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Washington: Polygraph tests of several senior US military officers were conducted after sensitive information related to America's highly secret weapons stockpile was leaked to the media. According to the report, officials associated with the Pentagon and other military commands were questioned in this matter.
The report quoted three different American officials as saying that several people were investigated in this case. These also included officers associated with Centcom and other military commands. However, two sources said that none of the officials involved in the investigation were found to have failed questions related to leaking information to the media.
According to sources, US President Donald Trump was extremely angry with this sensitive information being revealed in the media. Due to the leak of confidential information accessible to a limited number of people, it was also feared that someone might be working for a foreign intelligence agency.
Defence Department Assistant Secretary for Public Relations Shawn Parnell said the department does not comment on internal investigations or personnel matters. However, he clarified that the department takes the leaking of confidential information very seriously.
This investigation started when news related to America's use of sophisticated and limited number of weapons during the war with Iran came to light in the media. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth in July announced the creation of a joint task force between the Defence Department and the Justice Department to identify and prosecute those who leak sensitive government information.
According to US officials, polygraph tests of officials who have access to top secret information may be part of the normal security procedure. But the scope of investigation in this case was unusually wide. Federal law and Department of Defence regulations also set certain limitations and procedural safeguards regarding the use of the polygraph.
It was also reported that not all senior military officers were investigated. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Kane, was also not under the scanner.
Hegseth has previously threatened to undergo a polygraph test over the possibility of leaking sensitive information from the Pentagon. Last year, after information about a confidential Pentagon briefing related to China was revealed in the media, he had also reportedly interrogated the then acting Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Christopher Grady. However, Grady was not given a polygraph test in that case.