CIA official may get death sentence for leaking secrets

Groat, during a 16-year career at the CIA, 8220;participated in classified covert operations8221; aimed at penetrating the secret codes and communications systems employed by foreign governments, US attorney Wilma Lewis told a news conference on Friday after his arraignment in Washington.

Lewis said, 8220;This case involveshighly sensitive classified information that could have a serious impact on the national security of the United States8221;.

Officials said that he worked in units that broke codes and stole them and focused on friendly and hostile governments alike.

Grant was arrested on Thursday by the FBI on four counts of espionage and one of extortion stemming from a seven-year dispute with the CIA over a botched operation to break into a foreign embassy overseas, an Intelligence official told the Washington Times.