National
Spy Cables: SSA denies extracting SA operatives─── 10:36 Sun, 01 Mar 2015
Pretoria - The State Security Agency (SSA) has denied that a charter jet was sent to "extract" at least four senior intelligence agents from their posts in Africa following the leaked so-called spy cables, City Press reported on Sunday.
"The allegations of a withdrawal of foreign-based operatives from their postings is without basis and is strongly dismissed as yet another attempt at information peddling," SSA spokesman Brian Dube was quoted as saying.
"We will not be drawn into speculation about those who might be behind the purported leak and their motives."
He said the minister was on record indicating that a full investigation was under way.
A unnamed source in the SSA reportedly told City Press that an agent based in Cameroon and another three based elsewhere in Africa were removed from their posts.
A second unnamed source confirmed "at least four" agents were "extracted" within hours of the spy cables being released by television network Al Jazeera, which was based in Qatar.
"The guys were contacted early on Monday and told to be ready to be extracted. It happened very fast," a source close to the SSA reportedly told the paper.
"The leaks caused chaos in the SSA, and especially among the agents abroad. Some of the guys have been building and living their legends for years and years.
"Their cover is now blown."
Sapa
