Petraeus investigation triggered by e-mail threats
- Threats allegedly were made to another woman close to Petraeus
- Neither she nor the nature of her relationship with him were revealed
- House Intelligence Committee members want some answers
WASHINGTON — CIA Director David Petraeus' resignation was apparently prompted after an acquaintance of the former Army general went to the FBI to report that she was being harassed in a series of e-mails that investigators later alleged had come from Petraeus' biographer Paula Broadwell, a federal law enforcement official said Saturday
During the investigation, which began months ago, authorities allegedly learned of a relationship between Broadwell and the CIA director, said the official, who asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to comment publicly.
The official said that because of the nature of the allegations and Petraeus' alleged involvement with one of the figures in the inquiry, agents sought to determine whether the CIA director's e-mail accounts had been compromised.
The identity of the other woman and her connection with Broadwell were not immediately known.
Petraeus has been married for 38 years to Holly Petraeus, the daughter of the West Point superintendent when he was a student at the New York school.
Although the official said there was no evidence of a breach, authorities discussed the inquiry and the findings with Petraeus "a couple of weeks ago.''
The official said the investigation is largely complete and a decision on any potential criminal charges related to the harassment allegation would be up to prosecutors.
The connection of e-mail threats to the Petraeus case was first reported by TheWashington Post.
Also Saturday, word came that members of Congress want answers to questions about the affair between Petraeus and his biographer that led to the former general's resignation.
House intelligence committee chairman Mike Rogers, R-Mich., and ranking member Dutch Ruppersberger, D-Md., will meet Wednesday with FBI deputy director Sean Joyce, and CIA acting director Michael Morell to ask questions like how the investigation came about, according to the Associated Press. The news service cited a senior congressional staffer who spoke anonymously because he was not authorized to discuss the investigation publicly.
Petraeus, a retired four-star Army general, announced Friday that he was resigning as CIA chief because he had been involved in an extramarital affair. He and his wife have two children. Broadwell is married and also has two children.
Contributing: Associated Press
