The FBI has launched an investigation into apparent leaks of classified information involving a cyberwarfare program against Iran, a US official said Wednesday.
FBI spokesman Paul Bresson had no comment on the reported investigation.
Sen. Saxby Chambliss, ranking Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said he was informed that an FBI inquiry was under way.
The senator from Georgia and other leaders of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees issued a joint statement Tuesday deploring the apparent leaks.
The White House pushed back against suggestions it could be leaking classified information for political purposes.
"This administration takes all appropriate and necessary steps to prevent leaks of classified information or sensitive information that could risk ongoing counterterrorism or intelligence operations," spokesman Jay Carney said Wednesday aboard Air Force One as the president traveled to campaign events on the West Coast.
"Any suggestion that this administration has authorized intentional leaks of classified information for political gain is grossly irresponsible."
Asked about the White House's response, Sen. John McCain told CNN International's "Amanpour," "I would expect nothing else from the White House. But the fact is that the portrayal of the president in these stories is nothing short of heroic."
The ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee added, "Clearly, administration officials were involved."
McCain, R-Arizona, said he has "great faith" in the FBI but that a matter as weighty as national security "probably deserves a special counsel."
Feinstein told CNN's "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer" that she didn't believe any of the information came from the top ranks of the White House.
McCain and Chambliss cited other recent leaks as well, including information on the administration's efforts to expand its drone program and the president's involvement in "kill lists" against militants in Yemen and Pakistan.
Also, the public airing of details surrounding a recently disrupted bomb plot in Yemen by al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula angered intelligence and national security officials.
(Read by Brian Salter. Brian Salter is a journalist at the China Daily Website.)
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(Agencies)
美國某官員本周三稱，美國聯邦調查局（FBI）已針對白宮可能故意洩露美國對伊朗發動網絡攻擊等機密展開調查。
白宮發言人保羅•布萊森對媒體報導的調查事件不予置評。
參議院情報委員會資深共和黨人薩克斯比•錢伯利斯說，他得到了FBI正在就此開展調查的消息。
來自喬治亞州的參議員錢伯利斯和參眾兩院情報委員會的其他高官本周二發表了一份聯合聲明，譴責這起洩密事件。
白宮對為了政治目的洩露機密的指責予以反駁。
白宮發言人傑伊•卡尼本周三回應說：「本屆政府採取了一切適當和必要的措施，來防止可能危及正在進行的反恐或情報行動的機密信息或敏感信息的洩露。」當時他正在空軍一號飛機上，和歐巴馬總統一同前往美國西海岸進行競選宣傳活動。
他說：「任何暗示本屆政府為了政治利益而授權洩露機密信息的說法都是非常不負責任的。」
在被問到白宮的回應時，參議員喬治-麥凱恩告訴美國有線電視新聞網國際臺訪談節目「阿曼普」，「我不期望白宮作出更多回應，但事實上在這些洩密事件中，他們正把歐巴馬總統塑造成英雄形象。」
這位參議院軍事委員會的資深成員補充說：「很明顯，白宮參與了此事。」
亞利桑那州參議員麥凱恩說，他對FBI「很有信心」，但涉及到國家安全的重大事件「很可能需要一個特殊委員會」。
參議員範士丹告訴CNN「沃爾夫•布利澤時事分析室」節目，她不相信白宮高層傳來的任何消息。
麥凱恩和錢伯利斯還提到了最近的其它洩密事件，包括白宮發展無人駕駛飛機計劃的信息，以及歐巴馬參與制定葉門和巴基斯坦激進分子「刺殺名單」的信息。
另外，有關蓋達組織阿拉伯半島分支機構近日一起未遂爆炸案的機密信息遭到洩露，這也激怒了美國情報和安全官員。
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（中國日報網英語點津 Julie 編輯：陳丹妮）