Reports: CIA Investigator Investigated

Inspector General Found Fault With Sept. 11 Role; Director Says It's Just Oversight

(AP)  The work of the CIA's in-house investigator who found fault with the agency's handling of the Sept. 11 attacks is being subjected to an internal review, published reports say.

The move, which is highly unusual, has raised concerns that CIA Director Michael Hayden is trying to squelch the investigations of Inspector General John Helgerson, The Los Angeles Times and The New York Times reported Friday, citing anonymous officials.

Helgerson has been aggressive in his investigations of the CIA, criticizing senior figures including former Director George Tenet and officers involved in the agency's detention of terrorist suspects.

The CIA rarely comments on media reports but on Thursday night the agency sought to play down the newspapers' characterizations of the review. A CIA spokesman said in a statement that Hayden firmly believes in the work of the Office of the Inspector General.

"Director Hayden ... has, since taking the helm at CIA, accepted the vast majority of its findings. His only goal is to help this office, like any office at the agency, do its vital work even better," CIA spokesman Paul Gimigliano said. "That's why he asked a seasoned observer like Bob Deitz to take a look at the Office of Inspector General and, if need be, suggest specific improvements for consideration by the unit itself."

Deitz is a longtime adviser to Hayden, the former National Security Agency director, and now serves as his senior counselor at the CIA. "He - like everyone else involved - comes to this task with just one preconception: an absolute belief in the value of an independent, rigorous Office of Inspector General," Gimigliano said.

Gimigliano would not comment on what kind of improvements in the IG office might be needed or considered. He said that Helgerson was aware of the review and congressional aides have also been briefed.

Helgerson has been highly critical of the CIA. In a report in August, for example, he concluded that Tenet and other senior leaders never developed a comprehensive plan to stop al Qaeda and missed crucial opportunities to thwart two hijackers in the run-up to the Sept. 11 attacks. The agency recently declassified portions of the embarrassing findings under congressional orders.

Helgerson has also been highly critical, in classified reports, of the agency's treatment of detainees.

The papers said the review was focusing on complaints that Helgerson's office has not been impartial and has assumed guilt on the part of agency operatives, particularly those who participated in the agency's detention programs.

[lochlan-2009]

"Gimigliano would not comment on what kind of improvements in the IG office might be needed or considered." - Like removing Helgerson through any one of many different possible lies they''ll make up against him. Old tricks are the best tricks.

[terrapin78]

Maybe they will just "out" him and ruin his career like Valerie.

[pastdue1]

Why does Hayden remind us so much of Karl Rove? All these people look just alike ~ just can''t telll them apart.

[montanaman9]

They''re just up to their old power games - Hayden is getting even for his old buddy Tenet

[j-whitman]

It''s the old Civil Service good ol boy''s club routine, an IG investigates & reports against bad management, you attack the IG ------ This White House should be thrown out, they have absoultly no honor or ethics

[lawyertom1]

For the head of the CIA, Hayden does not even lie well. Nice try, Mike, but we know exactly what is going on. Another try at silencing critics, even those whose job it is to review the Agency''s missteps. If you cannot deal with criticism, Mike, do the honorable thing -- resign.

[crater7]

TREAD LIGHTLY!

SHOULD ONE DARE TO QUESTION, THE CIA''S SHORTCOMMINGS, OR POSSIBLE FAILURES? SHOULD ONE DARE TO QUESTION THIS ADMINISTRATIONS INTELIGENCE OR LACK OF?

I WOULD NOT QUESTION THESE TOPICS, BUT IF I DID, I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT IT SOUNDS LIKE SOMEONE IS LOOKING FOR A LITTLE PAY-BACK. HMMMMMMMMMMMM

STAY THE COURSE............

[macusweil]

Typical ~ shoot the messenger.

Neo.cons HATE all accountability. CIA can''t even do their own kidnape and torture anymore. That''s been out sourced to Blackwater.

[donbl1]

No one is above review and that includes the CIA IG.

He has ruffled some feathers and he should be confident if his house is in order. If he has been stretching the truth or manufacturing truth, then he should be nervous....

If he is clean from the review, he will come out of the review stronger and probably with a stronger voice. High stakes poker if Hayden "is" trying to calm him down.

[shothelite]

Neo.cons HATE all accountability.
Posted by macusweil

With statements like that it really doesnt matter what you say, its reflected by an untoward social behavior.

[shothelite]

The CIA has traditional strong ties/influence with the Democrat party.

It would be good to insure its non-political affiliations for the good of the country.

[zootallures2]

Nice picture of Hayden. Who''s baby is in his mouth?

[ioweign]

No one is above review and that includes the CIA IG.

He has ruffled some feathers and he should be confident if his house is in order. If he has been stretching the truth or manufacturing truth, then he should be nervous....

If he is clean from the review, he will come out of the review stronger and probably with a stronger voice. High stakes poker if Hayden "is" trying to calm him down.


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Posted by donbl1 at 05:55 PM : Oct 12, 2007

No one is above review - even the President ??

Inspector General John Helgerson better look out, he could get the Presidential Medal of Freedom ! Just like George Tenet !