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CNN Today

CIA Director George Tenet Grilled on Capitol Hill Over Predecessor's Breach of Security

Aired February 3, 2000 - 2:28 p.m. ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

LOU WATERS, CNN ANCHOR: CIA Director George Tenet is back on Capitol Hill today for the second day of questions about national security. He's likely to be grilled on revelations that his predecessor, John Deutch, used his home computer to store top-secret materials.

CNN national security correspondent David Ensor has the latest on this.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID ENSOR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A classified report by the CIA's inspector general says former CIA Director John Deutch received an unsolicited e-mail from a former Russian scientist on a computer at his home that was crammed with top-secret materials.

Sources also say that the same computer was used to access the Internet, the revelations raised red flags with CIA investigators trying to figure out whether any secrets stored on the computer could have been accessed and stolen.

Deutch was stripped of his top-security clearance in August by current Director George Tenet, who faced a grilling on the matter at a Wednesday Senate hearing.

SEN. RICHARD SHELBY (R-AL), INTELLIGENCE CMTE. CHMN.: Can you assure us that the classified files in Mr. Deutch's unclassified computer were not accessed from outside?

GEORGE TENET, CIA DIRECTOR: Mr. Chairman, we cannot assure you of that fact.

ENSOR: Tenet is under fire because after the security breach was discovered, it took the CIA well over a year to inform congressional oversight committees and the Department of Justice, which decided not to initiate a criminal prosecution.

Tenet said, in the end, the public embarrassment of losing his security clearance was the right punishment for Deutch.

TENET: He was sloppy in what he did. He worked around the clock. He didn't think about what he was doing. Nevertheless, as director, I believe he should have known better. SHELBY: I just think that type of activity by the director or anyone else dealing with intelligence is inexcusable.

SEN. RICHARD BRYAN (D-NV), INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE: It is not only inexcusable, but it's reckless by someone who knows better. And in that sense...

SHELBY: It is not illegal?

BRYAN: Not illegal.

ENSOR: David Ensor, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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