Bush aides deny leak of CIA name

The White House has denied that George Bush's top political adviser, Karl Rove, leaked a CIA agent's identity to spite a leading sceptic of the President's Iraq weapons claims.

But, under pressure by Democrats, the Justice Department is now considering a full investigation of the leak.

The CIA complained two months ago that one of its undercover agents - the wife of former ambassador Joseph Wilson - had been "blown" by syndicated columnist Robert Novak in apparent violation of the law.

Mr Wilson had recently returned from a trip to Niger with news that there was no substance to the President's assertion that Iraq had tried to buy uranium from the African country.

A leak inquiry by the Justice Department is still in its preliminary stages.

But Mr Bush's spokesman, Scott McLellan, insists: "There's been nothing, absolutely nothing, brought to our attention to suggest any White House invol vement, and that includes the vice president's office as well."