Fascinating story.

While still in his 20s, Seal moved into the captain's seat in the Boeing 707 and later in the jumbo 747.

"I heard from my supervisors that the leak came from an aide in the White House," said Ernest Jacobsen, one of Seal's DEA handlers.

"Retired DEA agent and best-selling author Michael Levine, who spent 25 years working undercover in the U.S. and in Central and South America, said he spoke to one of Barry's DEA agent handlers in the Nicaragua case. According to the agent, "Ollie North blew Barry Seal's cover," Levine said.

"Frank Monastero, then DEA's No. 2 official, said North called him the day the Times story ran, claiming he was not the source. North said the small inaccuracies in the story proved it.

"I told him that to my knowledge that was a standard way to cover your tracks," Monastero said. "I didn't accept that explanation from him. It was a heated conversation. As a matter of fact, every conversation I've ever had with Ollie has been heated."