Nixon aide names four as possible suspects for 'Deep Throat'

Thirty years after the notorious Watergate break-in the mystery of "Deep Throat" – the source who gave The Washington Post its best leads and helped expose the corruption of President Richard Nixon – has been revived by claims from Mr Nixon's former lawyer.

John Dean, a White House counsel in the Nixon administration, named four men he believes could have been the source: the three times presidential candidate Pat Buchan-an, former Nixon speechwriter Ray Price, press spokesman Ron Ziegler or assistant Steve Bull. He said any of them could have provided the Post with information to help reveal Mr Nixon had sanctioned the break-in at the Democratic Party headquarters and other illegal actions. "I happen to think Deep Throat acted with great courage," Mr Dean said. "I don't have a negative thing to say about Throat."

The source, who told the reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein to "follow the money", was named after the Linda Lovelace porn film. But only the reporters and their former editor, Ben Bradlee, know the source's identity and Mr Woodward has said he will reveal it only when Deep Throat dies or agrees to be identified.

"People generally think secrets can't be kept," said Mr Woodward, who hosted an online discussion about Deep Throat yesterday. "From a historical point of view, it's a legitimate question."

Many writers believe the source was Mark Felt, a former senior FBI official who has denied it. Other names include the former secretary of state Al Haig. The actor Hal Holbrook – Deep Throat in All The President's Men – said he had no idea whom he played. "He was in a very tight spot. He made a difficult decision for his country."