IT Tech Stole Massive Load of Counterterror Intel

US, Britain, others caught in Swiss incident
By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 4, 2012 10:29 AM CST
IT Tech Stole Massive Load of Counterterror Intel
Do any computers actually still use a bright green system font?   (Shutterstock)

Millions of pages of sensitive counter-terrorism intelligence from the US, Britain, and other countries was stolen in a massive Swiss data heist over the summer, European security sources now tell Reuters. An IT tech for Switzerland's intelligence service is suspected of swiping the data, and was arrested on those suspicions months ago, the sources said. He has since been released, but a criminal probe is ongoing. Authorities believe he intended to sell the data on the black market.

Investigators believe the suspect, upset that his advice was being ignored and his expertise undervalued, downloaded terrabytes of classified data onto portable hard drives and simply carried them out of the building in his backpack. Those hard drives were confiscated when authorities arrested the suspect, and they believe they managed to catch him before he was able to sell the data. (More counterterrorism stories.)

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