Washington ( CNN ) -- Defense Department officials are under a Justice Department order to preserve all e-mails and documents that may be related to the ongoing investigation into leaks to the news media of national security information , a senior Pentagon official confirmed Monday . First on CNN : Intel chief rolls out new measures aimed at plugging leaks . `` We are complying with the preservation order , '' the official told CNN . Defense Department officials may not delete or destroy any e-mails or documents that might be related to the leak investigation , said the official , who spoke on the condition of not being named . `` You ca n't start shredding , '' he observed . Kerry : White House : 'Not involved in leaks . The order potentially could cover thousands of civilian and military personnel who work on military intelligence and surveillance programs . It also could include members of the Defense Intelligence Agency and other organizations , such as the National Security Agency , which focus to a large extent on eavesdropping overseas . However , the official said the Justice Department is clear it 's only interested in information related to the current leak investigation . The official said the next step could be for personnel to be interviewed . `` We would certainly expect DoD officials to be interviewed '' if they are likely to have information on the leaks , he said . The investigation was sparked by recent leaks of classified information , including the revelation in May that a mole had been working to help thwart a Yemen bomb plot targeting the United States , and the disclosure of the classified drone program in Afghanistan and Pakistan . Opinion : Obama leak 'scandal ' is wildly overblown .
` ` We are satisfied with the preservation order , '' a senior military official says . The order potentially could cover evacuation of civilian and military personnel . The official says the next step will be for personnel to be evacuated .