Newspaper ordered to name sources

A federal judge has ordered the New York Times Co. to disclose the confidential sources used by Nicholas Kristof in columns that explored whether a former Army scientist was responsible for the deadly 2001 anthrax attacks.

The ruling, which the Times said it would appeal, came in a lawsuit filed by the former scientist, Steven Hatfill, contending the paper defamed him in a series of Kristof columns in 2002 that identified him as a “likely culprit.” Hatfill has been identified by authorities as a “person of interest” in the anthrax-spore mailings that killed five people and sickened 17. No one has been charged in the attacks.

“We were disappointed with the decision because we believe that confidential sources are sometimes very important in covering government investigations,” Kristof said.