WASHINGTON, Nov 18: Special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald said in court filings that the ongoing CIA leak investigation would involve proceedings before a new grand jury, a possible sign he could seek new charges in the case.

In filings on Friday, Mr Fitzgerald said ‘the investigation is continuing’ and that ‘the investigation will involve proceedings before a different grand jury than the grand jury which returned the indictment’ against Vice President Dick Cheney’s chief of staff, Lewis ‘Scooter’ Libby.

Mr Fitzgerald did not elaborate in the document. For two years he has been investigating the leak of covert CIA operative Valerie Plame’s identity. The grand jury that indicted Mr Libby expired after the charges were filed late last month.

President George Bush’s top political adviser, Karl Rove, was not indicted along with Mr Libby. But lawyers involved in the case said Karl Rove remained under investigation and may still be charged.

Earlier this week Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward disclosed that he testified under oath to Mr Fitzgerald that a senior Bush administration official had casually told him in mid-June 2003 about CIA operative Valerie Plame’s position at the agency.

Mr Fitzgerald’s comments about bringing proceedings before a different grand jury were contained in court filings in which he backed off seeking a blanket order to keep all documents in the CIA leak case secret. —Reuters