Washington: American intelligence agencies have made a shocking revelation. Ashley Tellis, considered an expert on India and South Asia affairs, has been accused of leaking confidential information of the country and holding secret meetings with Chinese officials. The US Justice Department said that Tellis, who worked as a senior adviser at the State Department and a contractor for the Department of War (formerly the Office of Net Assessment), illegally kept top secret documents from his home in Virginia and moved them out.
According to US federal prosecutors, during the search of Tellis’s house, more than a thousand documents were recovered, which were marked TOP SECRET and SECRET. These contained information related to the capabilities, weapon systems and strategic technologies of the US Air Force.
According to the affidavit filed in the court, on September 12, Tellis got several classified documents printed from a government colleague. Then on September 25, he printed US Air Force documents detailing military aircraft capabilities.
Repeated meetings with Chinese officials, what was in the bag?
- According to the investigation report, Tellis met Chinese officials several times in the last few years. In September 2022, he was seen meeting Chinese representatives in a restaurant in Virginia, where he had a manila envelope (folder of secret documents) in his hand.
- In the meeting on April 11, 2023, Tellis and Chinese officials were heard discussing Iran-China relations and new emerging military technologies. At another dinner meeting held in September the same year, he was seen receiving a gift bag from Chinese officials.
- According to court documents, Ashley Tellis had Top Secret clearance and had access to highly classified information about US national defense programs.
- He was also a Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. It is a prestigious think tank working on American foreign policy and India-US relations.
- The Justice Department has said that Tellis has been charged with unlawful retention of national defense information.
Service in State Department since 2001, now preparations for arrest
Tellis started working at the State Department in 2001 and since then was known as an expert on South Asia, especially India. He was often called upon for advice on Indo-Pacific strategy and India-US defense cooperation. But now the same experts are accused of endangering the American security infrastructure through foreign contacts.
Panic in America, new episode of ‘intelligence leak’
This revelation has created a stir in Washington. This case is being considered as a new episode of the growing intelligence leak scandals in America. In recent years, government contractors and defense analysts have been accused of leaking secret information in several cases. Currently, FBI and Department of War teams are investigating whether Telis handed over sensitive information related to US defense plans to China.
The American media has raised the question whether this matter is just a ‘violation of protocol’ or an organized network of espionage for China. Justice Department officials say they are conducting a thorough investigation of Tellis’ activities, including his digital devices, bank transactions and overseas contacts.