Report: US warns allies on leaks of intelligence cooperation

The United States is warning some of its foreign intelligence counterparts that former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden obtained documents detailing their cooperation with the U.S., The Washington Post reported.

They could compromise operations if revealed, officials said. 

{mosads}Sources told the newspaper Snowden took tens of thousands of documents from a top-secret network run by the Defense Intelligence Agency, which is used by the intelligence arm of military services.

Snowden accessed the classified information through the Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communications System. Separate from the trove of NSA surveillance information, the new documents detail standard intelligence of other countries. 

The news comes as revelations of NSA surveillance on other countries has strained U.S. relationship with allies. President Obama held calls with both French and German leaders earlier this week after reports of NSA spying in the two countries. 

Some of the documents Snowden obtained detail collection programs against countries such as Iran, Russia and China. Others describe operations that involve countries that are not publicly allied with the U.S., according to the report.

Officials say the Office of the Director of National Intelligence has been charged with alerting other intelligence agencies. The Post said the process of alerting U.S. counterparts can be difficult, because all parts of those governments may not be aware of the operations. 

The Associated Press reported that two Western diplomats confirmed the U.S. had briefed the countries on intelligence operations that might be exposed. 

The Post noted it is unclear if Snowden has shared the particular documents with journalists.