The CIA released new guidelines that allow operatives to remain undercover within US organizations in certain situations, the agency said in a press release.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The release stated that CIA officers generally disclose their affiliation with the spy agency when engaging with United States organizations.

“While CIA officers generally disclose their affiliation with the Agency when engaging with United States organizations, in certain situations CIA officers may be allowed to withhold such information in order to, for example, maintain their cover,” the release stated on Wednesday.

The exception allowing a CIA agent to remain undercover in a US organization involves situations in which an agent joins a group that is composed primarily of foreign nationals who are believed to be operating at the behest of a foreign government, the release explained.

The revised Attorney General Guidelines provide clear rules concerning the CIA’s undisclosed participation in organizations in the United States.

At the same time, the spy agency imposed limits on collecting data on Americans to protect privacy rights including destroying intelligence after five years

“The revised Attorney General Guidelines provide the framework for ensuring that the CIA continues to engage in its foreign intelligence, counterintelligence, and covert action missions in a manner that respects Americans’ privacy rights and civil liberties,” the release stated on Wednesday.

The rules set approval procedures for handling raw intelligence that cannot be promptly evaluated, including a requirement that the data be destroyed after five years, the release noted.

The rules also prohibit the CIA from conducting electronic surveillance in the United States, while also allowing the agency to acquire electronic communications “through other means.”

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