Tag: cia

  • Khashoggi killing: CIA didn’t blame Saudi crown prince, says Trump

    Image Copyright @MohamedBinZayed @MohamedBinZayed

    The Saudi crown prince may be anticipated to take part in a G20 assembly of worldwide leaders in Buenos Aires on the end of the month so one can be attended by means of leaders from the u.s., Turkey and a bunch of Ecu countries.

    In some other development, approximately TWO HUNDRED British military workforce and 8 Royal Air Pressure (RAF) Storm jets have arrived in Saudi Arabia to participate in a joint army exercise.

    The RAF described it as a “pre-deliberate exercise” but the timing is doubtlessly embarrassing to the united kingdom executive, BBC defence correspondent Jonathan Beale says.

    Britain has up to now called on Saudi government to completely provide an explanation for Khashoggi’s death.

    Meanwhile, France has announced that it’s enforcing sanctions on 18 Saudi nationals – the same individuals targeted with sanctions by means of the us, UNITED KINGDOM and Germany – allegedly linked to the Khashoggi murder.

    Their checklist of individuals doesn’t come with the crown prince, a spokesperson for the French ministry of foreign affairs said.

    What has Trump stated about the CIA document?

    “they’ve feelings positive techniques. i’ve the report, they have got not concluded, i do not understand if anyone’s going to have the ability to finish the crown prince did it,” Mr Trump informed journalists in Florida.

    “But whether or not he did or whether he did not, he denies it vehemently. His father denies it, the king, vehemently,” he delivered.

    Symbol copyright Reuters Image caption President Trump stressed business and army ties with the Gulf state

    In Advance this week, Mr Trump launched a press release suggesting that the crown prince “may rather well” have identified about the homicide.

    His commentary said: “It could very well be that the crown prince had knowledge of this tragic event – maybe he did and maybe he didn’t!”

    The president has again and again stressed the significance of Saudi Arabia to the u.s. following the killing, calling the dominion a “steadfast spouse” that has agreed to take a position “a report quantity of money” in the u.s..

    On 17 November, White Space Press Secretary Sarah Sanders advised journalists that Mr Trump had trust in the CIA following conversations with Director Gina Haspel and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in regards to the Khashoggi murder.

    Sources quoted in the u.s. media at the time stressed that there has been no single piece of proof linking the crown prince on to the homicide, however officials believe the killing may have required his endorsement.

    BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner says intelligence companies hardly offer their governments forged-iron, ONE HUNDRED% conclusions, instead producing nuanced exams incessantly in keeping with chances. This wariness has become more suggested since the errors made in the run-as much as the Iraq invasion of 2003.

    Separately, the Hurriyet newspaper suggested on Thursday that Ms Haspel advised Turkish officials ultimate month that the CIA had a recording during which the crown prince gave directions to “silence” the Saudi author as quickly as possible.

    When asked concerning the claims by reporters, Mr Trump said: “i do not need to talk about it. you’ll have to ask them.”

    What have the Saudis said?

    Saudi Arabia says claims that the crown prince can have ordered the Khashoggi killing are fake and continues that he knew not anything about it.

    The Gulf kingdom’s public prosecutor has said Khashoggi used to be killed throughout the consulate as a result of a “rogue operation” on the orders of an intelligence officer.

    Khashoggi was once given a lethal injection after a battle. His frame was once then dismembered inside the consulate in Istanbul and the body parts had been handed over to a neighborhood “collaborator” outside the grounds, the prosecutor stated.

    He stated investigations had “found out that the individual who ordered the killing was once the head of the negotiations crew”, however didn’t determine any of the 11 other people charged with the murder.

    Who was once Jamal Khashoggi?

    As a outstanding journalist, he lined prime stories including the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the upward push of Osama Bin Encumbered for varied Saudi news corporations.

    Symbol copyright Getty Images Symbol caption Jamal Khashoggi had gone to Istanbul to acquire a marriage report

    for many years he was just about the Saudi royal circle of relatives and in addition served as an adviser to the govt.

    But he fell out of favour and went into self-imposed exile in the us remaining 12 months. From there, he wrote a per thirty days column in the Washington Submit in which he criticised the insurance policies of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

    Jamal Khashoggi in his own words

    In his first column for the newspaper, Khashoggi stated he feared being arrested in an obvious crackdown on dissent overseen by the prince due to the fact.

    In his final column, he criticised Saudi involvement in the Yemen battle.

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  • Over 175 ex-US secret agent officers sign up for Brennan clearance outcry

    Composite image of President Trump and John Brennan Image copyright Reuters/Getty Image caption President Trump has sparked a bi-partisan outcry for revoking ex-CIA leader John Brennan’s security clearance

    more than ONE HUNDRED SEVENTY FIVE former US intelligence leaders have subsidized ex-CIA leader John Brennan for the reason that president revoked his security clearance.

    In the 3rd bi-partisan letter of its kind, the previous best security officials mentioned their competition to President Donald Trump’s threats and movements.

    CIA, State Division and Navy alumni, as well as US ambassadors and US legal professionals signed the letter on Monday.

    The White Space has defended Mr Trump’s decision to revoke safety clearances.

    “All of us consider it is crucial to offer protection to categorised knowledge from unauthorised disclosure,” reads the letter, published online via Axios on Monday.

    Mr Trump brought that folks have been handiest helping Mr Brennan as a result of they wanted to keep their own clearances, which can be price “big bucks”.

    Mr Trump revoked Mr Brennan’s clearance on SIXTEEN August.

    The White Area has mentioned that Mr Brennan’s get admission to to delicate government information was revoked due to his “erratic conduct” and “outrageous allegations”.

    Last week, greater than a dozen former intelligence officials signed an analogous observation criticising the elimination of Mr Brennan’s security clearance. Sixty former CIA officials later added their names to the observation.

    The joint statement called Mr Trump’s movements “an attempt to stifle unfastened speech”.

    Former most sensible intelligence officials normally continue their clearances for a time, often advising successors.

    Mr Trump informed journalists on Friday that he “by no means respected” Mr Brennan and that he has “had an enormous reaction” for revoking his security clearance.

    The president has also mentioned he’s reviewing safety clearances for 9 other high-rating officials.

    The nine folks lately on a review list have all criticised the president.

    Many have additionally been desirous about the investigation into whether somebody at the Trump 2016 election campaign colluded with Russia.

    (more…)

  • US ex-safety chiefs back John Brennan in Donald Trump war on words

    Former CIA Director John Brennan testifies during a House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence hearing about Russian actions during the 2016 election on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC Symbol copyright AFP/Getty Image caption Mr Brennan briefed Mr Trump prior to his inauguration on accusations of Russian meddling

    A dozen former US intelligence leaders have subsidized ex-CIA leader John Brennan after his security clearance was revoked by President Donald Trump.

    The former CIA and national intelligence bosses known as Mr Trump’s transfer “an attempt to stifle unfastened speech” in a joint statement on Thursday.

    Mr Trump is raring to strip different top-rating officers of access to categorized information, US media say.

    The nine folks currently on a assessment checklist have all criticised the president.

    Many have also been all for the research into Mr Trump’s 2016 election campaign’s alleged collusion with Russia.

    Symbol copyright Getty Photographs Image caption Mr Trump omitted press questions into his decision to strip Mr Brennan’s clearance at a cabinet meeting

    The White House said casting off his get entry to to sensitive government information on Wednesday was once as a result of Mr Brennan’s “erratic habits” and “outrageous allegations”.

    Mr Brennan then hit back pronouncing Mr Trump’s claims of no collusion were “hogwash”.

    “Mr Trump clearly has grow to be extra eager to give protection to himself and people close to him, which is why he made the politically inspired resolution to revoke my security clearance in an attempt to scare into silence others who might dare to problem him,” Mr Brennan wrote in a brand new York Times op-ed.

    Former best intelligence officers usually retain their clearances for a time, often advising successors.

    William McRaven, a retired Army admiral who oversaw the raid that resulted within the loss of life of Osama bin Laden, additionally wrote an open letter to Mr Trump on Thursday, announcing he would consider it “an honour” if his own clearance had been got rid of.

    Image copyright Getty Pictures Image caption Mr McRaven described Mr Trump’s action as “McCarthy-era techniques” to suppress grievance

    “Thru your movements, you have got embarrassed us within the eyes of our children, humiliated us on the world’s level and, worst of all, divided us as a nation,” Mr McRaven wrote in the Washington Post.

    The 12 signatories of the joint commentary – who include former CIA directors David Petraeus, Leon Panetta and Porter Goss – noted that even as they are going to no longer all consider Mr Brennan’s comments, they supported his proper to voice an opinion.

    Mueller ‘threatened Trump with subpoena’ What does the different recommend do?

    The ex-officers referred to as Mr Trump’s transfer towards Mr Brennan “sick-thought to be and unheard of”.

    Two of them – ex-director of Nationwide Intelligence James Clapper and former CIA director Michael Hayden – are also at the White House list of those whose safety clearances had been publicly threatened.

    Mr Clapper and Mr Brennan have been some of the Obama management officers who briefed Mr Trump before his inauguration on evidence of Russian meddling within the 2016 election.

    Mr Trump has many times advised Legal Professional Basic Jeff Periods and other officers to finish the Russia investigation led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

  • Trump ends ex-CIA head John Brennan’s security get admission to

    Former CIA director John Brennan. File photo Image copyright Reuters Image caption John Brennan stepped down as CIA director in January 2017

    Donald Trump has revoked the security clearance of ex-CIA leader John Brennan, denying the u.s. president’s critic of any get right of entry to to sensitive data.

    White House press secretary Sarah Sanders announced the decision by means of studying an announcement from Mr Trump.

    The commentary brought up Mr Brennan’s “erratic conduct and behavior”.

    Mr Brennan said Mr Trump’s performance at a briefing after July’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin used to be “nothing in need of treasonous”.

    Trump aspects with Russia against FBI at Helsinki summit Trump Russia affair: Key questions responded

    Last yr, Mr Brennan mentioned an investigation into possible collusion between Trump marketing campaign officials and Russia all over the united states presidential elections in 2016 used to be “well-founded”.

    Image copyright Getty Pictures Symbol caption President Trump is reviewing get right of entry to to classified knowledge to a couple of other former top-rating US officials

    “Historically, former heads of intelligence and regulation enforcement businesses were allowed to preserve get entry to to labeled knowledge after their executive carrier in order that they can consult with their successors, regarding matters about which they will have different insights and as a professional courtesy.

    “Neither of those justifications supports Mr Brennan’s persisted get entry to to labeled information.”

    The commentary added that Mr Trump was also reviewing get right of entry to to categorised information for former FBI leader James Comey, who he fired closing 12 months, former director of national intelligence James Clapper, former Nationwide Safety Agency director Michael Hayden and former lawyer normal Sally Yates, amongst others.

    What have they stated?

    John Brennan: He has defined Mr Trump’s performance at a joint information conference with President Putin in Helsinki, Finland, as “nothing wanting treasonous”.

    James Comey: He has known as the president “morally not worthy” to guide. His memoir, The Next Loyalty, likened Mr Trump to a mob boss.

    Six explosive new claims via James Comey

    James Clapper: He has stated the Watergate scandal “pales compared” to the Russia collusion inquiry dogging the Trump presidency.

    Michael Hayden: In a unadorned jab at the Trump administration, the former NSA director tweeted a photo in June of a Nazi dying camp with the caption: “Other governments have separated mothers and youngsters.”