WASHINGTON
(AP) -- The Pentagon announced on Thursday that it is taking new steps
to try to clamp down on leaks of classified information, saying
unauthorized disclosures undermine national security and in some cases
rise to the level of criminal acts.
Pentagon
press secretary George Little said in a statement that Defense Secretary
Leon Panetta has ordered him to join the Pentagon's top intelligence
official in monitoring all "major, national level" news media reports
for unauthorized disclosures of secrets.
Panetta
also reiterated guidance issued by his predecessor, Robert Gates, that
the Pentagon's public affairs office should be the only source of
defense information provided to the news media in Washington.
Little
announced these steps after Panetta testified in closed session before
the House Armed Services Committee on the matter of recent leaks of
classified intelligence information. Joining Panetta at the hearing was
the Joint Chiefs chairman, Gen. Martin Dempsey, and the Pentagon's top
lawyer, Jeh Johnson.
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