John Kiriakou is an ex-CIA officer giving his testimony about the agency’s interrogation techniques he considered improper and hence went into journalism and authoring.
The debate raised on his revelation of classified information is national, making him a clearly celebrated figure in the field of intelligence reform. Currently, he writes for Reader Supported News and co-hosts the program Political Misfits on Sputnik Radio, further continuing his advocacy in the areas of counterterrorism, ethics and accountability of government.
Who is John Kiriakou
John Kiriakou born on August 9, 1964, in Sharon, Pennsylvania, rose to the rank of counter-terrorism operations officer with the CIA and he became news in 2007 for his confirmation of the use of waterboarding torture on al-Qaeda detainees by the CIA. His revelations which led to a 2012 conviction for passing classified information to a journalist made him the sole CIA officer ever jailed for his disclosures about enhanced interrogation techniques.
John Kiriakou Education
Kiriakou was raised in New Castle, Pennsylvania, the son of schoolteachers and grandson of Greek immigrants after graduating from New Castle High School in 1982, he attended George Washington University in Washington, D.C. earning a bachelor’s degree in Middle Eastern Studies and a master’s degree in Legislative Affairs. These studies laid the groundwork for his later credentials in intelligence and counter-terrorism.
John Kiriakou Career
Kiriakou was recruited by CIA after a professor connected with the agency recommended him. He worked as a Middle East analyst in the CIA for eight years before serving overseas in counterterrorism operations in Bahrain and Greece.
After 9-11, he became Chief of Counterterrorist Operations in Pakistan, conducting raids that captured prominent al-Qaeda figures. Kiriakou left the CIA in 2004 to work as a consultant along with being an analyst for ABC News and investigator for the Senate before establishing his own political risk consultancy.
John Kiriakou Wife
Kiriakou is married to Heather Kiriakou, who used to be a CIA analyst herself and married on August 16, 2003 and has two children. Heather resigned from the CIA during her husband’s legal troubles. Against all odds, their marriage has survived and she has always supported her husband in his advocacy and public work.
John Kiriakou Net Worth
John Kiriakou’s net worth has been estimated to be around $2 million or Rs. 16.6 crore with his earnings stem from consultancy work, public speaking and book sales. He had also had engagements with several lobbying efforts for a presidential pardon indicating how he is involved in both the legal and political arenas.
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John Kiriakou Awards
Kiriakou received ten CIA Exceptional Performance Awards, a Counterterrorism Service Medal and the State Department’s Meritorious Honor Award. After his whistle-blowing activities he was awarded the Joe A. Callaway Award for Civic Courage in 2012, the Sam Adams Award in 2016 and the PEN First Amendment Award the same year.
John Kiriakou Accident
Kiriakou was injured in a Vespa accident in Washington, D.C. crashing against a car that abruptly stopped. He shattered six ribs, fractured his clavicle and a vertebra was treated at the George Washington University Hospital with pain management ports implanted.
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Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, professional or official advice.
