Sunday, July 22, 2018
Rubio on Trump's messaging on Russian meddling: "Not a good moment for the administration" - CBS News
By EMILY TILLETT CBS NEWS July 22, 2018, 8:46 AM
Rubio on Trump's messaging on Russian meddling: "Not a good moment for the administration"
Sen. Marco Rubio appears on "Face the Nation" on July 22, 2018. CBS NEWS
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Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, says that the White House's mixed messages on Russian interference in U.S. elections was "not a good moment for the administration." Rubio's comments come after President Trump attempted to clarify his message from his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, Finland last week, insisting he did in fact support the findings of the intelligence community.
"I'm glad [Trump] said what he said, because it left the impression that somehow we were siding with Putin versus our intelligence agencies," Rubio said on "Face the Nation" Sunday. "We can't go back and change what happened. As I said, it was not a good moment, but it was what it was. We need to move forward from that with good public policy and part of that is, I think, standing with our intelligence community."
Rubio on family separation: "We don't have the capacity to hold families together"
Transcript: Sen. Marco Rubio on "Face the Nation," July 22, 2018
Mr. Trump said following the summit that he had meant to say "wouldn't" instead of "would" during a press conference with Putin in which he cast doubt on the intelligence community's assessment of Russian interference.
"Hopefully something like that never happens again, but I think it's important though to focus on the policy, which ultimately is what matters," Rubio said. "The rhetoric can undermine policy and influence policy, but I don't think we've reached that point here with this."
Face The Nation
✔
@FaceTheNation
@marcorubio on the Helsinki Summit: It was not a good moment, but it was what it was. We need to move forward from that with good public policy. And- and part of that is, I think, standing with our intelligence community.
11:21 PM - Jul 22, 2018
Rubio, who sits on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said that the administration and Congress now needs to focus on "deterring future attacks" by bad actors like Russia. He said despite the president's mixed messages, the intelligence community's findings that Russia meddled in the election is "100 percent accurate."
"The Russians interfered in our election. Not only that, but I believe they'll do so again in the future," he added. "I've been warning consistently that I believe they'll do this again. I think they've learned from 2016 methods, and different tactics that I believe they'll utilize again, whether it's in '18, '20 or '22, but they'll do it again and they'll be better at it."
The White House said on Thursday that Mr. Trump might once again meet with Putin, this time extending an invitation to meet in the fall. Rubio said he didn't have a "problem" with Mr. Trump meeting with Putin, saying it was "important" for the U.S. and Russia to speak to one another. He cautioned, however, that any conversation the U.S. has with Putin is the person who he "really is."
"It's only productive if we understand who he is and what he wants," said Rubio.
Exclusive: Accused Russian agent Butina met with U.S. Treasury, Fed officials - Reuters
JULY 22, 2018
Exclusive: Accused Russian agent Butina met with U.S. Treasury, Fed officials
Sarah N. Lynch
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Accused Russian agent Maria Butina had wider high-level contacts in Washington than previously known, taking part in 2015 meetings between a visiting Russian official and two senior officials at the U.S. Federal Reserve and Treasury Department.
The meetings, revealed by several people familiar with the sessions and a report from a Washington think tank that arranged them, involved Stanley Fischer, Fed vice chairman at the time, and Nathan Sheets, then Treasury undersecretary for international affairs.
Butina traveled to the United States in April 2015 with Alexander Torshin, then the Russian Central Bank deputy governor, and they took part in separate meetings with Fischer and Sheets to discuss U.S.-Russian economic relations during Democratic former President Barack Obama’s administration.
The two meetings, which have not been previously reported, reveal a wider circle of high-powered connections that Butina sought to cultivate with American political leaders and special interest groups.
The meetings with Fischer and Sheets were arranged by the Center for the National Interest, a Washington foreign policy think tank that often advocates pro-Russia views.
The meetings were documented in a Center for the National Interest report seen by Reuters that outlined its Russia-related activities from 2013 to 2015. The report described the meetings as helping bring together “leading figures from the financial institutions of the United States and Russia.”
A judge on Wednesday ordered Butina, 29, jailed until her trial after U.S. prosecutors argued she has ties to Russian intelligence and could flee the United States. Butina has pleaded not guilty to charges she acted as a foreign agent for Russia.
Butina worked for Torshin, who has close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, and served as his interpreter at various Washington events.
Fischer, an in email to Reuters, confirmed he met with Torshin and his interpreter. While he could not recall details, Fischer said the conversation involved “the state of the Russian economy” and Torshin’s new role as deputy central bank governor.
Another person familiar with the meeting, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it occurred on April 7, 2015, and confirmed Butina attended.
Federal prosecutors have accused Butina of conspiring with two American citizens and a top Russian official to influence U.S. policy toward Russia and infiltrate a gun rights group believed to be the National Rifle Association. The NRA is an influential pro-gun lobby with close ties to Republican politicians including President Donald Trump.
Questions relating to Russia have cast a cloud over Trump’s presidency.
‘ADVANCE THE INTERESTS’
The description of the top Russian official mentioned in the indictment matches Torshin. The indictment said that beginning in about 2015 Butina and the official conspired to “advance the interests of the Russian Federation.”
“I recall Mr. Torshin mentioning, as an aside, that he planned to attend a meeting of the National Rifle Association, a fact that I considered irrelevant to our conversation,” Fischer wrote to Reuters.
Sheets declined to comment through Ted Smith, a spokesman for asset management firm PGIM, where Sheets currently works.
Fischer and Sheets met with many international banking officials as part of their official duties.
The Treasury Department in April imposed sanctions on Torshin and a number of other Russian businessmen and government officials in Putin’s inner circle.
The think tank hosted Trump at an event at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington in April 2016 also attended by Sergei Kislyak, Russia’s ambassador to Washington at the time. Two months earlier, the group’s Russian-born CEO, Dimitri Simes, traveled to Moscow, where he met with Putin and other Russian officials, the organization’s records showed.
The April visit came about a year after Obama’s administration imposed sanctions on Russia for its annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea region.
During the same trip, Torshin and Butina also participated in a private “off the record” discussion at the center about the “Russian financial situation and its impact on Russian politics,” according to people familiar with the meeting and the think tank’s report. That event was moderated by the group’s chairman emeritus, former AIG CEO Maurice “Hank” Greenberg, the report showed. Greenberg did not return calls for comment.
Among the think tank’s board members is David Keene, a former NRA president and former chairman of the American Conservative Union. Keene has previously been photographed alongside Butina at events.
Paul Saunders, the think tank’s executive director, said Torshin spoke at an April 2015 event about the Russian banking system and Butina attended. Saunders said people at the organization cannot recall details of Torshin’s presentation.
“We were unaware of any charges or suspicions of illegal or inappropriate conduct or of any connections to Russian intelligence services,” Saunders said in an email.
Prosecutors said the think tank’s magazine published an article by Butina in June 2015 in which she said “certain U.S. politicians and Russians share many common interests.”
Randy Weber, a Republican U.S. congressman from Texas, also met with Torshin during the April trip, according to the think tank’s documents. A spokeswoman for Weber did not respond to multiple calls or emails seeking comment.
Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Damon Darlin and Will Dunham
Exclusive: Accused Russian agent Butina met with U.S. Treasury, Fed officials
Sarah N. Lynch
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Accused Russian agent Maria Butina had wider high-level contacts in Washington than previously known, taking part in 2015 meetings between a visiting Russian official and two senior officials at the U.S. Federal Reserve and Treasury Department.
The meetings, revealed by several people familiar with the sessions and a report from a Washington think tank that arranged them, involved Stanley Fischer, Fed vice chairman at the time, and Nathan Sheets, then Treasury undersecretary for international affairs.
Butina traveled to the United States in April 2015 with Alexander Torshin, then the Russian Central Bank deputy governor, and they took part in separate meetings with Fischer and Sheets to discuss U.S.-Russian economic relations during Democratic former President Barack Obama’s administration.
The two meetings, which have not been previously reported, reveal a wider circle of high-powered connections that Butina sought to cultivate with American political leaders and special interest groups.
The meetings with Fischer and Sheets were arranged by the Center for the National Interest, a Washington foreign policy think tank that often advocates pro-Russia views.
The meetings were documented in a Center for the National Interest report seen by Reuters that outlined its Russia-related activities from 2013 to 2015. The report described the meetings as helping bring together “leading figures from the financial institutions of the United States and Russia.”
A judge on Wednesday ordered Butina, 29, jailed until her trial after U.S. prosecutors argued she has ties to Russian intelligence and could flee the United States. Butina has pleaded not guilty to charges she acted as a foreign agent for Russia.
Butina worked for Torshin, who has close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, and served as his interpreter at various Washington events.
Fischer, an in email to Reuters, confirmed he met with Torshin and his interpreter. While he could not recall details, Fischer said the conversation involved “the state of the Russian economy” and Torshin’s new role as deputy central bank governor.
Another person familiar with the meeting, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it occurred on April 7, 2015, and confirmed Butina attended.
Federal prosecutors have accused Butina of conspiring with two American citizens and a top Russian official to influence U.S. policy toward Russia and infiltrate a gun rights group believed to be the National Rifle Association. The NRA is an influential pro-gun lobby with close ties to Republican politicians including President Donald Trump.
Questions relating to Russia have cast a cloud over Trump’s presidency.
‘ADVANCE THE INTERESTS’
The description of the top Russian official mentioned in the indictment matches Torshin. The indictment said that beginning in about 2015 Butina and the official conspired to “advance the interests of the Russian Federation.”
“I recall Mr. Torshin mentioning, as an aside, that he planned to attend a meeting of the National Rifle Association, a fact that I considered irrelevant to our conversation,” Fischer wrote to Reuters.
Sheets declined to comment through Ted Smith, a spokesman for asset management firm PGIM, where Sheets currently works.
Fischer and Sheets met with many international banking officials as part of their official duties.
The Treasury Department in April imposed sanctions on Torshin and a number of other Russian businessmen and government officials in Putin’s inner circle.
The think tank hosted Trump at an event at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington in April 2016 also attended by Sergei Kislyak, Russia’s ambassador to Washington at the time. Two months earlier, the group’s Russian-born CEO, Dimitri Simes, traveled to Moscow, where he met with Putin and other Russian officials, the organization’s records showed.
The April visit came about a year after Obama’s administration imposed sanctions on Russia for its annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea region.
During the same trip, Torshin and Butina also participated in a private “off the record” discussion at the center about the “Russian financial situation and its impact on Russian politics,” according to people familiar with the meeting and the think tank’s report. That event was moderated by the group’s chairman emeritus, former AIG CEO Maurice “Hank” Greenberg, the report showed. Greenberg did not return calls for comment.
Among the think tank’s board members is David Keene, a former NRA president and former chairman of the American Conservative Union. Keene has previously been photographed alongside Butina at events.
Paul Saunders, the think tank’s executive director, said Torshin spoke at an April 2015 event about the Russian banking system and Butina attended. Saunders said people at the organization cannot recall details of Torshin’s presentation.
“We were unaware of any charges or suspicions of illegal or inappropriate conduct or of any connections to Russian intelligence services,” Saunders said in an email.
Prosecutors said the think tank’s magazine published an article by Butina in June 2015 in which she said “certain U.S. politicians and Russians share many common interests.”
Randy Weber, a Republican U.S. congressman from Texas, also met with Torshin during the April trip, according to the think tank’s documents. A spokeswoman for Weber did not respond to multiple calls or emails seeking comment.
Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Damon Darlin and Will Dunham
Donald Trump seems to have only just worked out that The Apprentice was about apprenticeships - Independent
Donald Trump seems to have only just worked out that The Apprentice was about apprenticeships
Posted about 5 hours ago by Lowenna Waters in news
UPVOTE
Just when you thought the whole Donald Trump presidency couldn't get more farcical, it does.
Now, it appears that Trump didn't know that The Apprentice was about apprenticeships until July 19, 2018 - despite presenting the competitive business television show for 14 series.
Speaking to a crowd at a White House event called 'Pledge to America's Workers', Trump read out a line in the prepared text that included the word 'apprenticeships'.
Then, he went off on a tangent about his old television show:
That’s an interesting word for me to be saying, right?
The Apprentice. I never actually put that together until just now.
The 'stable genius' then turned to his daughter, Ivanka, and said:
Isn’t that strange, Ivanka, I never associated, but here we are.
Right...
Channel 4 News
✔
@Channel4News
14 years ago, @realDonaldTrump began presenting 'The Apprentice'.
Yesterday, he finally realised the connection with the word apprenticeship.
12:54 AM - Jul 21, 2018
Some on Twitter pointed out that this isn't Trump's first 'stupid' thing he's said.
claudia chesler
@claudiabeth
Replying to @evrbeautiful and 2 others
The Apprentice/Apprenticeship thing is absolutely inexplicable. But I can help with some of the others. “I didn’t know Lincoln was a Republican.” “I didn’t know healthcare could be so complicated.” He’s so solipsistic - he thinks that if he doesn’t know something, no one does.
4:44 AM - Jul 21, 2018
Others got stuck in with some serious memes.
Tom 🚂🏰🦖🦕
@TomSingleton4
Replying to @Channel4News @realDonaldTrump
3:51 AM - Jul 21, 2018 · Bridgwater, England
Others got involved with the would / wouldn't comparisons.
𝕓𝕠𝕓...
@station6
Replying to @Channel4News @realDonaldTrump
Trump tomorrow: I meant to say I never actually didn't just never put that together. Ever.
1:05 AM - Jul 21, 2018
Others found it scary that this man is leader of the Free World
Mike Ramsay
@EmmZedRamsay
Replying to @Channel4News @realDonaldTrump
That is a frankly scary admission and lack of worldliness for a guy charged with making pivotal, world-altering decisions
1:01 AM - Jul 21, 2018
Some were pretty taken aback.
Millennial Falcon
@andyphilipson
Replying to @Channel4News @realDonaldTrump
Wait. So Trump did not understand that an apprentice is someone who participates in an apprenticeship. Until just now?
3:59 AM - Jul 21, 2018 · Whitley Bay, England
And some had a 'head in hands' moment.
Maureen
@ViewFromEngland
Replying to @Channel4News @realDonaldTrump
Wow. 😮🤦♀️
10:33 PM - Jul 21, 2018
See Maureen's other Tweets
Whatever your take, this probably isn't the first or last time we'll see Trump making some pretty groundbreaking observations.
Posted about 5 hours ago by Lowenna Waters in news
UPVOTE
Just when you thought the whole Donald Trump presidency couldn't get more farcical, it does.
Now, it appears that Trump didn't know that The Apprentice was about apprenticeships until July 19, 2018 - despite presenting the competitive business television show for 14 series.
Speaking to a crowd at a White House event called 'Pledge to America's Workers', Trump read out a line in the prepared text that included the word 'apprenticeships'.
Then, he went off on a tangent about his old television show:
That’s an interesting word for me to be saying, right?
The Apprentice. I never actually put that together until just now.
The 'stable genius' then turned to his daughter, Ivanka, and said:
Isn’t that strange, Ivanka, I never associated, but here we are.
Right...
Channel 4 News
✔
@Channel4News
14 years ago, @realDonaldTrump began presenting 'The Apprentice'.
Yesterday, he finally realised the connection with the word apprenticeship.
12:54 AM - Jul 21, 2018
Some on Twitter pointed out that this isn't Trump's first 'stupid' thing he's said.
claudia chesler
@claudiabeth
Replying to @evrbeautiful and 2 others
The Apprentice/Apprenticeship thing is absolutely inexplicable. But I can help with some of the others. “I didn’t know Lincoln was a Republican.” “I didn’t know healthcare could be so complicated.” He’s so solipsistic - he thinks that if he doesn’t know something, no one does.
4:44 AM - Jul 21, 2018
Others got stuck in with some serious memes.
Tom 🚂🏰🦖🦕
@TomSingleton4
Replying to @Channel4News @realDonaldTrump
3:51 AM - Jul 21, 2018 · Bridgwater, England
Others got involved with the would / wouldn't comparisons.
𝕓𝕠𝕓...
@station6
Replying to @Channel4News @realDonaldTrump
Trump tomorrow: I meant to say I never actually didn't just never put that together. Ever.
1:05 AM - Jul 21, 2018
Others found it scary that this man is leader of the Free World
Mike Ramsay
@EmmZedRamsay
Replying to @Channel4News @realDonaldTrump
That is a frankly scary admission and lack of worldliness for a guy charged with making pivotal, world-altering decisions
1:01 AM - Jul 21, 2018
Some were pretty taken aback.
Millennial Falcon
@andyphilipson
Replying to @Channel4News @realDonaldTrump
Wait. So Trump did not understand that an apprentice is someone who participates in an apprenticeship. Until just now?
3:59 AM - Jul 21, 2018 · Whitley Bay, England
And some had a 'head in hands' moment.
Maureen
@ViewFromEngland
Replying to @Channel4News @realDonaldTrump
Wow. 😮🤦♀️
10:33 PM - Jul 21, 2018
See Maureen's other Tweets
Whatever your take, this probably isn't the first or last time we'll see Trump making some pretty groundbreaking observations.
FBI releases Carter Page surveillance warrant documents - Reuters
FBI releases Carter Page surveillance warrant documents
Jeremy HerbCNN Digital Rebranding 2015 David Shortell Photo: Jeremy Freeman
By Jeremy Herb and David Shortell, CNN
Updated 1318 GMT (2118 HKT) July 22, 2018
Cuomo to Page: Why do interviews?
Page: Russians had a sense of optimism on US relations
Carter Page confirms he told Sessions about his trip to Russia
Page: I'm a victim of civil rights violations
Carter Page: Washington Post report a joke
Report: FISA warrant obtained for Carter Page
A screen grab of ex-Trump adviser Carter Page on CNN's The Lead.
Page: WikiLeaks didn't hurt Clinton as much
Page: I've never been an agent of a foreign power
A screen grab of ex-Trump adviser Carter Page on CNN's The Lead.
Who is Carter Page?
Carter Page
Page: US interfered more in elections than Russians
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 02: Carter Page, former foreign policy adviser for the Trump campaign, speaks to the media after testifying before the House Intelligence Committee on November 2, 2017 in Washington, DC. The committee conducting an investigation into Russia's tampering in the 2016 election. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
Ex-Trump adviser grilled over Kremlin ties
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 02: Carter Page, former foreign policy adviser for the Trump campaign, speaks to the media after testifying before the House Intelligence Committee on November 2, 2017 in Washington, DC. The committee conducting an investigation into Russia's tampering in the 2016 election. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
Schiff: Just part of dossier used for Page warrant
Carter Page, a foreign policy adviser to Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, speaks with reporters following a day of questions from the House Intelligence Committee, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Nov. 2, 2017. (AP/J. Scott Applewhite)
Page raised idea of Trump going to Russia
Carter Page explains why he won't turn over docs
Cuomo to Page: Why do interviews?
Page: Russians had a sense of optimism on US relations
Carter Page confirms he told Sessions about his trip to Russia
Page: I'm a victim of civil rights violations
Carter Page: Washington Post report a joke
Report: FISA warrant obtained for Carter Page
A screen grab of ex-Trump adviser Carter Page on CNN's The Lead.
Page: WikiLeaks didn't hurt Clinton as much
Page: I've never been an agent of a foreign power
A screen grab of ex-Trump adviser Carter Page on CNN's The Lead.
Who is Carter Page?
Carter Page
Page: US interfered more in elections than Russians
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 02: Carter Page, former foreign policy adviser for the Trump campaign, speaks to the media after testifying before the House Intelligence Committee on November 2, 2017 in Washington, DC. The committee conducting an investigation into Russia's tampering in the 2016 election. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
Ex-Trump adviser grilled over Kremlin ties
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 02: Carter Page, former foreign policy adviser for the Trump campaign, speaks to the media after testifying before the House Intelligence Committee on November 2, 2017 in Washington, DC. The committee conducting an investigation into Russia's tampering in the 2016 election. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
Schiff: Just part of dossier used for Page warrant
Carter Page, a foreign policy adviser to Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, speaks with reporters following a day of questions from the House Intelligence Committee, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Nov. 2, 2017. (AP/J. Scott Applewhite)
Page raised idea of Trump going to Russia
Carter Page explains why he won't turn over docs
(CNN)The FBI on Saturday released a redacted version of its previously classified foreign surveillance warrant application on Trump campaign foreign policy adviser Carter Page, which has been the subject of a heated partisan debate over the FBI's tactics investigating members of the Trump campaign.
The FBI released the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrant application after news organizations and advocacy groups like Judicial Watch sued for its disclosure.
The warrant, which was approved for Page in 2016, allowed the FBI to conduct surveillance on Page. It's been one of the key moves that Republicans have charged is evidence of a pattern of abuse by the Justice Department and the FBI targeting the Trump campaign.
The release itself is significant as it marks the first public disclosure of a highly sensitive FISA request. Information included in the request had been largely reported through two declassified memos released separately by Republicans and Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee, but Saturday's disclosure puts the FBI's own argument in black and white for the first time.
The more than 400-page document released Saturday, which includes the initial October 2016 FISA warrant on Page and three subsequent renewals, is heavily redacted.
It states that the FBI "believes Page has been the subject of targeted recruitment by the Russian government."
"The FBI believes that Page has been collaborating and conspiring with the Russian government," the application states, adding that "there is probable cause that such activities involve or are about to involve violations of the criminal statutes of the United States."
The application says that a significant purpose of the request is to "collect foreign intelligence information as part of the FBI's investigation of this target."
It does have some information about Page's activities, which included a July 2016 trip to Russia in which Page was accused in the opposition research dossier of having met with a top Russian energy official, something Page denies.
The application notes that Page sent a letter to then-FBI Director James Comey to deny the accusation two days after a news story came out stating that Page was under investigation.
Signatures from top FBI and Justice Department officials, including Comey, and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appear on each of the four applications.
Page has denied that he ever cut any political deals with the Kremlin.
The FISA warrant that was issued and renewed multiple times for Page was the subject of the memo written by House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes that charged the FBI abused its surveillance powers.
Conservative critics of special counsel Robert Mueller have argued that the FISA warrant is tainted — based on the opposition research dossier on Trump and Russia that was paid for by Democrats — and that because the FISA warrant helped launch the FBI investigation into Trump and Russia, the whole investigation is tainted.
Democrats, however, say that the FISA warrant on Page was justified because of his contacts with Russia, and they argue that the FBI and Justice Department followed proper procedure in seeking and getting the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to approve the warrant.
In a statement Saturday, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Adam Schiff, said the applications "underscore the legitimate concern FBI had about Page's activities as it was investigating Russia's interference."
"These documents affirm that our nation faced a profound counterintelligence threat prior to the 2016 election, and the Department of Justice and FBI took appropriate steps to investigate whether any U.S. persons were acting as an agent of a foreign power," Schiff said.
The dispute over Page's FISA warrant has been previously fought in the form of dueling memos that Nunes and Schiff issued earlier this year.
Nunes' memo, which was cited by President Donald Trump in his attacks on the Mueller investigation, alleges that the author of the dossier, ex-British intelligence agent Christopher Steele, harbored anti-Trump motivations that were not disclosed in the FISA application.
Worse, the memo alleges, the FISA court was not told that Steele's dossier was funded through a law firm by the Democratic National Committee and the Hillary Clinton campaign.
Democrats responded with their own memo, which argued that the FBI's interest in Page predated the FBI's knowledge of the Steele dossier. It also argues that it was not the dossier and the Page FISA warrant that prompted the FBI's counterintelligence investigation into Russia, but rather an earlier conversation that former Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos had with an Australian diplomat about alleged Russian dirt on Clinton.
The material in a FISA warrant is considered highly classified, and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court proceedings are also conducted in secret.
But after Nunes issued a subpoena to gain access to the documents, he used a House procedure to make public classified materials, so long as the White House did not object.
The release of some information related to the Page FISA document in both the Republican and Democratic memos led to lawsuits from groups like Judicial Watch seeking more information from the Page FISA warrant.
Jeremy HerbCNN Digital Rebranding 2015 David Shortell Photo: Jeremy Freeman
By Jeremy Herb and David Shortell, CNN
Updated 1318 GMT (2118 HKT) July 22, 2018
Cuomo to Page: Why do interviews?
Page: Russians had a sense of optimism on US relations
Carter Page confirms he told Sessions about his trip to Russia
Page: I'm a victim of civil rights violations
Carter Page: Washington Post report a joke
Report: FISA warrant obtained for Carter Page
A screen grab of ex-Trump adviser Carter Page on CNN's The Lead.
Page: WikiLeaks didn't hurt Clinton as much
Page: I've never been an agent of a foreign power
A screen grab of ex-Trump adviser Carter Page on CNN's The Lead.
Who is Carter Page?
Carter Page
Page: US interfered more in elections than Russians
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 02: Carter Page, former foreign policy adviser for the Trump campaign, speaks to the media after testifying before the House Intelligence Committee on November 2, 2017 in Washington, DC. The committee conducting an investigation into Russia's tampering in the 2016 election. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
Ex-Trump adviser grilled over Kremlin ties
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 02: Carter Page, former foreign policy adviser for the Trump campaign, speaks to the media after testifying before the House Intelligence Committee on November 2, 2017 in Washington, DC. The committee conducting an investigation into Russia's tampering in the 2016 election. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
Schiff: Just part of dossier used for Page warrant
Carter Page, a foreign policy adviser to Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, speaks with reporters following a day of questions from the House Intelligence Committee, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Nov. 2, 2017. (AP/J. Scott Applewhite)
Page raised idea of Trump going to Russia
Carter Page explains why he won't turn over docs
Cuomo to Page: Why do interviews?
Page: Russians had a sense of optimism on US relations
Carter Page confirms he told Sessions about his trip to Russia
Page: I'm a victim of civil rights violations
Carter Page: Washington Post report a joke
Report: FISA warrant obtained for Carter Page
A screen grab of ex-Trump adviser Carter Page on CNN's The Lead.
Page: WikiLeaks didn't hurt Clinton as much
Page: I've never been an agent of a foreign power
A screen grab of ex-Trump adviser Carter Page on CNN's The Lead.
Who is Carter Page?
Carter Page
Page: US interfered more in elections than Russians
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 02: Carter Page, former foreign policy adviser for the Trump campaign, speaks to the media after testifying before the House Intelligence Committee on November 2, 2017 in Washington, DC. The committee conducting an investigation into Russia's tampering in the 2016 election. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
Ex-Trump adviser grilled over Kremlin ties
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 02: Carter Page, former foreign policy adviser for the Trump campaign, speaks to the media after testifying before the House Intelligence Committee on November 2, 2017 in Washington, DC. The committee conducting an investigation into Russia's tampering in the 2016 election. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
Schiff: Just part of dossier used for Page warrant
Carter Page, a foreign policy adviser to Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, speaks with reporters following a day of questions from the House Intelligence Committee, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Nov. 2, 2017. (AP/J. Scott Applewhite)
Page raised idea of Trump going to Russia
Carter Page explains why he won't turn over docs
(CNN)The FBI on Saturday released a redacted version of its previously classified foreign surveillance warrant application on Trump campaign foreign policy adviser Carter Page, which has been the subject of a heated partisan debate over the FBI's tactics investigating members of the Trump campaign.
The FBI released the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrant application after news organizations and advocacy groups like Judicial Watch sued for its disclosure.
The warrant, which was approved for Page in 2016, allowed the FBI to conduct surveillance on Page. It's been one of the key moves that Republicans have charged is evidence of a pattern of abuse by the Justice Department and the FBI targeting the Trump campaign.
The release itself is significant as it marks the first public disclosure of a highly sensitive FISA request. Information included in the request had been largely reported through two declassified memos released separately by Republicans and Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee, but Saturday's disclosure puts the FBI's own argument in black and white for the first time.
The more than 400-page document released Saturday, which includes the initial October 2016 FISA warrant on Page and three subsequent renewals, is heavily redacted.
It states that the FBI "believes Page has been the subject of targeted recruitment by the Russian government."
"The FBI believes that Page has been collaborating and conspiring with the Russian government," the application states, adding that "there is probable cause that such activities involve or are about to involve violations of the criminal statutes of the United States."
The application says that a significant purpose of the request is to "collect foreign intelligence information as part of the FBI's investigation of this target."
It does have some information about Page's activities, which included a July 2016 trip to Russia in which Page was accused in the opposition research dossier of having met with a top Russian energy official, something Page denies.
The application notes that Page sent a letter to then-FBI Director James Comey to deny the accusation two days after a news story came out stating that Page was under investigation.
Signatures from top FBI and Justice Department officials, including Comey, and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appear on each of the four applications.
Page has denied that he ever cut any political deals with the Kremlin.
The FISA warrant that was issued and renewed multiple times for Page was the subject of the memo written by House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes that charged the FBI abused its surveillance powers.
Conservative critics of special counsel Robert Mueller have argued that the FISA warrant is tainted — based on the opposition research dossier on Trump and Russia that was paid for by Democrats — and that because the FISA warrant helped launch the FBI investigation into Trump and Russia, the whole investigation is tainted.
Democrats, however, say that the FISA warrant on Page was justified because of his contacts with Russia, and they argue that the FBI and Justice Department followed proper procedure in seeking and getting the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to approve the warrant.
In a statement Saturday, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Adam Schiff, said the applications "underscore the legitimate concern FBI had about Page's activities as it was investigating Russia's interference."
"These documents affirm that our nation faced a profound counterintelligence threat prior to the 2016 election, and the Department of Justice and FBI took appropriate steps to investigate whether any U.S. persons were acting as an agent of a foreign power," Schiff said.
The dispute over Page's FISA warrant has been previously fought in the form of dueling memos that Nunes and Schiff issued earlier this year.
Nunes' memo, which was cited by President Donald Trump in his attacks on the Mueller investigation, alleges that the author of the dossier, ex-British intelligence agent Christopher Steele, harbored anti-Trump motivations that were not disclosed in the FISA application.
Worse, the memo alleges, the FISA court was not told that Steele's dossier was funded through a law firm by the Democratic National Committee and the Hillary Clinton campaign.
Democrats responded with their own memo, which argued that the FBI's interest in Page predated the FBI's knowledge of the Steele dossier. It also argues that it was not the dossier and the Page FISA warrant that prompted the FBI's counterintelligence investigation into Russia, but rather an earlier conversation that former Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos had with an Australian diplomat about alleged Russian dirt on Clinton.
The material in a FISA warrant is considered highly classified, and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court proceedings are also conducted in secret.
But after Nunes issued a subpoena to gain access to the documents, he used a House procedure to make public classified materials, so long as the White House did not object.
The release of some information related to the Page FISA document in both the Republican and Democratic memos led to lawsuits from groups like Judicial Watch seeking more information from the Page FISA warrant.
Trump tweets it looks like his campaign spied upon illegally - Reuters
JULY 22, 2018 / 8:51 PM
Trump tweets it looks like his campaign spied upon illegally
Reuters Staff
(Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Twitter on Sunday it was looking more and more like his campaign for the 2016 presidential election had been illegally spied upon.
U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, July 17, 2018. REUTERS/Leah Millis
Trump issued the tweet after saying documents about his former presidential campaign adviser Carter Page confirmed with little doubt that the Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation had misled the courts.
Trump says looking more and more like his campaign spied upon illegally
Trump says looking more and more like his campaign spied upon illegally
The FBI released documents on Saturday related to the surveillance of Page as part of an investigation into whether he conspired with the Russian government to undermine the election.
Page has denied being an agent of the Russian government and has not been charged with any crime.
In his tweets, Trump also took aim at defeated Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton and the Democratic National Committee, her party’s governing body.
“Looking more & more like the Trump Campaign for President was illegally being spied upon (surveillance) for the political gain of Crooked Hillary Clinton and the DNC,” he said, referring to the Democratic National Committee. “Republicans must get tough now. An illegal Scam!”
Referring to the Carter Page documents, he said: “As usual they are ridiculously heavily redacted but confirm with little doubt that the Department of “Justice” and FBI misled the courts. Witch Hunt Rigged, a Scam!”
The 412 pages, mostly heavily redacted, included surveillance applications to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and warrants surrounding the investigation into Page.
“The FBI believes that Page has been collaborating and conspiring with the Russian Government,” the surveillance application filed in October 2016 said. The documents released include applications and renewal warrants filed in 2017 after Trump took office.
The documents released said “the FBI believes that the Russian Government’s efforts are being coordinated with Page and perhaps other individuals associated with” Trump’s campaign. It added Page “has established relationships with Russian Government officials, including Russian intelligence officers.”
Republican lawmakers have contended that the FBI made serious missteps when it sought a warrant to monitor Page in October 2016 shortly after he left the Trump campaign.
Last week, a federal grand jury charged 12 Russian intelligence officers with hacking Democratic computer networks in 2016, in the most detailed U.S. accusation yet that Moscow meddled in the presidential election to help Trump.
Earlier this year, 13 other Russians and three Russian companies were indicted on charges of conspiring to interfere with the election.
Reporting by David Stamp; editing by David Goodman and Jason Neely
Trump tweets it looks like his campaign spied upon illegally
Reuters Staff
(Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Twitter on Sunday it was looking more and more like his campaign for the 2016 presidential election had been illegally spied upon.
U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, July 17, 2018. REUTERS/Leah Millis
Trump issued the tweet after saying documents about his former presidential campaign adviser Carter Page confirmed with little doubt that the Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation had misled the courts.
Trump says looking more and more like his campaign spied upon illegally
Trump says looking more and more like his campaign spied upon illegally
The FBI released documents on Saturday related to the surveillance of Page as part of an investigation into whether he conspired with the Russian government to undermine the election.
Page has denied being an agent of the Russian government and has not been charged with any crime.
In his tweets, Trump also took aim at defeated Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton and the Democratic National Committee, her party’s governing body.
“Looking more & more like the Trump Campaign for President was illegally being spied upon (surveillance) for the political gain of Crooked Hillary Clinton and the DNC,” he said, referring to the Democratic National Committee. “Republicans must get tough now. An illegal Scam!”
Referring to the Carter Page documents, he said: “As usual they are ridiculously heavily redacted but confirm with little doubt that the Department of “Justice” and FBI misled the courts. Witch Hunt Rigged, a Scam!”
The 412 pages, mostly heavily redacted, included surveillance applications to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and warrants surrounding the investigation into Page.
“The FBI believes that Page has been collaborating and conspiring with the Russian Government,” the surveillance application filed in October 2016 said. The documents released include applications and renewal warrants filed in 2017 after Trump took office.
The documents released said “the FBI believes that the Russian Government’s efforts are being coordinated with Page and perhaps other individuals associated with” Trump’s campaign. It added Page “has established relationships with Russian Government officials, including Russian intelligence officers.”
Republican lawmakers have contended that the FBI made serious missteps when it sought a warrant to monitor Page in October 2016 shortly after he left the Trump campaign.
Last week, a federal grand jury charged 12 Russian intelligence officers with hacking Democratic computer networks in 2016, in the most detailed U.S. accusation yet that Moscow meddled in the presidential election to help Trump.
Earlier this year, 13 other Russians and three Russian companies were indicted on charges of conspiring to interfere with the election.
Reporting by David Stamp; editing by David Goodman and Jason Neely
Trump-Putin: Top US spy retracts 'awkward response' - BBC News
July 22, 2018
Trump-Putin: Top US spy retracts 'awkward response'
Dan Coats has downplayed his "awkward response" to news of a second Trump-Putin summit
The head of US intelligence has said that he did not mean to disrespect President Donald Trump with his "awkward response" on hearing the news that he had invited Russian leader Vladimir Putin to visit Washington.
Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats had laughed in surprise, saying, "That's going to be special".
The invitation came after Mr Trump's first summit with Mr Putin in Finland.
Mr Coats has previously said Russia has attempted to undermine US democracy.
Will Helsinki change the course of Trump's presidency?
Helsinki aftershocks jolt US security elite
Trump-Putin: Your toolkit to help understand the story
The intelligence chief was speaking at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado on Thursday when news of a possible second Trump-Putin summit later this year broke. He asked his interviewer, "Say that again, did I hear you?"
Then following surprised laughter, Mr Coats said: "Okay, that's going to be special."
Mr Coats downplayed his public reaction two days later in a statement, saying: "Some press coverage has mischaracterised my intentions in responding to breaking news presented to me during a live interview."
"My admittedly awkward response was in no way meant to be disrespectful or criticise the actions of the President," he said on Saturday.
Dan Coats reacts to Putin visit news: 'That's going to be special...'
He went on to say that he and the intelligence community were committed to supporting President Trump's "ongoing efforts to prevent Russian meddling in our upcoming elections".
The White House, which has not commented on the statement, was reportedly furious about Mr Coats' initial remarks, with one senior official telling the Washington Post, "Coats has gone rogue".
Mr Trump has drawn strong criticism from both Republicans and Democrats over his initial reluctance to blame Russia for alleged meddling in the 2016 US elections that he won.
Confusion followed after his return to the US, where he has since said that he misspoke at a joint news conference in Helsinki with Mr Putin and does hold the Russian leader personally responsible.
Trump-Putin: Top US spy retracts 'awkward response'
Dan Coats has downplayed his "awkward response" to news of a second Trump-Putin summit
The head of US intelligence has said that he did not mean to disrespect President Donald Trump with his "awkward response" on hearing the news that he had invited Russian leader Vladimir Putin to visit Washington.
Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats had laughed in surprise, saying, "That's going to be special".
The invitation came after Mr Trump's first summit with Mr Putin in Finland.
Mr Coats has previously said Russia has attempted to undermine US democracy.
Will Helsinki change the course of Trump's presidency?
Helsinki aftershocks jolt US security elite
Trump-Putin: Your toolkit to help understand the story
The intelligence chief was speaking at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado on Thursday when news of a possible second Trump-Putin summit later this year broke. He asked his interviewer, "Say that again, did I hear you?"
Then following surprised laughter, Mr Coats said: "Okay, that's going to be special."
Mr Coats downplayed his public reaction two days later in a statement, saying: "Some press coverage has mischaracterised my intentions in responding to breaking news presented to me during a live interview."
"My admittedly awkward response was in no way meant to be disrespectful or criticise the actions of the President," he said on Saturday.
Dan Coats reacts to Putin visit news: 'That's going to be special...'
He went on to say that he and the intelligence community were committed to supporting President Trump's "ongoing efforts to prevent Russian meddling in our upcoming elections".
The White House, which has not commented on the statement, was reportedly furious about Mr Coats' initial remarks, with one senior official telling the Washington Post, "Coats has gone rogue".
Mr Trump has drawn strong criticism from both Republicans and Democrats over his initial reluctance to blame Russia for alleged meddling in the 2016 US elections that he won.
Confusion followed after his return to the US, where he has since said that he misspoke at a joint news conference in Helsinki with Mr Putin and does hold the Russian leader personally responsible.
Syria conflict: White Helmets evacuated by Israel - BBC News
July 22, 2018
Syria conflict: White Helmets evacuated by Israel
Members of the White Helmets operating in Aleppo in northern Syria
Israel says it has carried out an evacuation of members of Syria's White Helmets civil defence group from a war zone in south-western Syria.
Some 422 volunteers and family members were taken to Jordan via the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights overnight.
The UK, one of the nations requesting Israel's help, hailed the operation and will assist with resettlement.
The White Helmets describe themselves as a volunteer workforce that acts to save people in Syria's war zones.
Supporters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and his Russian allies, say the White Helmets support the rebels and also have links to jihadist groups.
The unstoppable momentum of Assad’s war
Why is there a war in Syria?
How did the operation come about?
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said they were acting on a request from the US, the UK and other European nations.
The White Helmets had become trapped in an area of south-western Syria near the border with the Golan Heights after an offensive by the Syrian military.
Syrian rebels in Quneitra destroy supplies before leaving for the north under a deal with the government
The offensive, begun in June, has seen a number of agreements that have led to the evacuation of rebel forces from the Deraa and Quneitra areas to regions further north.
The latest deal for Quneitra was reached on Thursday.
The White Helmets operate only in rebel-held areas, although they say they are non-partisan.
How was it carried out?
The evacuees were driven to the border with the Golan Heights and taken on from there by Israeli troops to Jordan.
The plan had been to evacuate 800 White Helmets and their families, but only 422 made it.
The BBC's Mark Lowen says the others have been hemmed in by the movement of Islamic State fighters into pockets of south-west Syria and, as this was a one-off operation, fears remain for the fate of those left behind.
Those successfully evacuated included about 100 White Helmets, with the rest family members.
What have Israel and Jordan said?
The IDF said they had "completed a humanitarian effort to rescue members of a Syrian civil organisation and their families", saying there was an "immediate threat to their lives".
IDF
✔
@IDFSpokesperson
Replying to @IDFSpokesperson
The civilians were evacuated from the war zone in Southern Syria due to an immediate threat to their lives. The transfer of the displaced Syrians through Israel is an exceptional humanitarian gesture
1:32 PM - Jul 22, 2018
Although Israel is not directly involved in the Syria conflict, the two countries have been in a state of war for decades.
Despite the intervention, the IDF said that "Israel continues to maintain a non-intervention policy regarding the Syrian conflict".
Jordan's government confirmed it had "authorised the United Nations to organise the passage of 800 Syrian citizens through Jordan to be resettled in Western countries".
What happens next?
The White Helmet volunteers and their families will be held in a "restricted area" of Jordan and assessed by the UN, pending resettlement.
Jordan said that "Britain, Germany and Canada made a legally binding undertaking to resettle them within a specified period of time due to 'a risk to their lives'."
The UK confirmed it would help with the resettlement, providing protection to "as many of the volunteers and their families as possible".
A statement from Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt said: "White Helmets have been the target of attacks and, due to their high profile, we judged that, in these particular circumstances, the volunteers required immediate protection.
"We pay tribute to the brave and selfless work that White Helmet volunteers have done to save Syrians on all sides of the conflict."
Jeremy Hunt
✔
@Jeremy_Hunt
Fantastic news that we - UK and friends - have secured evacuation of White Helmets and their families - thank you Israel and Jordan for acting so quickly on our request. The WH are the bravest of the brave and in a desperate situation this is at least one ray of hope
6:17 PM - Jul 22, 2018
Who are the White Helmets?
Their official name is the Syrian Civil Defence and it began in early 2013 as an organisation of volunteers from all walks of life, including electricians and builders.
Its main task soon became to rescue civilians in war zones in the immediate aftermath of air strikes, and it says its volunteers have saved the lives of more than 100,000 people during the civil war.
The White Helmets fight fires and carry out repairs in war zones
Numbering about 3,000 volunteers, they also carry out essential repair works. Some 200 members have been killed.
The White Helmets have gained worldwide praise, were nominated for the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize and were the subject of a Netflix documentary and BBC Panorama programme.
But Syria's government and its ally Russia have accused the group of links to jihadist groups.
President Assad said it used "humanitarian masks and umbrellas just to implement a certain agenda".
The group has been financed by public donations, as well as funding from foreign governments.
Syria conflict: White Helmets evacuated by Israel
Members of the White Helmets operating in Aleppo in northern Syria
Israel says it has carried out an evacuation of members of Syria's White Helmets civil defence group from a war zone in south-western Syria.
Some 422 volunteers and family members were taken to Jordan via the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights overnight.
The UK, one of the nations requesting Israel's help, hailed the operation and will assist with resettlement.
The White Helmets describe themselves as a volunteer workforce that acts to save people in Syria's war zones.
Supporters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and his Russian allies, say the White Helmets support the rebels and also have links to jihadist groups.
The unstoppable momentum of Assad’s war
Why is there a war in Syria?
How did the operation come about?
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said they were acting on a request from the US, the UK and other European nations.
The White Helmets had become trapped in an area of south-western Syria near the border with the Golan Heights after an offensive by the Syrian military.
Syrian rebels in Quneitra destroy supplies before leaving for the north under a deal with the government
The offensive, begun in June, has seen a number of agreements that have led to the evacuation of rebel forces from the Deraa and Quneitra areas to regions further north.
The latest deal for Quneitra was reached on Thursday.
The White Helmets operate only in rebel-held areas, although they say they are non-partisan.
How was it carried out?
The evacuees were driven to the border with the Golan Heights and taken on from there by Israeli troops to Jordan.
The plan had been to evacuate 800 White Helmets and their families, but only 422 made it.
The BBC's Mark Lowen says the others have been hemmed in by the movement of Islamic State fighters into pockets of south-west Syria and, as this was a one-off operation, fears remain for the fate of those left behind.
Those successfully evacuated included about 100 White Helmets, with the rest family members.
What have Israel and Jordan said?
The IDF said they had "completed a humanitarian effort to rescue members of a Syrian civil organisation and their families", saying there was an "immediate threat to their lives".
IDF
✔
@IDFSpokesperson
Replying to @IDFSpokesperson
The civilians were evacuated from the war zone in Southern Syria due to an immediate threat to their lives. The transfer of the displaced Syrians through Israel is an exceptional humanitarian gesture
1:32 PM - Jul 22, 2018
Although Israel is not directly involved in the Syria conflict, the two countries have been in a state of war for decades.
Despite the intervention, the IDF said that "Israel continues to maintain a non-intervention policy regarding the Syrian conflict".
Jordan's government confirmed it had "authorised the United Nations to organise the passage of 800 Syrian citizens through Jordan to be resettled in Western countries".
What happens next?
The White Helmet volunteers and their families will be held in a "restricted area" of Jordan and assessed by the UN, pending resettlement.
Jordan said that "Britain, Germany and Canada made a legally binding undertaking to resettle them within a specified period of time due to 'a risk to their lives'."
The UK confirmed it would help with the resettlement, providing protection to "as many of the volunteers and their families as possible".
A statement from Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt said: "White Helmets have been the target of attacks and, due to their high profile, we judged that, in these particular circumstances, the volunteers required immediate protection.
"We pay tribute to the brave and selfless work that White Helmet volunteers have done to save Syrians on all sides of the conflict."
Jeremy Hunt
✔
@Jeremy_Hunt
Fantastic news that we - UK and friends - have secured evacuation of White Helmets and their families - thank you Israel and Jordan for acting so quickly on our request. The WH are the bravest of the brave and in a desperate situation this is at least one ray of hope
6:17 PM - Jul 22, 2018
Who are the White Helmets?
Their official name is the Syrian Civil Defence and it began in early 2013 as an organisation of volunteers from all walks of life, including electricians and builders.
Its main task soon became to rescue civilians in war zones in the immediate aftermath of air strikes, and it says its volunteers have saved the lives of more than 100,000 people during the civil war.
The White Helmets fight fires and carry out repairs in war zones
Numbering about 3,000 volunteers, they also carry out essential repair works. Some 200 members have been killed.
The White Helmets have gained worldwide praise, were nominated for the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize and were the subject of a Netflix documentary and BBC Panorama programme.
But Syria's government and its ally Russia have accused the group of links to jihadist groups.
President Assad said it used "humanitarian masks and umbrellas just to implement a certain agenda".
The group has been financed by public donations, as well as funding from foreign governments.
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