CIA Station Chief Threatened DEA Agent With Treason Charges Over Audio Tape
What was said
"He says, I am basically the station chief for the CIA. And under no circumstances will you give Colonel Martinez a copy of that tape. And if you disobey my orders, I am going to bring you up on treason charges."
Javier Peña revealed that during the Escobar manhunt, the CIA station chief threatened him with treason charges for attempting to share an intercepted audio recording of Escobar with Colombian National Police Colonel Martinez. Peña described intense turf wars with CIA operatives who wanted control of the operation despite DEA having better sources and relationships with Colombian forces. The threat was legally hollow since CIA cannot investigate or indict Americans, but it exemplified interagency dysfunction that Peña says delayed Escobar's capture.
Verification status
Egleze verified who said this and where. The underlying claim has not been independently established by Egleze.
Source and context
Egleze verified who said this and where. The underlying claim has not been independently established by Egleze.
- Programme
- Danger Close
- Episode
- Danger Close | The Fourth Option Podcast: Steve Murphy & Javier Peña
- Clip time
- 58:03
- Original source
- Watch the source segment →