The New York Times reported that government investigators have discovered classified information on correspondence that went through Hillary Clinton’s private e-mail server while she was secretary of state.
In light of the report, it is instructive to recall that communications from Clinton’s personal e-mail account made public in May by the State Department contained sensitive information regarding the U.S. diplomatic outpost in Benghazi, as first reported by this journalist.
Some of the Benghazi correspondence in question, while not officially designated as classified, betrayed the whereabouts of U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens while he was stationed in arguably one of the most dangerous zones in the world for any American diplomat.
In May, KleinOnline reviewed the small number of Clinton’s personal e-mails released that month to the public by the State Department.
That correspondence contained such highly sensitive national security matters as specific threats to the Libya hotel where Ambassador Stevens was staying as well as his decision to remain at the hotel despite the threats.
The e-mails also contained the exact movements of Stevens while he was stationed in the Libya danger zone.
On April 24, 2011, Clinton’s senior aide, Huma Abedin, forwarded to Clinton’s personal e-mail account an internal State e-mail from that same day written by Timmy Davis and sent to Abedin as well as to the State e-mail addresses of other employees, including Clinton’s then-foreign policy aide, Jacob Sullivan.
The e-mail cited a local report stating tat hotels in Benghazi were being targeted.
The e-mail, which ran through Clinton’s personal server, stated that the interim Libyan government “conducted a raid on a house/storage facility and found and arrested an Egyptian cell reportedly there for the purpose of attacking hotels.”
Despite the threat, the e-mail revealed Stevens “still feels comfortable in the hotel,” meaning the e-mail exposed that the ambassador would continue to stay there.
“They are looking into the idea of moving into a villa, but that is some way off,” the e-mail continued. “Based on discussion with DS yesterday, the hotel remains the safest location.”
Startlingly, the e-mail contained information about Stevens’s exact movements, including that he “will be meeting with MFA in one hour and will make a written request for better security at the hotel and for better security-related coordination.”
On June 10, 2011, Sullivan sent an e-mail to Clinton’s personal address informing her that “there is credible threat info against the hotel that our team is using – and the rest of the Intl community is using, for that matter.”
That e-mail divulged: “DS going to evacuate our people to alt locations. Info suggested attack in next 24-48 hours. Will keep you posted.”
Yet another sent to Clinton from Abedin detailed Stevens’s movements regarding his hotel stay.
“The envoy’s delegation is currently doing a phased checkout (paying the hotel bills, moving some comms to the boat, etc.),” wrote Abedin. “He [Stevens] will monitor the situation to see if it deteriorates further, but no decision has been made on departure. He will wait 2-3 more hours, then revisit the decision on departure.”