Who is a 'covert agent'? CIA bid to expand the category raises alarm for civil liberties groups

WASHINGTON­ — In 1975, Richard Welch, the CIA station chief in Athens, was murdered in front of his home as he returned with his wife from a Christmas party.

Proponents of the change argue the added protections are necessary in a digital age, when publications like WikiLeaks can access and publish reams of data on CIA personnel, past and present. Officers are prohibited from directly gathering foreign intelligence within the U.S., but they serve in sensitive jobs doing analysis, cyber operations and recruitment of American businesspeople and other professionals to help gather intelligence — and they might go undercover abroad in the future.

After lengthy legislative battles on the Hill, including the addition of provisions designed to protect journalists, Reagan signed the bill on June 23, 1982. However, prosecutors can also utilize the much harsher Espionage Act for offenders they believe have illegally disclosed defense-related classified information. The Intelligence Identities Protection Act may serve as an intermediate option; depending on the circumstances, an offense carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison or a fine of $250,000. Kiriakou and Scranage each served close to two years in prison.

“In principle, I think there is room to consider tailored steps to increase protections for ‘covert agents’ in light of the many developments — the Internet, social media, wholesale leaks, cyber operations, etc.,” he wrote in an email to Yahoo News. “But CIA has not articulated a clear public argument in favor of the latest amendment,” he continued.

“CIA officers place themselves in harm’s way in order to carry out CIA’s mission regardless of where they are based,” wrote Timothy Barrett, a CIA press secretary in an email to Yahoo News. “Protecting officers’ identities from foreign adversaries is critical.”

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