Ex-CIA officer charged with whistleblowing

Alexandria - Ex-C.I.A. officer John Kiiakou, who led the investigation into the capture and interrogation of suspected Al Qaeda financier Abu Zubaydah, has been charged with whistleblowing.

Former C.I.A. officer John Kiriakou, 47, has been charged with disclosing classified information to journalists, relating to the investigation and capture of suspected Al Qaeda financier Abu Zubaydah. The charges include disclosing the identity of a C.I.A. officer that was involved in the interrogation of Zubaydah. In 2007 Kiriakou described to a news channel the use of waterboarding as an interrogation technique, confirming waterboarding, which he described as necessary, had been used on Abu Zubaydah. According to Alarabiya he was the first U.S. official to describe waterboarding during a 2007 interview with ABC News. Additionally Kiriakou was charged with lying to the CIA in order to publish his book, "The Reluctant Spy: My Secret Life in the CIA's War on Terror." (BBC) The New York Times reported that C.I.A. director David H. Petraeus sent a warning on Monday to operatives against leaking information. He said that the agency fully supported investigations into leaked classified information. The Attorney General, Eric J. Holder Jr. released this statement: “Safeguarding classified information, including the identities of C.I.A. officers involved in sensitive operations, is critical to keeping our intelligence officers safe and protecting our national security.” Kiriakou could face a prison term of up to 20 years if found guilty.