by Greg Miller
The CIA has removed its station chief in Algeria from his post amid an investigation by the Justice Department into allegations that the officer drugged and raped two Algerian women, according to current and former U.S. government officials familiar with the matter.
The officer served as the agency's top official in Algeria until late last year, and had previously held high-level positions in Afghanistan and Egypt, officials said. The investigation was launched after two women approached the U.S. Embassy in Algeria and said they had been raped in separate incidents, according to a former CIA official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.
CIA spokesman Paul Gimigliano declined to comment on the specifics of the allegations, but said today that the "CIA would take seriously, and follow up vigorously, any allegation of misconduct." Justice Department officials declined to comment. The charges were first reported by ABC News on its web site.
The allegations have the potential to be a serious setback for the United States at a time when the Obama administration is trying to repair relations with the Muslim world. Algiers is considered a top priority in the intelligence community because it has been a haven for Al Qaeda operations in North Africa.
The timing of the case means that Obama's picks to run the intelligence community, including retired U.S. Navy Admiral Dennis Blair and former Democratic Rep. Leon Panetta of California, may confront a budding scandal even before they officially step into their jobs.
The CIA officer under investigation was described as a gifted intelligence officer, a convert to Islam who rejoined the agency in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks and had demonstrated a rare ability to operate among Muslims across several countries.
A former CIA officer who worked with the suspect said he had "done great work in the mosques" in Afghanistan after the U.S. invasion in 2001. "He was able to go into the Mosque for Friday prayers, could recite the Koran, and wasn't afraid to mix it up," said the former officer.
"It's so disappointing because he's someone who had so much potential," the former official said.
"This is a guy who everybody likes and everyone wants to see him get ahead."
The CIA declined to provide the identity of the individual. He was described by the former agency official as in his early 40s, a former New Yorker who had previously worked in the financial industry.
Comments
iceberg tip
Posted by: how great the fall can be | January 28, 2009 5:58 PM
He just had some leftover sedative hypos and enema bags and restraints from some earlier extraordinary renditions.
What really got him going, however, was when the women commented that he had a really small ----.
Posted by: ornery | January 28, 2009 11:25 PM
Its a shameless things done by that officer .As the matter of fact he is a responsible citizen and a good potential in our work. I don’t understand why people done that type of stupid things and spoil our career because for that work not only he suffer his family also suffer and its also hurts people trust.
Posted by: Florida Process Service | January 29, 2009 2:02 AM
OK, now we know the theme for John Grisham's next page turner.
Add a G Gordon Liddy/Inspector Clouseau character from CIA's I.A. bureau assigned to get to the "bottom" of it all.....
Maybe add Pamela Anderson as the Judi Dench type head of the bureau to whom Liddy reports....
as in recent Bond films??
O, and of course George Clooney as head of CIA--he so resembles George Tenet.
A little romantic side plot---Clooney and Pamela Anderson??
And then, a la Eliot Spitzer, we find the Algiers head of station was really doing try outs for George Bush (either or both of them).
The really choice babes extraordinarily rendered to a secure undisclosed location where.......
It all comes unglued when Shooter accidentally discharges a shotgun after only a few too many beers.....
As I said before, bring forth the Truth Commission!
Posted by: ornery | January 29, 2009 11:34 AM
This is a sad, sad thing, disgusting, and sad. You really have to think about what those poor women went through at the hands of some American jerkoff who was obviously mentally unstable, sick, and somehow managed to qualify for the type of job he had---it's really disgusting to me. I know what it's like to be sexually abused that way, and it is not something you get over really ever. He should have his testes cut off, really. I can't believe one of the most powerful global organizations employed a #@%!&*$@ RAPIST.
Posted by: Joanne | January 29, 2009 9:28 PM