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David Petraeus CIA scandal engulfs US Gen John Allen David Petraeus CIA scandal engulfs US Gen John Allen
(35 minutes later)
The top US commander in Afghanistan, Gen John Allen, is being investigated for allegedly sending "inappropriate emails" to a woman at the centre of a scandal which ended the career of CIA head Gen David Petraeus, officials say. The top US commander in Afghanistan, Gen John Allen, is being investigated for allegedly sending "inappropriate emails" to a woman at the centre of a scandal which ended the career of CIA head David Petraeus.
The emails are said to have been sent to Jill Kelley whose complaint led the FBI to uncover Gen Petraeus's extra-marital affair with Paula Broadwell. The emails were said to be to Jill Kelley, whose complaint led the FBI to uncover Gen Petraeus's extramarital affair with Paula Broadwell.
Gen Allen denies any wrongdoing.Gen Allen denies any wrongdoing.
His nomination to be Nato's top Europe chief is on hold, the White House says. His nomination to head Nato in Europe is now on hold, the White House says.
Gen Allen's pending nomination has been suspended at the request of Defence Secretary Leon Panetta pending the investigation, and President Barack Obama had agreed to the postponement, it said in a statement. Gen Allen was due to face a Senate confirmation hearing for the post of Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, but that has been suspended at the request of Defence Secretary Leon Panetta, a spokesman said.
Gen Allen had been due to appear at confirmation hearings to become Nato's Supreme Allied Commander Europe.
The shadow cast over Gen Allen's future means that US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta has asked the White House to put the nomination process for the next Nato supreme allied commander in Europe on hold.The shadow cast over Gen Allen's future means that US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta has asked the White House to put the nomination process for the next Nato supreme allied commander in Europe on hold.
Gen Allen, who was nominated for the post after his impressive performance in Afghanistan, was seen as almost certain to be approved by the Senate. The holder of Nato's top military job in Europe is also in charge of the US European command.Gen Allen, who was nominated for the post after his impressive performance in Afghanistan, was seen as almost certain to be approved by the Senate. The holder of Nato's top military job in Europe is also in charge of the US European command.
We do not know the nature of the relationship, if any, between Gen Allen and Jill Kelley. But the US military code takes a dim view of extra-marital affairs, one of the factors that prompted Gen Petraeus to stand down as CIA director after revelations of his affair with Paula Broadwell. We do not know the nature of the relationship, if any, between Gen Allen and Jill Kelley. But the US military code takes a dim view of extramarital affairs, one of the factors that prompted Gen Petraeus to stand down as CIA director after revelations of his affair with Paula Broadwell.
David Petraeus resigned on Friday as head of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) over his affair with Mrs Broadwell. David Petraeus, who preceded Gen Allen as head of US forces in Afghanistan, resigned on Friday as head of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) over his affair with Mrs Broadwell.
Mr Panetta title="link to statement" >has said in a statement that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) referred the matter to the Pentagon on Sunday. >In a statement, Mr Panetta said that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) referred the Gen Allen issue to the Pentagon on Sunday. The defence secretary, currently in Australia, then ordered an investigation on Monday.
Mr Panetta ordered a Pentagon investigation of Gen Allen on Monday, and has encouraged the Senate to act quickly on approving Gen Allen's successor in Afghanistan, Gen Joseph Dunford. He has encouraged the US Senate to act quickly on approving Gen Allen's successor in Afghanistan, Gen Joseph Dunford.
Gen Allen was due to face a Senate confirmation hearing on Thursday. If approved, as had been widely expected, he was expected to take up his Nato appointment, heading the Nato-led International Security Assistance Forces (Isaf), in early 2013. Gen Allen was due to face a Senate confirmation hearing on Thursday. If approved, as had been widely expected, he was expected to take up his appointment heading the Nato-led International Security Assistance Forces (Isaf), in early 2013.
Mr Panetta praised the general's work in Afghanistan, saying "his leadership has been instrumental in achieving the significant progress that Isaf, working alongside our Afghan partners, has made in bringing greater security to the Afghan people and in ensuring that Afghanistan never again becomes a safe haven for terrorists". Mr Panetta praised the general's work in Afghanistan, saying his leadership had ensured "significant progress" in improving security for Afghans.
Gen Petraeus had been due to testify before a closed-door congressional committee meeting about the 11 September 2012 attack on the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya, that killed the ambassador and three other Americans.Gen Petraeus had been due to testify before a closed-door congressional committee meeting about the 11 September 2012 attack on the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya, that killed the ambassador and three other Americans.
Acting CIA director Michael Morell will testify in his place later on Tuesday, although Gen Petraeus may be called at a later date. Acting CIA director Michael Morell will testify in his place on Thursday, although Gen Petraeus may be called at a later date.
Mr Panetta has criticised the FBI for not informing members of US Congressional intelligence committees of its investigation.
FBI officials are scheduled to brief the Senate and House intelligence committees on Tuesday about the case.
FBI briefingFBI briefing
Gen Allen is said to have sent the emails to Mrs Kelley, a married woman from Tampa, Florida. The widening of the Petraeus affair increases the focus not only on Gen Allen but on the woman he is alleged to have exchanged emails with.
Investigators are reported to have found 20-30,000 pages of documents, many of them emails between Gen Allen and Jill Kelley, 37, a married woman from Tampa, Florida.
A senior defence official would not say whether they involved sexual matters or whether they are thought to include unauthorised disclosures of classified information, the Associated Press reports.
Mrs Kelley had already been named in the Petraeus scandal after she told the FBI early in the summer she had received anonymous harassing emails.Mrs Kelley had already been named in the Petraeus scandal after she told the FBI early in the summer she had received anonymous harassing emails.
When the FBI investigated, it traced the emails to Paula Broadwell, bringing to light her affair with Gen Petraeus.When the FBI investigated, it traced the emails to Paula Broadwell, bringing to light her affair with Gen Petraeus.
Late on Monday, the FBI carried out a search of Mrs Broadwell's home. Late on Monday, the FBI carried out a search of Mrs Broadwell's home in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Mr Panetta has criticised the FBI for not informing members of US Congressional intelligence committees of its investigation. Mrs Kelley is married to a prominent cancer specialist in the Tampa area and works as a volunteer with wounded veterans and military families at the MacDill Air Force Base in the city.
"As a former director of the CIA, and having worked very closely with the intelligence committees, I believe that there is a responsibility to make sure that the intelligence committees are informed of issues that could affect the security of those intelligence operations," he said. The base is headquarters of the US Central Command, formerly headed by David Petraeus.
FBI officials are scheduled to brief the Senate and House intelligence committees on Tuesday about the case. She is a family friend of him and his wife Holly, but no evidence has emerged that she ever had an affair with for the CIA director.
Email exchanges Gen Allen, a four-star Marine general, href="http://www.isaf.nato.int/about-isaf/leadership/general-john-r.-allen.html" title="link to biography" >succeeded Gen Petraeus as the top American commander in Afghanistan in July 2011.
Mrs Kelley has been described as a volunteer with wounded veterans and military families at the MacDill Air Force Base based in Tampa, Florida, which is headquarters of the US Central Command.
She is a family friend of Gen Petraeus, but there is no suggestion that they were having an affair.
A senior Pentagon official said up to 30,000 pages of emails and other documents from Gen Allen's communications with Mrs Kelley between 2010 and 2012 were under review.
He would not say whether they involved sexual matters or whether they are thought to include unauthorised disclosures of classified information, the Associated Press news agency reports.
Gen Allen, a four-star Marine general, succeeded Gen Petraeus as the top American commander in Afghanistan in July 2011.
He was deputy commander of Central Command before taking over in Afghanistan. He is also a veteran of the Iraq war.He was deputy commander of Central Command before taking over in Afghanistan. He is also a veteran of the Iraq war.
Gen Petraeus's affair with Mrs Broadwell, who co-authored a biography of the general, began following his retirement from the army and about two months after he became director of the CIA. He said it ended about four months ago. Gen Petraeus's affair with Mrs Broadwell, who co-wrote a biography of the general, began following his retirement from the army and about two months after he became director of the CIA. He said it ended about four months ago.
Gen Petraeus joined the CIA in September 2011 after heading international forces in Iraq and later in Afghanistan.Gen Petraeus joined the CIA in September 2011 after heading international forces in Iraq and later in Afghanistan.
The BBC's Bilal Sarwary, in Kabul, says the scandal is making headlines and has shocked many people in Afghanistan, where Gen Allen had built good relations with leaders and commanders.The BBC's Bilal Sarwary, in Kabul, says the scandal is making headlines and has shocked many people in Afghanistan, where Gen Allen had built good relations with leaders and commanders.
Some Afghan officials are asking how he found time to write thousands of emails when he was in charge of running a war, our correspondent says.Some Afghan officials are asking how he found time to write thousands of emails when he was in charge of running a war, our correspondent says.