CIA wants prisons leak probed

2005-11-09 21:16

Washington - The central intelligence agency has asked the justice department to investigate how the Washington Post obtained classified information for a report on secret CIA-run prisons for al-Qaeda captives, a US official said on Wednesday.

The referral of the so-called "crimes report" sets in motion a process under which the justice department investigates to determine whether the matter should be prosecuted.

"A report has been filed," said the official, who asked not to be identified.

"Clearly, it has to do with the leaked information about the prisons."

Republican leaders, meanwhile, have asked the intelligence committees of the house of representatives and the senate to investigate who leaked information to the Post about the prisons.

The disclosure of CIA "black sites" has put the White House on the defensive in a heated debate over the detention of "war on terror" detainees.

Vice-president Dick Cheney is reported to have pressed congress to exempt the CIA from an amendment that would ban "cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of prisoners in the detention of the US government".

White House spokesperson Scott McClellan on Tuesday denied that the administration has asked for a CIA waiver.

"We do not engage in torture, we will not torture," he said.

"We will continue to work with congress on the issue that you brought up.

The way you characterise it - ask for exemption for torture - is false because there are laws in the books that prohibit torture."

- AFP