CIA Suppressed Iran Nuclear Intelligence, Ex-Agent Says

A former undercover CIA operative claimed in a federal court filing Friday that the agency quashed intelligence indicating that Iran had halted its pursuit of a nuclear weapon capability, the Washington Post reported (see GSN, June 30).

The former agent, who is prohibited from releasing his name, contends that the CIA ignored evidence that Iran had suspended its military nuclear program until the agency reversed its conclusions in helping to formulate a U.S. intelligence assessment last year.

In a 2004 lawsuit, the man said he was fired after battling with superiors over his efforts to file reports questioning widely held assumptions about WMD proliferation in Iraq and Iran.

Operating in secret in the Gulf region, the official received evidence from an informant suggesting that Iran had suspended research aimed at developing a nuclear bomb.  His efforts to submit the intelligence were “thwarted by CIA employees,” and he was later asked to “remove himself from any further handling” of the informant, court documents say.

The CIA has barred the release of details from that case.  However, Roy Krieger, the agent’s attorney, said there is no reason to withhold the agent’s reports following the release of the 2007 National Intelligence Estimate on Iran.

"On five occasions he was ordered to either falsify his reporting on WMD in the Near East, or not to file his reports at all," Krieger told the Post.

The agency conducted two investigations of the 22-year CIA veteran following his termination, efforts that Krieger said in court documents were a “pretext to discredit.”

CIA spokesman Paul Gimigliano would not comment on the case except to deny that the agency had blocked reports.

"It would be wrong to suggest that agency managers direct their officers to falsify the intelligence they collect or to suppress it for political reasons," Gimigliano said.  "That's not our policy.  That's not what we're about" (Joby Warrick, Washington Post, July 1).

Meanwhile, the White House offered no comment yesterday on a report that U.S. President George W. Bush in 2007 approved a major expansion of programs to spy on Iran’s nuclear program and weaken the state’s government, Agence France-Presse reported.

“I couldn’t comment either way,” spokeswoman Dana Perino said, adding that the Bush administration "is singularly focused on trying to solve this issue diplomatically."

New Yorker reporter Seymour Hersh said Bush approved a $400 million funding increase to support Iranian minority and dissident organizations as well as intelligence collection efforts focused on the country’s nuclear program (Agence France-Presse I/Google News, June 30).

Elsewhere, a U.S. defense official has said that there is a growing chance for an Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear facilities this year, Bloomberg reported today.  Tehran brushed off the claim as saber-rattling while Israel gave no comment.

Iran has refused to halt its uranium enrichment program, which could produce a nuclear weapon ingredient. 

The U.S. official said Israel could attack Iran if the country’s Natanz uranium enrichment plant produced enough enriched uranium for a nuclear weapon or if Tehran began to receive Russian SA-20 air-defense batteries to install around its nuclear facilities.

Ephraim Kam, deputy director of the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv, said that Israel might opt to launch strikes on Iran before the end of Bush’s term.

“There is no doubt that such an operation is being considered, but it's not going to happen tomorrow,” Kam said.  “We still have some time.  The Bush administration may be more sympathetic to an Israeli operation against Iran than whoever the next president may be, so it could happen before the end of the year” (Nasseri/Penny, Bloomberg, July 1).

“The talk (of military options) is designed to project deterrence, pressuring the Europeans to increase their pressure in hope this will curb Iran,” Kam added in a Reuters interview.  Kam said that John Bolton, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, offered “very interesting speculation” that Israel might attack Iran between the U.S. presidential election in November and the inauguration in January.

However, Israel continues to maintain ambiguity about its intentions. 

“Anyone who knows the Israelis knows they are not going to sit back and hope for the best.  They take big risks for their security," said a high-level European diplomat in the Middle East.  "They will be very resolute.  They won't be afraid to drag others in."

Former CIA official Bruce Riedel referred to past Israeli attacks on Iraq and Syria in an e-mail.  "History shows Israel will use force to maintain its monopoly of nuclear weapons in the Middle East," he said (Alistair Lyon, Reuters, July 1).

In Tehran, a court has sentenced a former Iranian salesman to execution after he was convicted of aiding Israeli efforts to conduct communication intercepts on Iranian nuclear and military officials, AFP reported.

"Ali Ashtari, 45, was convicted of being [a] spy for Israel and was sentenced to death by the revolutionary court," Iranian state media said.

Ashtari can appeal the conviction (Aresu Eqbali, Agence France-Presse II/Google News, June 30).

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