Former US NSA charged with making false statements

Washington Dec 1 (IANS) US President Donald Trump s former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn was charged on Friday with "wilfully and knowingly" making "false fictitious and fraudulent statements" to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) regarding conversations with Russia s ambassador.

Flynn is the first Trump administration official and the fourth connected to the 2016 US presidential campaign to be charged as part of special counsel Robert Mueller s investigation into possible collusion between the Russian government and members of Trump s team as well as potential obstruction of justice and financial crimes CNN reported.

He was due to appear in court later in the morning an official said. The White House declined to immediately comment.

Trump s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and his deputy Rick Gates were indicted last month. They pleaded not guilty.

Trump s ex-aide George Papadopoulos pleaded guilty for making a false statement to the FBI over contacts with officials connected to the Russian government.

--IANS
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