Former US general investigated over cyber leak

A retired US General is under investigation over the alleged leaking of secret information about a cyber attack on Iranian nuclear facilities, US media report.

Marine General James Cartwright, once the second highest ranking officer in the US military, is being investigated over the leaked information about the Stuxnet computer virus, which temporarily disabled 1,000 centrifuges used by Iran to enrich uranium in 2010, setting back its nuclear program.

The United States and its allies believe the Iranian nuclear enrichment program is aimed at building atomic weapons, while Tehran says it is solely for civilian energy purposes.

The New York Times published a detailed account of the Stuxnet program in June last year, in which it said president Barack Obama had decided to accelerate US cyber attacks, which began under former president George W Bush.

The newspaper report was based on 18 months of interviews with “with current and former American, European and Israeli officials involved in the program, as well as a range of outside experts,” the Times said.

Gen Cartwright, a four-star general, was vice-chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 2007 to 2011.

News of the leak investigation came as the United States is trying to persuade Russia to deport American Edward Snowden, a former contractor working at the National Security Agency (NSA) who disclosed information to two newspapers about secret US government surveillance of internet and phone traffic.

Mr Snowden fled the United States to Hong Kong before the information was made public this month and is now believed to be in the transit area of a Moscow airport.

Reuters