Posted on 10/05/2005 3:37:38 PM PDT by MindBender26
Oct. 5, 2005 — Both the FBI and CIA are calling it the first case of espionage in the White House in modern history.
Officials tell ABC News the alleged spy worked undetected at the White House for almost three years. Leandro Aragoncillo, 46, was a U.S. Marine most recently assigned to the staff of Vice President Dick Cheney.
"I don't know of a case where the vetting broke down before and resulted in a spy being in the White House," said Richard Clarke, a former White House advisor who is now an ABC News consultant.
Federal investigators say Aragoncillo, a naturalized citizen from the Philippines, used his top secret clearance to steal classified intelligence documents from White House computers.
In 2000, Aragoncillo worked on the staff of then-Vice President Al Gore. When interviewed by Philippine television, he remarked how valued Philippine employees were at the White House.
"I think what they like most is our integrity and loyalty," Aragoncillo said.
Classified Material Transferred by E-Mail
Officials say the classified material, which Aragoncillo stole from the vice president's office, included damaging dossiers on the president of the Philippines. He then passed those on to opposition politicians planning a coup in the Pacific nation.
"Even though it's not for the Russians or some other government, the fact that it occurred at the White House is a matter of great concern," said John Martin, who was the government's lead espionage prosecutor for 26 years.
Last year, after leaving the Marines, Aragoncillo was caught by the FBI while he worked for the Bureau at an intelligence center at Fort Monmouth, N.J.
According to a criminal complaint, Aragoncillo was arrested last month and accused of downloading more than 100 classified documents from FBI computers.
"The information was transferred mostly by e-mails," said U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Christie at the time of Aragoncillo's arrest.
Since that arrest, officials say Aragoncillo has started to cooperate. He has admitted to spying while working on the staff of Vice President Cheney's office.
Related story here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1497286/posts
All the Soviet spies who worked in the Roosevelt and Truman White Houses being ancient history.
Probably Sandy Berger's nephew...
Funny how hysteric the Arab Broadcast Corporation is to link this to Cheney but just dance right by this fact.
""I don't know of a case where the vetting broke down before and resulted in a spy being in the White House," said Richard Clarke, a former White House advisor who is now an ABC News consultant."
Good old Richard Clark - Drudge doesn't even have a link up yet and Clark already is looking to assign blame.
Interesting how these things always seem to go back to the Clintons.
I hope this traitor is sent to Gitmo and subjected to 24/7 Air Supply records. This is series and scary. Wonder when the Dems will start to say it's "Bush's Fault".
ouch....
If he's an American citizen, a Marine, and granted top secret security clearance and he's giving secrets to a foreign power why isn't he a "traitor"???
Philippines politics is so messed up. This guy allegedly was helping opponents of the Philippine president - either the current prez, Gloria, or her ousted predecessor, Estrada. Perpetual turmoil and corruption seems to be the curse of politics in the country. Very sad, the fine people of the Philippines deserve better. Their economy and quality of life greatly suffer because of the corruption that suffuses the country's politics.
"he remarked how valued Philippine employees were at the White House."
That is true, they are everywhere at the WH. Have been since the war.
Bookmark
And now this?
Makes me feel real secure.
I just heard about this. WTF is right.
Let's see if this arsehole has the dignity to fall on his sword to preserve the good name to the USMC
No the question is, how is this happening, in the most secured and security sensitive house in the country?
And we are at war? Where are the security checks and balances? The damage from something like this could be devastating beyond imagination.
Several years ago, a person working in and around the White House during a holiday event, was actually photographed with Cheney and his wife inside the White House. It was later discovered that this individual had entered and was in this country illegally!
I find this absolutely alarming and mind numbing.
Oh Sh!te.
Well only if you don't count Bill and Hillary Clinton.
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