CIA chief confirms links

FORMER CIA director John Brennan has said members of Donald Trump’s campaign did have contact with Russia before the US election.

“I encountered and am aware of information and intelligence that revealed contacts and interactions between Russian officials and US persons involved in the Trump campaign that I was concerned about because of known Rus- sian efforts to suborn such individuals,” Mr Brennan said under oath to a hearing of the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee.

“It raised questions whether or not the Russians were able to gain the co-operation of those individuals.

“I don’t know whether or not such collusion, and that’s your term, such collusion existed. I don’t know.”

He said it became clear months before the US election that Russia was trying to interfere and that he warned the head of Russia’s FSB security service that such interference would hurt US ties.

“It should be clear to everyone Russia brazenly interfered in our 2016 presidential election process and that they undertook these activities despite our strong protests and explicit warning that they do not do so,” Mr Brennan said.

“I don’t have sufficient information to make a determination about whether or not such co-operation or com- plicity or collusion was taking place. But I know there was a basis to have individuals pull those threads.”

He said he briefed then US president Barack Obama and other top officials, and that he discussed the matter with Republican and Democratic congressional leaders in August and September.

US intelligence agencies concluded in January that Moscow tried to tilt the November presidential elec- tion campaign in favour of the Republican candidate, Mr Trump, including by hacking into and leaking the emails of senior Democrats.

Moscow has always denied the allegation.

The early months of Mr Trump’s presidency have been clouded by FBI and congressional probes into Russian meddling and possible collusion by his campaign.

Mr Trump has denied any collusion.