Ex-CIA official urges silence after spy 'sting'

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A former high-ranking CIA official refused FBI appeals for help in tracking Chinese spies and urged others via e-mail not to cooperate because of the recent prosecution of former Defense Intelligence Agency analyst Ron Montaperto.

Robert G. Sutter, a former national intelligence officer for East Asia and holder of a security clearance, told a mailing list of current and former government officials that a 2003 FBI "sting" operation against Montaperto, who was convicted in June of mishandling classified documents, raised fears that he and other officials could be damaged for discussing their contacts with Chinese officials.

The FBI and other U.S. counterintelligence agencies are stepping up efforts, including outreach to academics, to counter Chinese intelligence efforts after a string of damaging spy cases over the past five years, U.S. officials said.

Mr. Sutter, a Georgetown University professor, stated in the e-mail sent two weeks ago that he had met then with two "relatively young" FBI agents who asked for his help "regarding activities of Chinese officials that I judged might be deemed matters of espionage."

"They also seemed to want and need some educating on policies and priorities of the Chinese administration, and the state of play in U.S.-Chinese relations," he stated.

Mr. Sutter has specialized in Asian affairs for 33 years at CIA, Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress and State Department intelligence bureau. He did not return telephone calls or e-mails seeking comment.

FBI spokeswoman Debbie Weierman declined to comment on the FBI's outreach on Chinese intelligence, but she said generally "we do contact a number of people ... to better know our domain."

Mr. Sutter's e-mail was sent to an exclusive list of some 30 current and former officials, including Lonnie Henley, acting national intelligence officer for East Asia, and Dennis Wilder, White House National Security Council staff Asia director.

The Washington Times obtained a copy of the e-mail from a member of the group.

Mr. Sutter stated that his recent meeting with FBI agents was similar to debriefings in the 1970s and 1980s, when he volunteered to share intelligence on meetings with European and Chinese officials.