Just over two weeks ago, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and other 9/11 terror suspects had a pre-trial hearing before the Guantanamo Bay commission. The judge presiding over the commission is Army Colonel James L. Pohl. Key issues argued were whether a forty-second daly between the press and courtroom was constitutional and whether the suspects could testify about [...]

John Kiriakou, a former CIA agent, pled guilty this morning to disclosing information identifying a covert agent. The plea was part of a deal with prosecutors to only go to jail for up to thirty months. The charge he pled guilty to was under the Intelligence Identities Protection Act (IIPA).  According to Reuters, “court papers” [...]

A former government official has come forward to tell Firedoglake that the government is prosecuting whistleblower John Kiriakou on the charge of revealing an identity of a “covert CIA officer” because the CIA was “totally ticked at Kiriakou for acknowledging the use of torture as state policy.”

According to the official, the “covert CIA officer” — referred to in the indictment as Official A — was “responsible for ensuring the execution” of the worldwide RDI program. They official alleges that Official A traveled between black prison sites in the world and monitored, managed and even allegedly engaged in torture himself.

President Barack Obama has issued a directive that appears to finally provide whistleblower protections for intelligence agency employees in government. The directive declares employees able to access classified information “can effectively report waste, fraud and abuse while protecting classified national security information.” It also includes a “prohibition” against retaliation against employees, who report “waste, fraud [...]

Ex-CIA agent John Kiriakou, who blew the whistle on torture authorized by the administration of President George W. Bush, is accused of leaking classified information to journalists on the identities of a “covert CIA officer” and details on the other role of “another CIA employee in classified activities.” He was indicted in April on charges [...]

Julian Assange, WikiLeaks editor-in-chief recently granted asylum by Ecuador, delivered a speech on August 19 calling for the US to end its war on whistleblowers and dissidents. He named Pfc. Bradley Manning, former NSA employee William Binney, former NSA employee Thomas Drake and former CIA agent John Kiriakou as people who had been victims of [...]

(update below) The Senate Intelligence Committee passed an intelligence authorization bill yesterday. The legislation, according to committee chairwoman Senator Dianne Feinstein, would fund measures to “counter terrorist threats, prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, enhance counterintelligence, conduct covert actions and collect and analyze intelligence around the globe.” All of which is expected from [...]

Former CIA agent John Kiriakou, who the United States government alleges released classified information to journalists that included the identities of a “covert CIA officer” and details on the role of “another CIA employee in classified activities,” was in court for a motion hearing on July 20 in Alexandria, Virginia. The defense and prosecution were given opportunity to [...]

Former CIA agent John Kiriakou (photo: Troy Page/Truthout.org) The government is pursuing a “selective” and “vindictive” prosecution against former CIA agent John Kiriakou, according to a defense motion to dismiss charges recently cleared for public release and posted by Secrecy News. Kiriakou was indicted in April for allegedly releasing classified information to journalists that included [...]

Former CIA agent John Kiriakou (photo: Troy Page/Truthout.org) A federal grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia, indicted former CIA agent John Kiriakou for releasing classified information to journalists that included the identities of a “covert CIA officer” and information on the role of “another CIA employee in classified activities.” The Justice Department charged him with one [...]