(CNN) Pakistani officials embarrassed by the raid to kill Osama bin Laden are likely behind the information in an explosive new article by Seymour Hersh, Former CIA Deputy Director Michael Morell told CNN's Christiane Amanpour on Wednesday.

"At the end of the day, I think the Pakistanis are putting out propaganda that they knew about this in order to save face," he said.

"It must be that this American source [cited by Hersh] is somehow getting information from Pakistan and passing it on to Seymour Hersh. That's the only thing that I can conclude."

"But this person claims to have been at the center of the discussions in the U.S. government about this operation. And he was not in the meetings that I was in. I guarantee you that."

JUST WATCHED Morell slams policy on ISIS in Syria Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Morell slams policy on ISIS in Syria 01:29

Hersh, a storied but at times controversial journalist, published a ten-thousand word article this weekend alleging that much of what we have come to know about the raid that killed bin Laden is false -- chiefly, he says, that Pakistan was in fact harboring the terrorist and authorized the raid only after an official walked into the American embassy and told all.

Read More