Officials at the White House and State Department on Monday refused to comment on a report that guns shipped by the CIA and Saudi Arabia that were meant for Syrian rebels are being systematically stolen by officials in Jordan, and being sold on the black market.
The New York Times reported from Jordan that some of the diverted weapons were used in a shooting in a police training center in Amman, Jordan, where two Americans died.
But when asked about it Monday, State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said the department had nothing to say about it.
“We have no comment on that report,” she said. “There is an ongoing investigation. The United States remains committed to Jordan’s security and stability, and we’re proud to stand side-by-side with Jordan in the global counter-ISIL coalition.”
Trudeau was likely referring to the investigation into the November shooting that killed two Americans, as she said nothing about any investigation into whether weapons were being illegally diverted by Jordanian intelligence officials.
“I just can’t speak to it,” she said.
Trudeau also said she couldn’t talk about other agencies involved in the investigation. “I can’t speak to all the different agencies, but it’s multiple U.S. agencies who are contributing information,” she said.
Trudeau was asked after reporters at the White House asked spokesman Eric Schultz whether he had any comment about the report. He referred questions about the ongoing investigation to the FBI, and questions about the police training center to the State Department.
