Valin Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 NY Times: MATT APUZZO JAN. 26, 2015 Jeffrey A. Sterling, a former Central Intelligence Agency officer, was convicted of espionage charges Monday, for telling a journalist for The New York Times about a secret operation to disrupt Iran’s nuclear program. The conviction is a significant victory for the Obama administration, which has led an unprecedented crackdown on officials who speak to journalists about security matters without the administration’s approval. Prosecutors prevailed after a yearslong fight in which the journalist, James Risen, refused to identify his sources. The case revolved around a C.I.A. operation in which a former Russian scientist provided Iran with intentionally flawed nuclear component schematics. Mr. Risen revealed the operation in his 2006 book “State of War,” describing it as a mismanaged, potentially reckless mission that may have inadvertently aided the Iranian nuclear program. Mr. Sterling faces years in prison. Liberal advocacy groups have hailed Mr. Sterling as a whistle-blower for taking his concerns about the program to the Senate Intelligence Committee in early 2003, a time when dissenting voices in the C.I.A. were hushed as the country prepared for war in Iraq. The Justice Department and C.I.A., however, deny that characterization. They said the Iran operation was not mismanaged and said Mr. Sterling went to Congress and then the news media as a way to settle personal grievances. (Snip) More Here & here at Power Line Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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