CIA disciplines employees for alleged role in accidental bombing of Chinese Embassy

April 9, 2000
Web posted at: 5:07 a.m. EDT (0907 GMT)

From National Security Correspondent David Ensor

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Central Intelligence Agency has fired one employee and punished six others for their roles in mistakes that led to the accidental bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade during the Kosovo conflict last year.

NATO bombers hit the building last May 7. Three people were killed and at least 20 injured in the bombing.

U.S. officials say the punishments range from the one firing to letters of reprimand which preclude future promotions, to verbal reprimands.

Officials say one of those punished was a senior official at the CIA. An eighth officially CIA employee -- assigned to another agency -- also was expected to be reprimanded.

In a written statement, CIA spokesman Bill Harlow said, "while we can never undo the mistakes that led to the bombing, we are satisfied that the CIA has stood up -- both organizationally and individually -- and taken appropriate responsibility for our mistakes."

Last July, CIA Director George Tenet, under fire from an angry Chinese government and from Capitol Hill, apologized for what he said was a "tragic mistake".

"I've told my own people that we will not hide behind excuses such as stretched resources or time pressures," Tenet testified.

"It is precisely when the pressure is intense -- life or death decisions are being made -- that the president and the American public expect us to provide the best intelligence in the world, clearly in this case we failed to do that."

At the Pentagon, officials said there have been no punishments of armed service personnel and none are contemplated in connection with the incident since the military's view is that the fault was all at the CIA.

U.S., China renew military ties eight months after bombing of Chinese embassy in Belgrade
January 26, 2000
U.S., China sign market-opening agreement
November 15, 1999
U.S., China open eleventh-hour trade talks
November 10, 1999
U.S. tries to restore ties with China
June 16, 1999
China says U.S. nuclear information not secret
May 31, 1999
Asian-Americans fear backlash from China espionage report
May 27, 1999
Loss of nuclear secrets called 'one of worst failures' in U.S. history
May 25, 1999
Chinese Embassy bombing exposes raw historical nerve
May 12, 1999
Clinton promises more strikes despite 'tragic mistake'
May 10, 1999
Families grieve victims of Chinese embassy bombing as NATO air campaign continues- May 10, 1999
May 10, 1999
Chinese demand U.N. meeting after Belgrade embassy attacked
May 7, 1999

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of P.R.China
Government Information Office, ROC
Central Intelligence Agency
NATO
U.S. State Department
U.S. Department of Defense
U.S. Embassy in China
Chinese Embassy in Washington D.C.
>

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.