US President George W Bush last night welcomed a Justice Department investigation into claims that White House staff illegally disclosed the identity of a CIA operative whose husband challenged President George W. Bush's claims about Iraq's weapons threat.
In his first remarks on the affair, Mr Bush urged anyone with information to come forward. The President vowed full co-operation with the investigation. He said he knew of no one in his administration who leaked classified information but that if someone had they would be fired.
Disclosing the identity of a clandestine intelligence officer is a federal crime as is leaking classified information to the media.
"If a person has violated (the) law, the person will be taken care of," he told reporters after the Justice Department announced the first major investigation of his administration.
"I want to know the truth... I want to know who the leakers are," added Mr Bush, whose spokesman on Monday denied the source was top Bush political adviser Mr Karl Rove.
The furor broke as Mr Bush is under political pressure over the continued killing and disorder in Iraq, with opinion polls giving him the lowest approval rate of his presidency.
Democrats hoping to capitalize on the first major investigation of the Bush administration urged an independent counsel be appointed to lead the probe. Mr Bush rejected that, saying career Justice Department professionals can handle it.
"This is not just a leak. This is a crime, plain and simple," said New York Democratic Sen Charles Schumer.
Justice Department lawyers notified the White House counsel's office on Monday night that they had begun a probe into "possible unauthorized disclosures concerning the identity of an undercover CIA employee," according to a memo sent to White House staff by counsel Mr Alberto Gonzales.