Former head of the CIA's clandestine service Jose Rodriguez claims he can take the White House down over a torture cover-up scandal.

Rodriguez said he may testify before the House Intelligence Committee if he is granted immunity from prosecution, The Sunday Times reported.

Intelligence sources believe Rodriguez is now quite determined not to become the fall guy in the controversy over the destruction of CIA videotapes showing the torture of terrorist suspects.

The hundreds of hours of videotapes reportedly showed the interrogation of two al-Qaeda leaders, Abu Zubaydah and Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, while they were held in a secret military prison.

A former CIA officer has testified that the videotapes showed Zubaydah being subjected to water-boarding, a form of torture that simulates drowning.

Despite the Bush administration's denial of any involvement in the destruction of the tapes, the CIA and White House have been accused of torturing detainees in the so-called war on terror launched in the aftermath of the 9/11.

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