Controversy over reports that led to Iraq War/ Yoichi Nishimura

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World Online/ Controversy over reports that led to Iraq War/ Yoichi Nishimura: Journalists take stand over sources

04/05/2005


snip

The Washington Post's Walter Pincus, who, at 72, continues to lead the way in covering security issues, is one of them.

Several reporters, including Pincus, who apparently also got the tip, were summoned to testify before a grand jury.

Over breakfast recently, Pincus said, ``Joseph Wilson finally came forward the first week in July (2003) and wrote his own story. I was doing a follow-up to that story on July 12, and in gathering information for the story, I spoke to (several members of) the Bush administration, and I got a call that day. The caller suddenly went off on a tangent and said, `By the way, why do you keep writing about Joe Wilson's trip? Don't you know it was arranged by his wife?'''

Pincus said he immediately knew what the official was getting at: Since Wilson's trip to Niger in 2002 to investigate the WMD allegations was arranged through his wife, don't take it seriously.

Pincus went ahead and wrote about the leak and its background, but he didn't reveal his government source. His story caught the attention of prosecutors.

Pincus refused to testify. However, his source, who was also questioned by the prosecution, called him and said, ``As long as you withhold my identity, I do not mind your testifying.''


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