CIA Seeks Probe of Ex-Officer Who Told Journalists of Waterboarding
The CIA has requested an investigation of the former CIA officer who told journalists last week that a destroyed videotape showed an al-Qaida suspect being subjected to waterboarding.
The CIA has asked the Justice Department to review whether comments by the former officer, John Kiriakou, illegally disclosed classified information, the Washington Post reports.
Kiriakou told the Post and ABC News that the simulated-drowning technique worked, leading to information that helped foil perhaps dozens of planned attacks.
Kiriakou’s lawyer, Mark Zaid, told the Post such cases are routinely referred to the Justice Department but rarely result in criminal charges.
“If they do pursue it, they will open a Pandora’s box that will put the spotlight on whether the interrogations were lawful, and the extent to which they have been fully revealed by federal officials,” Zaid told the newspaper.
