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wpostCIA Chief Complains About Agency's Critics in Europe
Hayden Speaks to Foreign Envoys on Anti-Terror Efforts
By Walter Pincus
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, April 17, 2007; Page A12
CIA Director Michael V. Hayden has taken the unusual step of complaining privately to European diplomats about officials in their countries criticizing U.S. intelligence programs that involve renditions, detentions and interrogations of terrorism suspects.
At a luncheon last month at the German Embassy in Washington, Hayden gave a frank report on the controversial counterterrorism programs and spoke of his concern about the inaccurate information surrounding them and the "unbounded criticism" directed at them, particularly from the European Parliament, according to Western diplomats and officials aware of his remarks. They spoke on the condition of anonymity because the meeting was private.
Word of Hayden's protest came on the eve of testimony by members of the European Parliament who investigated the U.S. programs, scheduled for this afternoon before a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee.
Hayden has told colleagues that he is worried that misinformation could force some countries to end their cooperation on these programs. In addition, he is bothered that some foreign officials whose security services have benefited from intelligence derived from the programs have been hypocritical in publicly criticizing them, former intelligence officials said.
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