WASHINGTON: The founder of Blackwater Worldwide has acknowledged in an interview with Vanity Fair that he had helped the CIA with secret programs targeting top al-Qaeda leaders, a role he says was intended to give the agency ''unattributable capability'' in sensitive missions.

Erik Prince, owner of the military contractor now known as Xe Services, told Vanity Fair magazine, published on Wednesday, that his company performed numerous ''very risky missions'' for the spy agency, some of which were improperly exposed in leaks to the news media.

Risky missions... Erik Prince, founder of Blackwater. Credit:AP

The magazine, which was granted rare access to Mr Prince and his deputies at the company's facilities in the United States and Afghanistan, said the former Navy SEAL had served a dual role for the CIA as a contractor and an ''asset'', or spy, who carried out secret missions as recently as two months ago, when the Obama Administration terminated his contract.

Among other, previously undisclosed roles, Mr Prince ran intelligence-gathering operations to co-ordinate the movement of undercover spies in ''one of the so-called Axis of Evil countries'', the magazine said, citing unidentified sources familiar with his activities.