Title: Ex-CIA agent heads to prison for torture leak
Show: Al Jazeera English
Date: 2013-01-25
URL: https://youtu.be/nxhsU5oCt4c
Duration: 2.5:00

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[00:01] thank you it's moments like these John kyaku will miss when he goes to jail sometime soon he'll be told a cell is available and his sentence can begin he'll leave his wife and five children the former CIA man pled guilty to sending the name of another covert CIA officer to a reporter that's against the law he thought the man had retired and could be interviewed he hadn't a plead deal means he'll serve 2 and 1/2 years did I commit that crime yes I did I didn't have any intent to commit a

[00:32] crime I didn't have any intent to harm this individual John Kaku is the first current or former CIA officer to be convicted of the offense he was also the first current or former CIA officer to confirm prisoners were being waterboarded tortured after the 9/11 attacks he believes his conviction is politically motivated the only person who's going to prison for having anything related to do with the torture regime is the guy who blew the whistle on the torture the torturers aren't going to prison the people who ordered

[01:02] or conceived of the torture aren't going to prison the US attorney that prosecuted the case says the government has a vital interest in protecting the identities of those involved in covert operations leaks of highly sensitive closely held and classified information compromise National Security and can put individual lives in danger one intelligence historian says it's simple kyaku broke the law here's a man who after 15 years in the CI Pro should have known that you know there are certain barriers Beyond which you know you cannot go without risking uh life and

[01:34] limb and U and he got caught Barack Obama's White House has been accused of leaking sensitive information when it makes them look good for example on the killing of AMA Bin Laden John kaku's supporters say the administration wants to shut down anything that is a negative I think the lesson is it it chills whistleblowers from telling the truth um if you embarrass the government you will be put under Criminal investigation if you expose the war crimes of the government you will be criminally

[02:05] prosecuted and sent to jail John kyaku is now facing legal bills of more than half a million dollars while in jail he'll miss birthdays christenings and anniversaries he says he never intended to damage National Security and believes he didn't and insists if he hadn't revealed details of the US torture program he wouldn't now be going to jail Alan Fischer Al jazer Arlington Virginia
