Reporter subpoenaed in leak probe

WASHINGTON, May 31 (UPI) -- The Washington Times newspaper says it will fight a subpoena ordering one of its reporters to testify in a probe of leaked grand jury information.

The newspaper's executive editor said in a report published Saturday that journalist Bill Gertz, the Times' national security reporter, should not have to testify in an a court case to determine who leaked information about a grand jury proceeding regarding Chi Mak, a former California engineer who was sentenced in March to 24 years in prison for spying for China.

Gertz has been ordered to appear before U.S. District Court Judge Cormac Carney in Santa Ana, Calif., on June 13 to answer questions about where he obtained information published in a 2006 story about the busted spy ring that revealed grand jury-related details.

The Times will attempt to quash the subpoena, executive editor John Solomon told the newspaper.

"We will be presenting our case to the judge and we remain hopeful that he will be receptive to the arguments we present to him in trying to preserve Bill's and the Times' First Amendment right to report the news and his other legal rights as well," Solomon said.