Comment by Telemakhos

Ascribing a salutary motive to sabotage is just as dangerous as assuming a pernicious motive. Suggesting that people "would" likely follow one course of action or another is also dangerous: it is the oldest form of sophistry, the eikos argument of Corax and Tisias. After all, if publishing research rules out pernicious motives, academia suddenly becomes the best possible cover for espionage and state-sanctioned sabotage designed to undermine security.

The important thing is not to hunt for motives but to identify and quarantine the saboteurs to prevent further sabotage. Complaining to the University's research ethics board might help, because, regardless of intent, sabotage is still sabotage, and that is unethical.