CIA inspector general to resign this month

CIA inspector general David Buckley, who investigated a dispute between the agency and Congress over the handling of records of the CIA's detention and interrogation activities, is resigning effective Jan 31, the CIA said on Monday.

The agency said in a statement that Buckley, who has served as the agency's internal watchdog for more than four years, was leaving the agency to "pursue an opportunity in the private sector".

Officials at both the CIA and on Capitol Hill said his departure was unrelated to politics or anything he had investigated.

Civil liberties advocates said the timing of Buckley's exit was unfortunate. "The CIA inspector general is one of the few people who has tried to impose some accountability on the CIA at a time when the White House and many in Congress are failing to do their oversight jobs," said Christopher Anders of the American Civil Liberties Union.

Danielle Brian, executive director of the Project on Government Oversight, said Buckley had "raised some serious concerns about the conduct of the CIA in trying to thwart the Senate Intelligence Committee. ... The lack of repercussions is very troubling and his departure so soon afterward is troublesome."

'To prevent torture'

Buckley's resignation came as the outgoing chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Senator Dianne Feinstein, issued a series of recommendations "to prevent the future use of torture" by US agencies. Her recommendations include a proposal to increase the CIA inspector general's power.

Feinstein recommended that the CIA's director issue an order requiring that the inspector general promptly be notified of all new agency covert actions and all changes or expansions in such operations.

Reuters - AP