ELECTIONS '98
COMMENTARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ARCHIVES

CIA orders inquiry into intelligence failure

The Central Intelligence Agency will launch a special investigation into the alleged failure of US Intelligence agencies to detect beforehand preparations for India's nuclear tests, US officials said yesterday.

The probe, which will take between seven and 10 days to complete, will be headed by retired navy admiral David Jeremiah, former vice chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, the CIA said.

''He will look into what the intelligence community knew about this and when they knew it,'' said department of defence spokesman Kenneth Bacon.

The probe will include other intelligence gathering arms, such as the defence intelligence agency, the national security agency and the national reconnaissance office.

India's three nuclear explosions on Monday at Pokhran in Rajasthan were picked up by US seismic instruments and other detection devices, but apparently caught the US government by surprise.

In 1995, US intelligence apparently detected increased activity, indicating test preparations at the Pokhran site, giving Clinton advanced warning and time to successfully convince then prime minister P V Narasimha Rao to scrub the plan, according to news reports.

This time, however, no activity was detected by satellite or other means.

''We had no advance notification that the tests would occur,'' White House spokesperson Michael McCurry said.

''It is apparent the Indians went to some lengths to conceal their activities and intentions,'' the CIA said.

A number of US legislators have complained about the apparent lapse in intelligence-gathering and plan to hold hearings on the affair.

Tell us what you think of this report