Indian-origin US expert Ashley Tellis arrested for alleged China links, possession of secret documents; what we know so far

Tellis arrested over classified papers, China link probed

Ashley Tellis, a well-known scholar and defence strategist of Indian origin, has been arrested and charged with unlawful retention of national defence information, as per the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.

Tellis, 64, a former National Security Council official under Republican President George W Bush who later advised the State Department and worked as a Pentagon contractor, was arrested over the weekend and charged on Monday, according to an FBI affidavit cited by Reuters.

Tellis is also a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a Washington think tank.

The announcement of his arrest was made by US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Lindsey Halligan, who said 64-year-old Tellis of Vienna has been arrested and charged by criminal complaint with the unlawful retention of national defence information, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 793(e).

“We are fully focused on protecting the American people from all threats, foreign and domestic. The charges as alleged in this case represent a grave risk to the safety and security of our citizens,” said US Attorney Halligan.

“The facts and the law in this case are clear, and we will continue following them to ensure that justice is served.”

Trump administration officials, including Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, have pledged to take strict action against anyone found mishandling classified information.

The FBI affidavit accompanying the charge document said that in September and October this year Tellis entered Defense and State Department buildings and was observed accessing and printing classified documents, including about military aircraft capabilities, and leaving by car with a leather briefcase or bag, according to the Reuters report.

The affidavit said a search of Tellis' residence in Vienna, Virginia, on Saturday uncovered over a thousand pages of classified documents with top secret and secret markings.

According to the affidavit, Tellis met with Chinese government officials several times in recent years. One such meeting took place on September 15 at a restaurant in Fairfax, Virginia, where Tellis reportedly arrived carrying a manila envelope that was no longer in his possession when he left.

The affidavit said that due to his employment with the State Department and Pentagon Tellis possessed a Top Secret security clearance with access to Sensitive Compartmented Information.

If convicted, Tellis is subject to a maximum of ten years’ imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, a $100 special assessment and forfeiture.