EXCLUSIVE: Is CIA Leak Probe a 'Witch Hunt'?

[Lochloosa]

Director Launches Internal Investigation Into Who Gave Sensitive

By BRIAN ROSS and RICHARD ESPOSITO

Feb. 7, 2006 — The director of the CIA has launched a major internal probe into media leaks about covert operations. In an agencywide e-mail, Porter Goss blamed "a very small number of people" for leaks about secret CIA operations that, in his words, "do damage to the credibility of the agency."

According to people familiar with the Goss e-mail, sent in late January and classified secret, the CIA director warned that any CIA officer deemed suspect by the agency's Office of Security and its Counter Intelligence Center (which handles internal affairs) could be subjected to an unscheduled lie detector test. CIA personnel are subjected to polygraphs at regular intervals in their careers, but one former intelligence officer called the new warning a "witch hunt." Others said Goss' e-mail was narrowly focused and did not suggest agencywide, random lie detector tests.

(snip)

The memo informs its recipients that the CIA has asked the Justice Department to prosecute any leakers within its ranks. This comes in connection with recent news reports that detailed the CIA's operation of secret prisons in Europe and its far-flung flights of suspected terrorists to foreign prisons.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/Investigation/story?id=1587307&page=1

[atommom]

1. So, how is leaking different from whistleblowing?

And if they succeed in prosecuting these people, what kind of things will they be able to get away with then?

[apnu]

6. I can answer that

It is 'leaking' from the perspective of the establishment (whoever that may be, and who ever agrees with the establishment). It is 'whistle blowing' from the perspective of everybody else.

[MarianJack]

2. All Of This From a Crony...

...appointed by bush. I'm shocked! :sarcasm:

[SpiralHawk]

3. "Ve Vill Haff Order" - Kommandant Goss

The rest of you, just shut up and sit down. Now.

[Mithras61]

4. Obviously the CIA isn't responding well...

to the terror threats, so PG has to make more specific ones to keep his people in line! :crazy:

[Stephanie]

5. Purge the whistleblowers

This is getting Stalinesque.

[BR_Parkway]

7. Why didn't they investigate the leak back when ShrubCo found out

about it, you know - around election time. Why did they wait until it was published a year later to actually worry about the damage to our security.

[Mithras61]

8. Because the damage wasn't done...

until the program was revealed to us. The damage they are worried about is the damage to their reputation amongst their proles.

[calimary]

19. Why didn't they investigate the leak back when shrubco

was leaking Valerie Plame's identity all over Christendom?

Ohhhh, I see. That's different.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

9. Shorter Version:

Goss wants political prisoners and prisoners of conscience.

The next step.

[BlueManDude]

10. This is all about Goss purging the career people

and stacking the deck with the ideologues who will "stovepipe" whatever info the current GOP president wants. Quite dangerous really.

[Canuckistanian]

11. The CIA is a shadow of what it once was.

Any pretense of serving the "American people" is gone. It's now a totally owned wing of the neocons.

[rodeodance]

12. and the Plame leak was:'a two-bit nothing" compared to this (Grassley)

Attorney General Says Criminal Probe Continues in Leak to 'NY Times'

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_di...

Attorney General Says Criminal Probe Continues in Leak to 'NY Times'

NEW YORK The Justice Dept. continues to investigate possible criminal charges in the leaking of secret information to The New York Times concerning the domestic spying program.

...

The information emerged in questioning from Republican Senator Charles Grassley, who was outraged that the issue had retreated from public view lately.

"The department has initiated an investigation into the possible crimes there," Gonzales replied. "Consistent with our practice I'm not going to talk about ongoing investigation," he added. "But we will look at evidence and if the evidence shows that a crime has been committed we will move forward with prosecution."

Grassley then responded, "We do not hear as much public outcry as did with the Valerie Plame case." He added that the leaking of a covert CIA operative's name "was a two-bit nothing compared with this issue -- with this information (on the spy program) being leaked to the press."

[seemslikeadream]

17. Yes that was my headline of the day

Disclosure of a two-bit nothin' Valerie Plame's name

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=334574&mesg_id=334574

[rodeodance]

13. nominate

[EFerrari]

14. Hilarious -- someone leaked the email about leaking?

:rofl:

[rodeodance]

16. but not actual email--just the content. But still.....yes it is a hoot.

..According to people familiar with the Goss e-mail, sent in late January and classified secret, the CIA director warned that any CIA officer deemed suspect by the agency's Office of Security and its Counter Intelligence Center (which handles internal affairs) could be subjected to an unscheduled lie detector test. CIA personnel are subjected to polygraphs at regular intervals in their careers, but one former intelligence officer called the new warning a "witch hunt." Others said Goss' e-mail was narrowly focused and did not suggest agencywide, random lie detector tests.

[rodeodance]

15. tells me they already know who the leaker is--as I do not think they would

launch this if one of their own (esp if top guys)----also the delay since mid dec. of last year. just a thought.




..Crime reports from the CIA are sent to the FBI and the Department of Justice, and constitute a statement that the CIA believes a crime has been committed.

Current and former employees say there have been only a handful of such agencywide memos in recent years. One dealt with sexual harassment in the workplace and another with the embezzlement of agency money.

Goss confirmed the general outline of the leak probe in his appearance before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Feb. 2.

"We also have an investigation of finding out what leakage, if any, is coming out of that building," he said, referring to CIA headquarters. "And I'm afraid there is some coming out. I also believe that there has been an erosion of the culture of secrecy. And we're trying to reinstill that."

[sattahipdeep]

18. Goss

culture of secrecy.... :rofl:



http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=880552&mesg_id=880591

[Triana]

20. Is this article written by bu$h apologists (methinks so)

RIGHT OFF THE BAT, this piss-poor excuse for "journalism" is so slanted you can ski down it. Since when is investigating a felony a 'witch hunt'?

We - as a country - are without the WMD expertise of this woman because some bu$hit/PNAC-loyal arsewipe decided to out her to get back at her husband. Not only is this ethically and politically stupid, but it is a felony, isn't it?

The fact that ANYONE in the media is even ASKING such a stupid question speaks volumes about the state of the media and this country right now - and those volumes read like a Stephen King novel.

goood grief... :wtf: