According to Russia Today Television (RT) reported on the 5th, officials of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) are worried about losing too many informants recruited by the agency overseas, of which dozens of informants have been killed or arrested.
Screenshot of the Russian RT website report
The New York Times said that all the CIA sites and bases around the world received a confidential message last week. U.S. officials familiar with the cable said that over the past few years, U.S. officials have investigated dozens of cases in which CIA informants overseas were killed, arrested, or turned into double agents.
The reason for this problem is that the CIA views "task over security." In addition, a rapid recruitment process, excessive trust in information sources, and an unreasonable promotion system are all identified as issues that the CIA needs to reform. The cable notes that CIA agents can often be promoted by recruiting an informant, regardless of whether the informant proves to be a successful source.
Reuters infographic
Douglas London, a former CIA agent, referred to the cable in an interview with The New York Times, saying that "at the end of the day, when a situation faced by an agent deteriorates, no one is held responsible." The New York Times noted that other former CIA agents said the cable "shows" that while it is normal to lose an informant in one way or another, the issue is now "more urgent" than publicly disclosed.
People who have seen and read the cable say warnings about the troubling figure are directed at "frontline personnel" and those C.I.A. who are directly involved in recruiting informants. Sources familiar with the situation said the reason for issuing the cable was to "urge" intelligence officials to strengthen the security and management of informants in question, in addition to recommending that the vetting process of informants be strengthened and that efforts be focused on avoiding foreign intelligence agencies and preventing potential double-agents.
When asked about the matter, a CIA spokesman declined to comment to The New York Times on the contents of the cable. (Editor: HHJ)