FBI chief Comey rejects Trump's claim

Risingbd Desk: FBI director James Comey has rejected Donald Trump's claim that his predecessor, Barack Obama, ordered a wiretap of his phone before he was elected US president, US media say.

Mr Comey reportedly asked the US justice department to publicly reject Saturday's allegation, according to the New York Times and NBC.

He is said to have asked for the correction because it falsely insinuates that the FBI broke the law.

The department has not commented.US media quoted officials as saying that Mr Comey believed there was no evidence to support Mr Trump's allegation.

From an FBI director this is a startling rebuke of a sitting president and he will be under pressure from Democrats to voice it publicly, the BBC's Nick Bryant reports from Washington.


The Republican president, who faces intense scrutiny over alleged Russian interference in support of his presidential bid, has offered no evidence to support his allegation that phones at Trump Tower were tapped last year.

The New York Times and NBC reports came as the White House called on Congress to investigate whether the Obama administration had abused its powers.

Both Congress and the FBI are currently investigating contacts between the Trump election campaign and Russian officials, after US intelligence agencies assessed that Russia had interfered with the election to help Mr Trump win against his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton.

Source: Agencies



risingbd/March 6, 2017/Mukul