FBI arrests ex

The FBI arrested a former military special operations employee accused of sharing classified information with the media. The arrest of Courtney Williams was announced by FBI director Kash Patel on Wednesday. Williams, 40, was indicted for allegedly providing classified material to a journalist for a book about Fort Bragg. The book, titled The Fort Bragg Cartel, delved into deaths at the base and allegations of elite soldiers involved in drug trafficking. Williams, who worked at Fort Bragg for six years, handled sensitive documents and occasionally dealt with calls related to the unit’s front companies.

The criminal complaint filed in the US district court for the eastern district of North Carolina stated that the article and book contained classified national defense information. Federal authorities highlighted Williams’ obligation to protect such information even after her employment ended. Patel warned potential leakers that the FBI is actively pursuing such cases and making arrests to prevent harm to the country and its citizens.

The complaint detailed phone records showing contact between Williams and the journalist from 2022 to the present day. Williams expressed concern about the amount of classified information disclosed in a text to the journalist on the day the Politico story was published. She also raised issues with how she and other female employees were portrayed in the book.

Following Williams’s arrest, the journalist issued a statement criticizing the FBI for focusing on vague charges against Williams while unresolved murders involving soldiers from Fort Bragg connected to the drug trade linger. Harp denied receiving a drive with classified information from Williams, stating it contained a public EEOC complaint too large to send via email.

Harp described Williams as a courageous whistleblower who exposed gender discrimination and sexual harassment in the US Army’s Delta Force. He emphasized her openness and legitimacy in sharing her identity, highlighting her actions as admirable and above-board. Requests for comments from the FBI on the allegations were unanswered at the time of reporting.