WASHINGTON — Two former CIA officers — Robert Richer, who was deputy director of clandestine operations, and John Maguire, who headed the Iraq Operations Group — denied Tuesday that they or the spy agency faked an Iraqi intelligence document purporting to link Saddam Hussein with 9/11 bomber Mohamed Atta, as they are quoted as saying in a new book.
The White House issued the statement on behalf of the ex- officials after a day of adamant denials from the CIA and Bush administration about the claim, made in “The Way of the World,” a book by Washington-based journalist Ron Suskind, who claims the White House concocted the letter to bolster its case for the 2003 invasion.
White House deputy press secretary Tony Fratto called the allegation “absurd.”
Former CIA Director George Tenet also rejected Suskind’s allegation that the U.S. had credible intelligence that Saddam Hussein did not possess weapons of mass destruction.
Suskind said the criticisms from the White House and Tenet were expected. He said Tenet “is not credible on this issue” and the White House “is all but obligated to deny this.”
The Associated Press
