Confirmed: Panetta Revealed Top Secret Information to Hollywood Filmmaker

by
BRYAN PRESTON
December 10, 2013 - 11:53 am

On June 24, 2011, then CIA Director Leon Panetta gave a speech at an agency awards ceremony. Despite the fact that a filmmaker from Zero Dark Thirty was on hand, Panetta included top secret information in his speech. Judicial Watch confirms after a lengthy Freedom of Information Act quest.

Judicial Watch announced today that it has obtained more than 200 pages of documents from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), including a previously unreleased CIA internal report confirming that former CIA Director Leon Panetta revealed classified information at a June 24, 2011, bin Laden assault awards ceremony attended by “Zero Dark Thirty” filmmaker Mark Boal. The documents were produced in response to a June 21, 2013, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).


Significantly, the entire transcript of the Panetta speech provided to Judicial Watch by the CIA is classified “Top Secret.” More than 90 lines are redacted for security reasons, further confirming that significant portions of the speech should not have been made in front of the filmmaker who lacked top security clearance.

At the conclusion his speech, the transcript shows Panetta told the audience at the ceremony, “You have made me proud of the CIA family. And you have made me proud as an Italian to know that bin Laden sleeps with the fishes.”

During the speech, according to a draft Pentagon inspector general’s report released earlier this year, “Director Panetta specifically recognized the unit that conducted the raid and identified the ground commander by name.” Subsequent to the ceremony, Rep. Peter King (R-NY) said, “CIA was very sloppy and the administration was very sloppy in enforcing security procedures when it came to Hollywood. It almost seems as if they were star-struck.” Significantly, for some reason, the final IG report omitted any reference to Panetta’s disclosure of “TOP SECRET”and other sensitive information at an event.”

The Obama administration has prosecuted more leaks of classified information than any previous US administration. But it’s safe to assume that Panetta will not be prosecuted for this clear breach.
Panetta is at least the second administration official that Judicial Watch has confirmed gave classified information to filmmakers in connection with the bin Laden raid.

http://pjmedia.com/tatler/2013/12/10...ood-filmmaker/