Danger of Niger mission understated

Compiled from news services

WASHINGTON — A Pentagon investigation into an ambush that killed four U.S. soldiers in Niger in October found that two officers in charge misinformed higherups about the danger of the mission, yet no punishment was recommended against them, according to officials familiar with the still-unreleased report on the findings.

Two Army captains — one in charge of the 12-man unit targeted in the ambush and another back at headquarters — did not disclose in paperwork before the mission that it was more than a routine reconnaissance, that the soldiers were seeking to capture the leader of an Islamic State affiliate involved in kidnapping an American aid worker.

The report recommended against taking disciplinary action against the two officers, however, because the officers believed they had authority to carry out the capture-orkill mission without approval, the officials said.

Defense Secretary James Mattis has reviewed the report on the investigation by Maj. Gen. Roger L. Cloutier, chief of staff of U.S. Africa Command, and is expected to accept the conclusions, officials said.

Ex-CIA officer accused

A former CIA officer charged earlier this year with retaining classified information is now accused of espionage, a far more serious crime that could put the suspected Chinese mole in prison for decades.

Jerry Chun Shing Lee, 53, was indicted Tuesday in federal court in Alexandria, Va. He has been held in Alexandria’s jail without bond since January.

Prosecutors allege that in 2010, three years after Mr. Lee left his CIA job, two Chinese intelligence officials offered to pay him for information. Prosecutors say Mr. Lee prepared documents in response to the Chinese requests, made unexplained cash deposits, and lied in interviews about his travel to China and actions there.

House chaplain returns

WASHINGTON — Nearly two weeks of controversy came to a quiet end when House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., swore the House chaplain, the Rev. Patrick Conroy, back into office Tuesday after seeking his resignation weeks before.

Rev. Conroy, a Catholic priest, tendered a letter of resignation on April 15 after Mr. Ryan’s chief of staff, Jonathan Burks, asked him to step down two days earlier. But it was another two weeks before it became publicly known that Rev. Conroy’s signature was coerced — for reasons, in Rev. Conroy’s telling, that had nothing to do with the reasons Mr. Ryan publicly gave.

On Thursday, Rev. Conroy sent a letter to Mr. Ryan saying that he had been asked to step down under false pretenses and rescinded his resignation.

California quake

LOS ANGELES — A magnitude 4.5 earthquake shook a large portion of Southern California on Tuesday, and was felt from San Diego to Santa Clarita, authorities said.

Tuesday’s temblor struck at 4:49 a.m. PDT about 7 miles north of Cabazon and 85 miles east of downtown Los Angeles.

There were no immediate reports of damage.