CIA Leaker Fired

Hope that this moves to big jail time.

The Central Intelligence Agency has dismissed a senior career official who disclosed classified information to the Washington Post for its Pulitzer Prize-winning stories about the agency's secret prison network for high-ranking terror suspects, the agency announced today.

The identity of the leaker was not immediately disclosed, but several officials said they believed it was a veteran intelligence officer. The dismissal followed a long internal inquiry at the agency and was accompanied by a notification to the Justice Department.

But instead of asking for an immediate criminal inquiry, the C.I.A. asked to retain jurisdiction over the ongoing inquiry into the matter. Even so, government officials said it was possible, even likely, that the investigation could lead to criminal charges against the leaker.

It makes me nervous to see a delay in criminal prosecution. This makes you wonder the reasoning that the CIA is using.