The Independent :
Russia had “leverages of pressure” over Donald Trump, Israeli intelligence officials were reportedly told earlier this year by their US counterparts.
Members of Mossad, the nation’s foreign espionage agency, and other Israeli intelligence officials, attended a meeting at the CIA headquarters at Langley, Virginia, shortly before Mr Trump’s inauguration on January 20.
There, they were told by a senior US intelligence official he believed Moscow had leverage about the man set to become America’s 45th president, according to Vanity Fair.
While the official did not provide specific details, he reportedly told Israel to “be careful” as it was possible sensitive material could be passed to the Russians. Months later, Mr Trump sparked widespread controversy when he revealed highly classified intelligence information during a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak in Washington.
Earlier this week, Vanity Fair revealed that during that meeting, at which Mr Trump called his sacked FBI Director James Comey a “nut job”, the President told the Russians about extremely sensitive information that revealed details of a covert Israeli operation that exposed Isis’ plans to create new laptop bombs and smuggle them on commercial airliners. US reporters were barred from the meeting and the only images that documented it were taken by Russia’s TASS news agency.
Two experts told the magazine the operation carried out Israeli intelligence took place last winter. In the operation, two helicopters flew a team of commandos and Mossad operatives into Syria to gain information on a reported new Isis weapon. They landed some miles from their target and proceeded in vehicles with Syrian Army markings before bugging the Isis cell and getting back out, the magazine said.
The White House has yet to respond to the latest allegations.
At the time it was revealed that Mr Trump had talked about classified information during the meeting in May, the White House denied the President had done anything wrong.
“I was in the room – it didn’t happen,” said Lt Gen HR McMaster, Mr Trump’s national security adviser.
“At no time – at no time – were intelligence sources or methods discussed, and the president did not disclose any military operations that were not already publicly known.”
Back in January, Israeli intelligence officials were warned by U.S. intelligence agencies they had evidence to suggest that Russia had “leverages of pressure” over President Trump. According to reports, a few select members of Mossad, Israel’s foreign espionage agency, and other Israeli intelligence officials attended a meeting in Langley, Virginia, a short time before Trump’s inauguration. While the meeting started out as ordinary until an American “spymaster” announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin had leverage over Trump.
Israeli intelligence officials were warned in January that American intelligence agencies believed Russia had “leverages of pressure” over President Donald Trump, Vanity Fair reported Wednesday.
Members of Mossad, Israel’s foreign espionage agency, and other Israeli intelligence officials attended a meeting in Langley, Virginia, a short time before Trump’s inauguration.
The meeting was largely uneventful, until an American “spymaster” announced the conclusion that Russian President Vladimir Putin had leverage over Trump. The official did not offer further specifics, Vanity Fair reported.
The official warned Israel to “be careful” once Trump was inaugurated, adding that it was possible sensitive information shared with the White House and the National Security Council could be leaked to Russians.
