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Eric Holder says leak to AP was 'very serious' Eric Holder says leak to AP was 'very serious'
(34 minutes later)
US Attorney General Eric Holder has said the leak that prompted the seizure of Associated Press phone records had put the US "at risk". US Attorney General Eric Holder has said the leak that prompted the seizure of Associated Press (AP) phone records had put the US "at risk".
The AP has said the justice department secretly seized records of outgoing calls from more than 20 phone lines.The AP has said the justice department secretly seized records of outgoing calls from more than 20 phone lines.
On Tuesday, Mr Holder said he had removed himself "early on" from the investigation that led to the records subpoena. The leak came in a justice department inquiry launched after the AP ran a story on a CIA operation to disrupt a bomb plot originating in Yemen.
The news agency called the seizure a "massive and unprecedented intrusion".The news agency called the seizure a "massive and unprecedented intrusion".
The Associated Press in May 2012 ran a story about the CIA's disruption of an airline bombing plot originating in Yemen. On Tuesday, Mr Holder said he had removed himself "early on" from the investigation that led to the records subpoena.
Mr Holder said he had stepped aside because he had been interviewed in June 2012 as part of a leak investigation and wanted to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest.Mr Holder said he had stepped aside because he had been interviewed in June 2012 as part of a leak investigation and wanted to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, the attorney general said he had removed himself out of "an abundance of caution" and that the leak had "put the American people at risk," requiring "very aggressive" methods to investigate. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, the attorney general said he had removed himself out of "an abundance of caution" and that the leak had "put the American people at risk", requiring "very aggressive" methods to investigate.
"I've been a prosecutor since 1976 and I have to say that this is among - if not the most serious - it is among the top two or three most serious leaks that I have ever seen," he said."I've been a prosecutor since 1976 and I have to say that this is among - if not the most serious - it is among the top two or three most serious leaks that I have ever seen," he said.
He told reporters the decision to go ahead with the Associated Press records subpoena was taken under the supervision of Deputy Attorney General James Cole after he removed himself from the inquiry.He told reporters the decision to go ahead with the Associated Press records subpoena was taken under the supervision of Deputy Attorney General James Cole after he removed himself from the inquiry.
The justice department has provided no specific explanation for the scope of seizure. AP chief executive Gary Pruitt wrote in a letter there could be "no possible justification for such an overbroad collection". The justice department has provided no specific explanation for the scope of the seizure. AP chief executive Gary Pruitt wrote in a letter there could be "no possible justification for such an overbroad collection".
Records for the phone numbers of five reporters and an editor who were involved in the AP story were among those obtained in April and May 2012. No advance notice
AP said the seizure of records included general switchboard numbers and a fax line at its offices in New York, Hartford, in Connecticut, Washington DC and the House of Representatives. Records for the phone lines of five reporters and an editor who were involved in the AP story were among those obtained in April and May 2012.
AP said the seizure of records included general switchboard numbers and a fax line at its offices in New York, Hartford, in Connecticut, Washington DC and the US House of Representatives.
White House spokesman Jay Carney said earlier on Tuesday that President Barack Obama had no knowledge of the justice department's actions in regards to the AP subpoena other than what he had read in press reports.White House spokesman Jay Carney said earlier on Tuesday that President Barack Obama had no knowledge of the justice department's actions in regards to the AP subpoena other than what he had read in press reports.
News organisations are typically notified in advance if the government seeks such information and are given time to negotiate. The AP says it was first informed of the seizures on Friday after the fact. News organisations are typically notified in advance if the government seeks such information and are given time to negotiate or go to court to block the seizure. The AP says it was first informed of the seizures on Friday after the fact.
The Obama administration has aggressively investigated disclosures of classified information to the media, bringing more cases against people suspected of leaking such material than any previous administration, correspondents say.The Obama administration has aggressively investigated disclosures of classified information to the media, bringing more cases against people suspected of leaking such material than any previous administration, correspondents say.