|
WASHINGTON, Oct. 3 (Xinhuanet) -- Employees at the White House were requested
to hand over all materials that might be linked to the leak of a CIA operative's
identity to facilitate an ongoing investigation before next Tuesday.
The employees received a memo from Alberto Gonzales, the president's legal
counsel, on Friday which said all materials mustbe turned in to his office by 5
p.m. Tuesday to comply with deadlines set by the Justice Department.
The materials include electronic records, correspondence, computer records,
notes and calendar entries, and the employees are asked to sign a certification
form declaring they have turned in relevant materials or do not have any at all.
A federal investigation is going on to determine who leaked the identity of
Valerie Plame, an undercover CIA officer, whose husband, former US ambassador
Joseph Wilson, has accused the Bush administration of using false intelligence
to justify the Iraq war.
The Justice Department moved the investigation beyond the WhiteHouse and
the CIA on Thursday to include the State and Defense departments.
The Justice Department will not inquire of the reporters who made Plame's
name public, as seeking subpoenas of reporters is considered a last resort for
the department, officials said. Enditem
|