The State Security in South Africa is investigating the leaking of classified security documents concerning the country’s relations with other countries and the operational details of the State Security Agency (SSA), Mail § Guardian reported.
“A full investigation has been launched into the purported leakage”, State Security Minister David Mahlobo was quoted as declaring in a statement. He further specified that, “Its veracity and verification will be handled in terms of the protocols governing the management of classified information.” It was illegal, in terms of the country’s classification protocols, to disclose information of such a nature and such leaks undermined national security, reports say. “The leaking of the purported documents detailing operational details of the State Security Agency (SSA) is condemned in the strongest possible terms,” the statement said. “The minister would like to assure all South Africans that the State Security Agency will continue to focus on its mandate to protect and secure the integrity of the country, its citizens and critical infrastructure, ” Mail § Guardian quoted the statement.
Mails § Guardian disclosed that Al Jazeera reported on its website that the South African State Security Agency (SSA) allegedly spied on Iran. The report states that Al Jazeera had documents – mainly exchanges between the SSA and its counterparts around the world – showing South Africa was monitoring Iranian agents. Al Jazeera reportedly had a copy of the 128-page report “Operational Target Analysis”, written by South African spies and which profiled dozens of alleged Iranian operatives. The report is also said to have disclosed that British agents monitored Iran’s activities in South Africa. David Mahlob is reported to have noted with concern media reports about the contents of classified intelligence reports belonging to international intelligence organisations, that include Israel’s Mossad, the CIA in the US, and Britain’s MI6.