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DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20340-5100

U-10-1715/CE

AUGUST 6, 2010

To: Lieutenant General Richard P. Zahner, USA
Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence (G2)
Headquarters, Department of the Army
1000 Army Pentagon
Washington, DC 20310-1000

1. This correspondence addresses potential harm to national security presented by the unauthorized disclsoure of classified national security information contained within the manuscript that United States Army Reserve LTC Anthony Shaffer apparently intends to have published on August 31, 2010, entitled "Operation Dark Heart." The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) learned of LTC Shaffer's efforts on May 27, 2010, and engaged in efforts to obtain a copy of the manuscript, which was finally obtained by the Army's General Counsel Office of July 14, 2010, and provided to DIA the same day. This manuscript was obtained from the [deleted] to which LTC Shaffer is assigned.

2. DIA's preliminary classification review of this manuscript has identified significant classified information, the release of which I have determined could reasonably be expected to cause serious damage to national security. I have also been informed that United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the National Security Agency (NSA) have determined that the manuscript contains classified information concerning their activities. In the case of NSA, this includes information classified at the TOP SECRET level.

3. I am informed that the [deleted] provided favorable operational security and ethics reviews of LTC Shaffer's manuscript. However, no information security review was conducted by the Army as required by DoD policy. In light of the DIA determination, and of the agencies mentioned above, that the manuscript provided to DIA contains classified information, I request the Army immediately take all necessary steps to revoke the favorable operational security and ethics review provided by the 94th Training Division and LTC Shaffer be ordered to formally submit the manuscript for an information security review, in accordance with the procedures set forth in DoD Directive 5230.09, Clearance of DoD Information for Public Release, and that he be further ordered to take all necessary action to direct his publisher to withhold publication of the book pending this review.

4. My point of contact for this matter is Mr. James Schmidli, Deputy General Counsel for Operations, 202-231-6895.

cc:
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs
General Counsel, Department of the Army