WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The Senate Intelligence Committee’s 2017 authorization bill requests that the White House reinstate a Cold war-era presidentially-appointed group to unmask Russian spies and uncover Russian-sponsored assassinations in the United States.
"I can't imagine any scenario where this would actually come to pass," Kiriakou, the former head of CIA counterterrorism operations in Pakistan, said. "The Senate's announcement seems like election year pandering."
The group, which would include personnel from the US Department of State, the intelligence community and several executive offices, would meet monthly.
The group would be modeled after a similar interagency body called the "Active Measures Working Group," a US intelligence official was cited as saying in a media report. The working group existed during the Cold War, but has not been active in decades.
Along with spies and covert killings, the committee would also investigate the funding of front groups or cover organizations for Russian operations, "covert broadcasting, media manipulation" and secret funding, reports on Wednesday said.
"The US government already has a squad to catch Russian spies. It's called the FBI [Federal Bureau of Investigation]."
Furthermore, Kiriakou said that the Senate proposal was not seriously regarded in the US intelligence community. He noted that it appeared to have been invented by some senators and their staff members, but lacked any credibility or substance.
"A small group of people [is] trying to create a campaign issue where one doesn't exist."
The intelligence bill was approved by the Senate Intelligence Committee in May and now must be passed by the full Senate.
