WASHINGTON (AP) – The Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday cleared the way for subpoenas compelling five Justice Department officials and six of the federal prosecutors they fired to tell the story of a purge of Federal prosecutors that has prompted demands for the ouster of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

The voice vote to authorize the panel to issue subpoenas amounts to insurance against the possibility that Mr. Gonzales could retract his permission to let the aides testify voluntarily, or impose strict conditions.

The committee also postponed for a week a vote on whether to authorize subpoenas for President Bush’s top aides who were involved in the eight firings, including political adviser Karl Rove, former White House Counsel Harriet Miers and deputy White House Counsel William K. Kelley.

The committee approved subpoena power for key Justice Department officials involved in the firings: Michael Elston, Kyle Sampson, Monica Goodling, Bill Mercer and Mike Battle.

Mr. Sampson, Mr. Gonzales’ chief of staff, quit this week.Mr. Elston is staff chief to Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty and Mr. Mercer is associate attorney general. Ms. Goodling is Mr. Gonzales’ senior counsel and White House liaison, and Mr. Battle is the departing director of the office that oversees all 93 U.S. attorneys.

Mr. Gonzales has said he would allow the aides still at the Justice Department to testify voluntarily. It was unclear whether Mr. Sampson would agree to tell his story without a subpoena.

The panel also approved subpoena power for six of the eight Federal prosecutors fired since December. The six, all of whom testified last week under oath before the House Committee, are: Carol Lam of California, Bud Cummins of Arkansas, Paul Charlton of Arizona, John McKay of Washington state, Daniel Bogden of Nevada, David Iglesias of New Mexico.