In Brief

Former CIA official pleads guilty to fraud

WASHINGTON: The former No. 3 official at the CIA pleaded guilty yesterday to defrauding the government, closing an investigation that linked the nation's pre-eminent spy service to the corruption scandal involving former Republican Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham of California. In admitting that he abused his rank to steer lucrative contracts to cronies, Kyle Dustin "Dusty" Foggo, the agency's one-time executive director, became one of the highest-ranking officials in CIA history to be convicted of criminal charges. The deal involved major concessions from prosecutors, who allowed Foggo to admit guilt to a single fraud charge, wiping out 27 additional counts that included money laundering and conspiracy. Foggo, 53, faces up to 20 years in custody and a $250,000 fine, but prosecutors indicated that they would recommend he serve no more than 37 months. Foggo was accused of directing millions of dollars in business to a longtime friend, Brent Wilkes, who is serving a 12-year sentence after being convicted of bribing Cunningham

European tour group rescued from captors

CAIRO, Egypt: Egyptian and Sudanese troops, backed by European commandos, swooped down in helicopters yesterday to rescue a tour group that had been kidnapped in Egypt and taken on a 10-day dash across the Sahara to the frontier of Chad. Freedom for the 11 European tourists and eight Egyptian guides came hours after Sudanese troops killed six of the abductors and captured two who revealed where the remaining gunmen were holding their captives. The brother of one of the freed Egyptians said he was told that the kidnappers abandoned the captives in the desert and fled soon before the rescuers arrived. Egyptian officials released no details of the rescue except to say troops used helicopters to bring out the prisoners.