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Clinton passport details breached | |
(30 minutes later) | |
US Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton has said her passport file was improperly accessed by officials at the state department. | |
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice contacted Mrs Clinton about the breach, Mrs Clinton's senate office said. | |
It comes Ms Rice apologised to Mrs Clinton's Democratic presidential rival Barack Obama over a breach of his passport records. | |
Two state department contractors have been fired and a third disciplined. | |
A spokesman for Mr Obama suggested that the government could be using private information for "political purposes". | A spokesman for Mr Obama suggested that the government could be using private information for "political purposes". |
The BBC's North America editor, Justin Webb, says it is an extraordinary lapse in security which allowed temporary state department employees access to personal information on a man who is guarded by the secret service day and night. | The BBC's North America editor, Justin Webb, says it is an extraordinary lapse in security which allowed temporary state department employees access to personal information on a man who is guarded by the secret service day and night. |
'Very disturbed' | 'Very disturbed' |
The state department tracks those who access its passport database. | The state department tracks those who access its passport database. |
Breaches occurred on three separate dates - 9 January, 21 February and 14 March. | Breaches occurred on three separate dates - 9 January, 21 February and 14 March. |
The Obama campaign raised the possibility of political motivationMs Rice said she had telephoned Mr Obama, a Democratic candidate, to apologise over the lapses in security. | The Obama campaign raised the possibility of political motivationMs Rice said she had telephoned Mr Obama, a Democratic candidate, to apologise over the lapses in security. |
"I told him that I was sorry and I told him that I myself would be very disturbed if I learned that somebody had looked into my passport file," she told reporters. | "I told him that I was sorry and I told him that I myself would be very disturbed if I learned that somebody had looked into my passport file," she told reporters. |
She said the state department's inspector general was investigating the case with the Department of Justice. | She said the state department's inspector general was investigating the case with the Department of Justice. |
The unauthorised viewings were noticed at a lower level, Ms Rice said, but senior management was not informed. | The unauthorised viewings were noticed at a lower level, Ms Rice said, but senior management was not informed. |
The incidents were brought to the attention of higher officials by a reporter. | The incidents were brought to the attention of higher officials by a reporter. |
Mr McCormack said it was not clear what the employees may have seen or what they were looking for. | Mr McCormack said it was not clear what the employees may have seen or what they were looking for. |
Bill Burton, a spokesman for Mr Obama's campaign, denounced "an outrageous breach of security and privacy", and called for a full investigation. | Bill Burton, a spokesman for Mr Obama's campaign, denounced "an outrageous breach of security and privacy", and called for a full investigation. |
"We demand to know who looked at Senator Obama's passport file, for what purpose, and why it took so long for them to reveal this security breach," he said. | "We demand to know who looked at Senator Obama's passport file, for what purpose, and why it took so long for them to reveal this security breach," he said. |