The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has thrown light on a long-running case of defection. According to the Associated Press, on May 14, the FBI issued a statement announcing a $200,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of former U.S. Air Force intelligence expert Monica Witt. Witte is accused of defecting to Iran in 2013, and her whereabouts remain a mystery. In February 2019, a federal grand jury in the U.S. District of Columbia indicted Witt on espionage charges, including passing defense information to the Iranian government, it also helped Iran’s spy agency reveal details of former colleagues and intelligence sources. However, at present, the United States did not provide Witt in Iran’s video, audio, Iranian officials have not commented on this, related statements are the United States allegations.
“The F.B.I. has not forgotten her and believes that at this critical time, someone knows where she is,” Daniel Weltzbitsky, head of Counterintelligence and Cyber Division at the F.B.I. ‘s Washington Field Office, said in a statement. Weltzbitsky appealed to the public for clues, “Help us arrest Witte and bring her to justice.” The FBI’s sudden and high-profile escalation of the hunt for Witte, at a time of rising tensions between the US and Iran, has raised questions about its motives. Associated Press analysis, this shows that the United States that Witt still have a real threat, and believe that someone can help find her.
According to Fox News Channel reported that the 47-year-old Witt was born in Texas, his career and the U. S. Defense Intelligence System deeply tied. She joined the U. S. Air Force in 1997 and retired in 2008 with specialized Farsi training. In November 2003, he became a special agent in the Air Force’s Office of special investigations at Andrews Field Base in Maryland, the agency’s mission is to“Identify, exploit, and eliminate criminal, terrorist, and intelligence threats to the Air Force, Department of Defense, and U.S. government.”. During this time, Witte access to the highest level of confidential documents, including particularly sensitive“U. S. undercover agents’ real names.”. These agents were scattered around the world, operating under false names and identities.
A spokesman for the US Air Force confirmed to the BBC that Witte had retired as a technical sergeant in June 2008 and had received several medals, including the Air Force Medal for heroism and meritorious service. She continued to work as a defense department contractor until 2010. Two years after his retirement, the Americans determined that Witt had traveled to Iran in 2012 to participate in a campaign denouncing“American moral standards” and promoting“Anti-americanism.” The organizers are actually funded by the army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution. While in Iran, the website of Press TV, Iran’s english-language News Channel, ran an article by Ms Witt in which she attacked the“Pervasive culture of tolerance for sexual harassment” in the US military. The FBI quickly intervened, interviewing Witte when she returned to the United States and warning her that she had become a recruitment target for Iranian intelligence. Witte returned to Iran in 2013, a year after the interview. Upon arrival, she was provided with housing and computer equipment, US media reported. The U.S. side accused her of formally working for the Iranian side after that, revealing all kinds of classified information to the outside world, and collecting relevant information about her former U.S. intelligence colleagues, and used aliases like“Fatima Zahra” and“Nargus Witt.”.
The U.S. federal indictment released in February 2019 alleged that after his defection from Iran, Witt continued to deliver intelligence to Iran, endangering sensitive and confidential U.S. defense information and programs. Witte is also accused of knowingly providing information that endangers military personnel stationed abroad and their families. The FBI believes that Witte is still in Iran. The indictment also charged four Iranians with conspiracy, attempted computer hacking and aggravated identity theft. It is worth mentioning that the United States and Iran have long accused each other of engaging in activities that threaten national security, including the so-called“Anti-american agent” issue. Since the United States and Israel launched air strikes on Iran, the two sides in addition to military confrontation, the public opinion game, psychological offensive and confrontation in the cyber field have also escalated simultaneously.