The scope of the probe into allegations of intel manipulation regarding the Islamic State and other terrorist groups expanded significantly in recent days, Fox News reports, with one whistleblower now talking to congressional aides.
A congressional source confirmed that aides on the Senate intelligence and armed services committees have met with the whistle-blower.
At least five congressional committees — including those two panels — are now looking into the allegations. And Bloomberg reported Thursday that multiple inspectors general in the intelligence community have launched their own probes.
The widespread involvement marks a significant expansion for a probe initially handled only by the Defense Department inspector general. Bloomberg reported that the whistle-blower who met with aides will meet with top senators soon.
At their core, the allegations cover claims that Central Command figures manipulated analysts’ intelligence to make the campaign against ISIS seem more successful.
Fox News has previously reported that the alleged manipulation goes back to 2012, before the rise of the Islamic State.
Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., chairman of the House intelligence committee, said these practices extend to how intelligence on Al Qaeda was handled as well.
“I know for a fact this was going on in 2012, because I was told by informants that this was going on back then,” Nunes, head of the intelligence committee, recently told Fox News.
Nunes has said that in addition to the complaints that ISIS intelligence assessments hyped battlefield damage by the U.S. air campaign, there were significant complaints about the handling of the Usama bin Laden documents.