Turkish-origin contractor arrested with classified documents at Pentagon
The Pentagon in Washington, U.S., is seen from aboard Air Force One, March 29, 2018. (Reuters Photo)
A contractor for the Defense Department Gokhan Gun, was apprehended while preparing to depart for Mexico with a large quantity of highly classified documents on Friday.
According to The New York Times, Gun, an electrical engineer from Türkiye, had printed thousands of pages of documents while working for the Air Force, including several classified as top secret.
He faces prosecution for the unlawful acquisition and retention of national defense information.
Gun was found with a black backpack containing a top-secret document and evidence of his security clearances.
Federal investigators discovered he had printed approximately 3,400 pages of documents, many of which were classified, from his office.
Despite Gun’s claim that some documents might be outdated, security footage revealed that he had printed significant quantities over several months.
This case highlights ongoing issues with the mismanagement and retention of classified information by military personnel and contractors.
It mirrors a similar incident involving a Massachusetts Air National Guardsman. Investigators are currently examining Gun’s motives for accumulating such a large volume of sensitive information.
