Novak, a CNN contributor, revealed Plame's identity in a July 14 column about Wilson's trip to Niger for the CIA in 2002 to investigate a British intelligence report that Iraq had attempted to obtain uranium from the African country.

CNN: Sources: FBI quizzes Wilson, Novak

Some officials think it is unlikely that the FBI and career Justice Department prosecutors will be able find who leaked Plame's identity to Novak for his syndicated column.

CNN: Sources: FBI quizzes Wilson, Novak

Novak, a nationally syndicated columnist who writes for the Chicago Sun-Times and co-host of CNN's "Crossfire, " said he learned of Valerie Plame's identity as he was preparing a column to be published July 14.

CNN: Novak: 'No great crime' with leak

All this can only add to an identity crisis that has been building up since this column began.

BBC: IN THE PICTURE

In July, newspaper columnist and CNN Commentator Robert Novak reported the identity of Wilson's wife as a covert CIA operative in a column in the Chicago Sun Times.

CNN: Ashcroft recuses himself from CIA leak probe