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CIA Search Of Congressional Computers Referred To Justice

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The head of the Senate Intelligence Committee says the CIA improperly searched a stand-alone computer network established for Congress as part of its investigation into allegations of CIA abuse in a Bush-era detention and interrogation program.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California says the matter has been referred to the Justice Department.

She says the CIA's inspector general made the referral.

In lengthy remarks on the Senate floor, Feinstein said the search in January raised grave concerns that constitutional rights were violated.

Feinstein said the CIA searched the network this past January.

At issue is whether the CIA violated an agreement made with the committee about monitoring the panel's use of CIA computers.

The CIA provided the computers to congressional staffers in a secure room at its headquarters so that the committee could review millions of pages of top secret documents.