The former American Vice President Dick Cheney has been accused of keeping a CIA counter-terrorism programme secret from Congress for eight years. The generally-pro-Democrat New York Times said the still-unidentified programme was launched after the 9/11 terror attacks. Cheney’s alleged involvement suggests the Bush administration put a high priority on its secrecy. The programme’s aims are not known, but it is said to have never become operational. Democrat politicians are outraged that they were kept in the dark.

“I know I have been lied to,” said Democratic congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. “This is certainly one example of an investigation I hope we will have into the CIA persistently lying to Congress over a number of years.” The New York Times says CIA Director Leon Panetta disclosed Cheney’s role last month, and also ordered an end to the programme. US law requires the President to ensure Congress is kept fully-informed of all intelligence activities.More about: CIA, Terrorism, USA

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