October 31, 1995
Web posted at: 7 p.m. EST
From CNN Military Affairs Correspondent Jamie McIntyre
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The CIA acknowledged Tuesday that damage to U.S. intelligence efforts caused by spy Aldrich Ames was far more extensive and serious than previously disclosed.
In an unclassified statement released after his closed testimony before Congress, CIA director John Deutch called the Ames case "one of those landmark events which defines the course of an organization."
While Ames was working for the Soviet KGB, Deutch confirmed, he identified many U.S. spies to the Soviets, resulting in their arrest and execution. Ames also allowed the Soviets, and later the Russians, to control other agents and feed flawed intelligence to the United States.
In what he called the "most troubling" finding of the damage assessment, Deutch said flawed intelligence was allowed to remain in so-called blue border reports given to top policy makers, including presidents Reagan and Bush.
"Consumers were not informed that some of the most sensitive human intelligence reporting they received came from assets (agents) that were known or suspected of being controlled by the KGB/SVR," Deutch said in the statement.
A CIA inspector general's report recommended disciplinary action for 12 CIA officers for failing to report the intelligence breakdowns, according to Deutch.
"All but one of those individuals has retired, thereby restricting my options for disciplinary actions," he said. "If these officers were still employed, I would have dismissed two individuals from the CIA and taken no disciplinary actions against five. I have reprimanded the one officer who is currently employed. As for the two, I would have dismissed, both are now banned from future employment with the agency. Four other former officers have been given reprimands or warnings."
![[Imagemap]](/US/images/us_nav.gif)
Copyright © 1995 Cable News Network, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.