Novak names Rove as one of sources

WASHINGTON, July 12 (UPI) -- U.S. syndicated columnist Robert Novak says White House aide Karl Rove was one of his sources in the CIA leak case but did not reveal his primary source.

In his column published Wednesday, Novak discussed his 2003 report saying former Ambassador Joseph Wilson's wife, Valerie Plame Wilson, was a Central Intelligence Agency employee who helped instigate her husband's 2002 trip to Niger.

Novak said he interprets Rove, President Bush's political adviser, "as confirming my primary source's information." He also named former CIA spokesman Bill Harlow as his second confirming source.

Novak said special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald knows the source's identity and that he does not think that source will be charged with revealing Plame's identify.

"I have revealed Rove's name because his attorney has divulged the substance of our conversation, though in a form different from my recollection. I have revealed Harlow's name because he has publicly disclosed his version of our conversation, which also differs from my recollection. My primary source has not come forward to identify himself."

Novak said published reports that he took the Fifth Amendment, made a plea bargain with the prosecutors or was a prosecutorial target are not true.

CNN reported the White House declined comment on Novak's latest column.