NEW YORK, June 30: Time magazine warned of ‘chilling’ new limits on US press freedom as it reluctantly agreed on Thursday to hand over a reporter’s notes to a grand jury probing the leak of a CIA operative’s identity.

The move was partly aimed at protecting Time journalist Matt Cooper, who has been ordered to testify before the grand jury or face prison.

“We believe that our decision to provide the Special Prosecutor with the subpoenaed records obviates the need for Matt Cooper to testify and certainly removes any justification for incarceration,” Time editor in chief Norman Pearlstine said in a statement.

Cooper and New York Times reporter Judith Miller have both indicated they would rather go to jail than reveal their sources to the grand jury investigating how CIA agent Valerie Plame’s name was leaked to the media.

Wednesday, District Court Judge Thomas Hogan gave both journalists one week to testify or face up to 18 months in prison.

The pair had argued that press freedom guarantees in the US Constitution shielded them from having to testify. But an appeals court rejected the argument, and the US Supreme Court Monday refused to hear the case.

Pearlstine said the Supreme Court decision had limited press freedom “in ways that will have a chilling effect on our work and that may damage the free flow of information that is so necessary in a democratic society.”

Despite its strong reservations, Time said it would comply with the court order out of respect for the justice system.

“That Time Inc. strongly disagrees with the courts provides no immunity,” Pearlstine said.

The New York Times said it was “deeply disappointed” by the magazine’s decision.

“Our focus is now on our own reporter, Judith Miller, and in supporting her during this difficult time,” the newspaper’s publisher Arthur Sulzberger Jr. said in a statement.

On Wednesday, Cooper had said he would refuse to testify and added that he hoped Time would not turn over his notes.—AFP