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Senate intelligence head says CIA 'searched computers' Senate intelligence head says CIA 'searched computers'
(33 minutes later)
The head of the US Senate Intelligence Committee has publicly accused the CIA of improperly accessing computers used by congressional staff. The head of the US Senate intelligence committee has publicly accused the CIA of improperly accessing computers used by congressional staff.
Senator Dianne Feinstein said on the Senate floor that such activities "may have undermined the constitutional framework" of government oversight.Senator Dianne Feinstein said on the Senate floor that such activities "may have undermined the constitutional framework" of government oversight.
The Senate committee was investigating allegations of abuse during a CIA detention and interrogation programme. The Senate panel was investigating allegations of abuse during a CIA detention and interrogation programme.
A CIA internal watchdog has been tasked with looking into the alleged hacking.A CIA internal watchdog has been tasked with looking into the alleged hacking.
"I am not taking it lightly," Ms Feinstein said of the matter on Tuesday, adding that the CIA may have violated federal laws in its alleged conduct."I am not taking it lightly," Ms Feinstein said of the matter on Tuesday, adding that the CIA may have violated federal laws in its alleged conduct.
The agency is accused of secretly removing documents from computers used by the Senate Intelligence Committee during an investigation into alleged CIA abuse. The agency is accused of secretly removing documents from computers used by the Senate intelligence committee during an investigation into alleged CIA abuse.
Those computers were provided by the CIA to congressional members of staff in a secure room at the intelligence agency's headquarters so that Senate investigators could review millions of pages of top secret documents.
'Spurious allegations''Spurious allegations'
That alleged abuse is said to have stemmed from a detention and interrogation programme under former President George W Bush. The alleged CIA abuse stemmed from a detention and interrogation programme under former President George W Bush.
Ms Feinstein has told US media in the past that the committee's 6,000-page "comprehensive review", completed in 2013, found the CIA programme yielded little or no significant intelligence. Ms Feinstein has previously said that the committee's 6,000-page "comprehensive review" - completed in 2013 and encompassing six million pages of records - found that the CIA programme had yielded little or no significant intelligence.
On Tuesday, the Senate intelligence committee chairwoman reportedly said such improper access to congressional networks, if true, amounted to attempted intimidation of investigators.On Tuesday, the Senate intelligence committee chairwoman reportedly said such improper access to congressional networks, if true, amounted to attempted intimidation of investigators.
She also said she had requested an apology from the agency and an acknowledgment that the search was inappropriate, but had "received neither". She also said she had requested an apology from the agency and an acknowledgment that the search was inappropriate, but had "received neither" despite sending letters to the agency requesting information on 17 and 23 January.
CIA inspector general David Buckley has been tasked with looking into the alleged actions, but CIA director John Brennan rejected the Senate allegations last week. Ms Feinstein noted that CIA inspector general David Buckley had been tasked with looking into the alleged actions, and had already referred the matter to the Department of Justice "given the possibility of a criminal violation by CIA personnel".
CIA director John Brennan initially rejected the Senate allegations last week.
"I am deeply dismayed that some members of the Senate have decided to make spurious allegations about CIA actions that are wholly unsupported by the facts," he said on 5 March."I am deeply dismayed that some members of the Senate have decided to make spurious allegations about CIA actions that are wholly unsupported by the facts," he said on 5 March.
"I am very confident that the appropriate authorities reviewing this matter will determine where wrongdoing, if any, occurred in either the Executive Branch or Legislative Branch.""I am very confident that the appropriate authorities reviewing this matter will determine where wrongdoing, if any, occurred in either the Executive Branch or Legislative Branch."