New York, Aug 20 (DPA) The US Central Intelligence Agency in 2004 hired employees of private security firm Blackwater to help hunt down Al Qaeda terrorists, the New York Times reported Thursday, quoting current and former government officials.

The CIA spent several million dollars on the programme which aimed at locating and assassinating top Al Qaeda operatives. The programme did not lead to the death or capture of any terror suspects.

Executives from Blackwater, which came under criticism for using excessive force, were involved in planning, training and surveillance.

Officials, who asked to remain anonymous, said the CIA had no formal contract with Blackwater, which recently changed its name to Xe Services, but agreements with top officials.

CIA director Leon E. Panetta became alarmed by the fact that an outside company was used and called an emergency meeting in June to inform the US Congress that details of the programme had been kept secret for years.