Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) speaks at the 2009 Campus Progress National Conference in Washington on July 8, 2009. (UPI Photo/Alexis C. Glenn) | License Photo

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee presides over the confirmation hearing for Director of National Intelligence nominee Dennis Blair in Washington on January 22, 2009. (UPI Photo/Kevin Dietsch) | License Photo

United States President Barack Obama is introduced by CIA Director Leon Panetta prior to making remarks at the George Bush Center for Intelligence (CIA Headquarters) in McLean, Virginia on Monday, April 20, 2009. (UPI Photo/Ron Sachs/Pool) | License Photo

Former Vice President Dick Cheney speaks on America's national security policy at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington on May 21, 2009. Cheney said that waterboarding and the Guantanamo Bay prison were essential for keeping America safe. (UPI Photo/Kevin Dietsch) | License Photo

WASHINGTON, July 11 (UPI) -- The CIA kept Congress in the dark for eight years about a secret counter-terrorism program on orders from former Vice President Dick Cheney, sources said.

Citing two people with direct knowledge of the matter, The New York Times reported Saturday CIA Director Leon Panetta informed members of the House and Senate committees on intelligence about Cheney's involvement in the decision to withhold knowledge from Congress about the program. Panetta canceled the program June 23 when he was first briefed on its existence -- four months after he took office.


The program was begun in 2001, following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Officials this week would describe it only in general terms, calling it "off again, on again" and saying it was part of the effort to gather intelligence on terrorism suspects.

Democrats on the two intelligence panels said they should have been briefed on the program during the terms of the Bush administration.

"Instructions were given not to brief Congress," Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., said.

Republicans suggested the program was not a major initiative and congressional briefing was not required. They also suggested Democrats were seeking to use the development to back up claims by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., that she was not briefed on the interrogation techniques used by the CIA.

The Times said Saturday Cheney could not be reached for comment.

The federal government issued a report Friday indicating Cheney's office played a significant role in limiting awareness of a plan by a small group of government officials to eavesdrop without warrants.