WASHINGTON: The CIA's internal watchdog is investigating allegations that the agency improperly spied on Senate staffers probing secret details of a now-defunct interrogation program, a senator confirmed Wednesday.
Senator Dianne Feinstein acknowledged the existence of the review, which highlights a rare spat between lawmakers on the Senate Intelligence Committee, which she chairs, and the US espionage community it oversees.
"The IG is taking a look at the situation," Feinstein told reporters, referring to the Central Intelligence Agency's inspector general, after a New York Times report exposed Capitol Hill anger at the behavior of CIA staffers.
According to the Times, the probe began when members of Congress complained that agency employees were inappropriately monitoring intelligence committee staffers.
The paper cited an official, who insisted on anonymity because the investigation was ongoing, as saying CIA officers managed to gain access to computer networks used by committee staffers probing the agency's detention and interrogation program.
The staffers had spent years researching and writing a 6,000-page bipartisan report that was highly critical of the program, which began under president George W. Bush.
In December 2012, when the report was approved by her committee, Feinstein described the creation of clandestine "black sites" and the use of enhanced interrogation techniques such as waterboarding as "terrible mistakes."
Feinstein and her committee have been in the spotlight in recent months for their strong support of National Security Agency espionage programs like the ones exposed by former contractor Edward Snowden.
Some lawmakers fumed that, if true, the alleged impropriety showed that the separation of powers were fraying.
"If they were doing that I'm outraged," Senator John McCain told reporters, adding that a full investigation would be merited.
"You just can't have that happen in a democracy. There's a separation of powers between the legislative branch and the executive branch."
Senator Marco Rubio, an intelligence committee member, declined to comment on specific allegations.
But when asked whether the committee could provide adequate oversight of the CIA, he responded "we endeavor to."
The controversy appeared to have been sparked by Senator Mark Udall, who the Times said wrote President Barack Obama on Tuesday to complain.
"As you are aware, the CIA has recently taken unprecedented action against the committee in relation to the internal CIA review, and I find these actions to be incredibly troubling for the committee's oversight responsibilities and for our democracy," Udall wrote, according to the Times.
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