CIA's Top Spy in Pakistan Forced to Flee

The CIA’s top spy in Pakistan left the country yesterday, after a lawsuit blew his cover and terrorists threatened to kill him. The lawsuit, filed earlier this month, accused the Islamabad station chief by name of ordering missile strikes that killed civilians. That name has been oft-repeated by Pakistani media, and featured prominently on protest signs in the capital. The lawyer in the case says he learned the name from a local journalist.

The AP says it has learned that the name is incorrect, but still won’t publish it, or the chief’s real name, because it is classified information. But CIA officials say his cover was blown, and that they have “serious concerns for his safety.” His departure could be a serious setback, according to the Daily Telegraph. The Chief operates as a “secret general” in the region, directing the CIA’s controversial drone attacks against terrorists. (More CIA stories.)