Washington ? The House Intelligence Committee said Friday it will investigate whether the CIA broke the law by not informing Congress promptly about a secret program to deploy teams of killers to target al-Qaida leaders.

Committee Chairman Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, said the hit team plan, which was never carried out, is among several intelligence operations that will be investigated as part of a broad inquiry into the CIA’s handling of disclosures to Congress about its secret activities.

“I intend to make this investigation fair and thorough, and it is my goal that it will not become a distraction to the men and women of the CIA,” Reyes said.

CIA spokesman Paul Gimigliano said the agency shares that goal and will work closely with the committee on its review.

The House Intelligence Committee will examine concerns that the CIA failed to inform the Senate and House Intelligence committees about former President George W. Bush’s wiretapping program, harsh interrogation techniques and the destruction of interrogation videotapes, according to a committee aide.

The inquiry will also focus on how the CIA handled disclosures about the 2001 downing of a small plane carrying American missionaries over Peru and on other cases, said the aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

The CIA is obligated under law to keep Congress “fully and currently” informed of intelligence activities through classified briefings.

Rep. Peter Hoekstra, R-Mich., the senior Republican on the committee, criticized the investigation as “partisan, political theater.” He said he supported a “balanced review,” but contended Democrats are prematurely accusing the CIA of breaking the law.