Russia blamed for Assad chemical attacks
Russia bears responsibility for recent reported chemical weapons attacks by the Syrian government, Rex Tillerson, the US secretary of state, has said. An alleged chlorine gas attack struck the rebel-held Damascus suburb of Eastern Ghouta earlier this month. “Whoever conducted the attacks, Russia ultimately bears responsibility for the victims in East Ghouta and countless other Syrians targeted with chemical weapons, since Russia became involved in Syria,” Mr Tillerson told reporters in Paris.
JAMES COMEY, the former FBI director, and Jeff Sessions, the US Attorney General, have both been interviewed by the Russian election meddling investigation, it emerged yesterday.
Mr Comey answered questions from the team of Robert Mueller, the special counsel, before Christmas while Mr Sessions was interviewed last week.
The pair are both central to one of Mr Trump’s most controversial decisions in office – the firing of Mr Comey, who at the time headed up the Russia investigation. Critics have questioned whether the move amounts to obstruction of justice, one of the grounds for the impeachment of a president.
Mr Sessions is the first member of Mr Trump’s cabinet to be interviewed by the Mueller investigation. Mr Comey was reportedly asked about memos on Mr Trump’s behaviour he wrote before his departure. The Washington Post reported yesterday that Mr Mueller is seeking to interview Mr Trump about his decisions to remove Mr Comey and Michael Flynn, the former national security adviser.
In a separate development, it was reported that Christopher Wray, the FBI director, threatened to resign over demands for staff changes from Mr Sessions and Mr Trump. Axios, the political news website, said Mr Wray opposed calls to remove Andrew Mccabe, the deputy FBI director, from Mr Sessions. Mr Trump had suggested the move.