 Former CIA officer Bob Baer says "This is indicative of personnel problems of all sorts that run through the agency." |
A former CIA station chief in Algeria is accused of drugging and raping two Muslim women in what has been described by the US government as "quite explosive".
Two women, both Algerian nationals, accused Andrew Warren in September of lacing their drinks and assaulting them, ABC News quoted US law enforcement sources.
"It has the potential to be quite explosive if it's not handled well by the United States government," Isobel Coleman, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, told ABC News. "This isn't the type of thing that's going to be easily pushed under the carpet."
"It has the potential to be quite explosive if it's not handled well by the United States government," Isobel Coleman, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, told ABC News. "This isn't the type of thing that's going to be easily pushed under the carpet."
The Justice Department and CIA would not comment on the allegations or any investigation.
"I can assure you that the agency would take seriously and follow up any allegations of impropriety," CIA spokesman Mark Mansfield said.
The court documents do not identify the 41-year-old former station chief as a CIA employee, but a congressional official familiar with the case says he worked for the agency in Algiers until he was recalled in the wake of the investigation.
"I can assure you that the agency would take seriously and follow up any allegations of impropriety," CIA spokesman Mark Mansfield said.
The court documents do not identify the 41-year-old former station chief as a CIA employee, but a congressional official familiar with the case says he worked for the agency in Algiers until he was recalled in the wake of the investigation.
Both women had provided sworn statements to federal prosecutors in preparation for a possible criminal case against Warren, ABC News said, with a grand jury likely to consider an indictment on sexual assault charges as early as next month.
Warren's case "will be seen as the typical ugly American," former CIA officer Bob Baer told ABC News.
"My question is how the CIA would not have picked up on this in their own regular reviews of CIA officers overseas."
"From a national security standpoint," the alleged rapes would be "not only wrong but could open him up to potential blackmail and that's something the CIA should have picked up on," he added.
"This is indicative of personnel problems of all sorts that run through the agency."
The allegations could potentially deal a major blow to the US image abroad at a time when new President Barack Obama has called for "a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect" with the Muslim world.
Warren's case "will be seen as the typical ugly American," former CIA officer Bob Baer told ABC News.
"My question is how the CIA would not have picked up on this in their own regular reviews of CIA officers overseas."
"From a national security standpoint," the alleged rapes would be "not only wrong but could open him up to potential blackmail and that's something the CIA should have picked up on," he added.
"This is indicative of personnel problems of all sorts that run through the agency."
The allegations could potentially deal a major blow to the US image abroad at a time when new President Barack Obama has called for "a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect" with the Muslim world.
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