers, head of the Justice Department's National Security Division, said in a statement.
According to court documents, Thompson worked as an interpreter on a foreign military base when, in 2017, she began a relationship on a video app with a man who said he was connected to Hizbullah in Lebanon.
"Over time, Thompson developed a romantic interest in her co-conspirator," the Justice Department said.
She was assigned to American special forces in Arbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, in December 2019, when the unit initiated strikes against a pro-Iranian militia, which ended January 3, 2020 with the death of powerful Iranian General Qassim Suleimani.
Shortly after, Thompson's contact asked for information about agents suspected of having aided the United States.
She gave him data on several American informants, including the real names of at least eight people, accessed through personnel files, and information on U.S. military tactics.
She was arrested by federal authorities the next month, in late February 2020.
almost 3 years
She needs to rot in jail.
almost 3 years
And she will till she turns 85!
almost 3 years
I hope she shares the same cell with a 20 year old 7 foot Nigerian.
almost 3 years
I feel safer already.
almost 3 years
23 years is too much. 2 years would have been fairer as long as no one of the names leaked has been harmed. romantic relationship might lead to such leaks. It's not unusual. However, she should be fired immediately from her post for violating the code of ethics. On the other side, though, how many informants gave names of people to the USA in this way? I guess many. Why then should we not use fair treatment by prosecuting these as well.
lol @ 'developed a romantic interest'