CIA director issues warning after noose reportedly discovered near agency's secret facility
William Burns has been picked by US President-elect Joe Biden to lead the Central Intelligence Agency Jim WATSON AFP/File

The CIA has a secret facility in Virginia, outside of their known offices in Langley, where the workforce is typically known to operate. According to the New York Times, however, a noose appears to have been found outside, people familiar with the area reported.

CIA director, William J. Burns issued a warning that racism and racist symbols would not be tolerated, though it's unclear if it was placed by someone from inside the CIA or from outside the staff.

The area has other businesses and organizations nearby and there are questions about whether the object was actually meant to be a noose or if the person who left the object knew if there was a CIA facility in the area.

"The C.I.A. does not currently have evidence suggesting that an agency employee left the item, or that a foreign intelligence service was involved, according to some of those people briefed on the incident," said the Times.

The object was concerning enough that the CIA filed an official report, said the director.

"Our values and our vital national security mission demand that we uphold nothing less than the highest standards of inclusiveness and safety," he also said.

Read the full report at the New York Times.

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