US Congressional Leaders Briefed By Intelligence Chiefs On Russia Bounty Allegations

FOX News: Gang of Eight briefed by intelligence chiefs on Russia bounty allegations

The Capitol Hill meetings come as President Trump has been under increasing pressure to provide answers.

The country's top intelligence officials on Thursday held a classified briefing with congressional leaders amid demands for more information on the reports that Russian agents offered Taliban-linked militants in Afghanistan thousands of dollars in bounties for killing American troops.

Top intelligence officials, including CIA chief Director Gina Haspel and Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe, held the briefing Thursday afternoon with members of the so-called “Gang of Eight”: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and the top Republicans and Democrats on the two intelligence committees.

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Update #1: White House briefs ‘Gang of 8’ on Russia-Taliban bounty intel (NYPost)
Update #2: Top US spies brief Congress on Russia-Taliban intelligence (Al Jazeera)

WNU Editor: As expected the two top Democrats criticized the President when they left their briefing .... WATCH: Pelosi, Democrats criticizes Trump on Russia after intel briefing (PBS News Hour). But I actually found their criticisms muted, which tells me that the briefing did not provide validate the claims from the New York Times on their Russia bounty allegations. Rep. Adam Schiff was present in this meeting. And as it was predicted this morning, he left the briefing without making any remarks to the media .... Top Democrat On The U.S. House Intelligence Committee Knew About 'Russian Bounty' Intel Months Ago, But Did Nothing.

How Secure Are Britain's Nuclear Weapons Systems?

© Flickr/ UK Ministry of Defence

The Independent: Trident whistle-blower says 'all it takes is a fake ID' to access UK's nuclear weapons systems

William McNeilly raised several security concerns about Britain's nuclear weapons systems, including missing IDs and unchecked bags.

A former Royal navy submarine engineer turned Trident whistle-blower has alleged a fake ID is all it takes to access Britain's nuclear submarines.

William McNeilly raised several security concerns about Britain's nuclear weapons systems in Scotland in an interview with RT (formerly Russia Today).

"All you need to get on board is a couple of fake IDs," he said. "Terrorist groups like Isis have already shown they can produce legitimate documents.

"Thousands of Royal Navy IDs go missing every year as well, so they could come across one."

He described going on patrol with 180 people who all brought unchecked bags on board.

"All it would take would be for one of them to have a bomb," he said.

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WNU Editor: I suspect that security is the priority .... but these claims are still worrying to read about.

'Plot Would Have Killed Thousands'

Terrorists who had planned to detonate gel-based explosives on U.S.-bound flights from London last August would have achieved mass devastation, according to new information from Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff in an exclusive interview with ABC News.

"I think that the plot, in terms of its intent, was looking at devastation on a scale that would have rivaled 9/11," Chertoff told ABC's Pierre Thomas. "If they had succeeded in bringing liquid explosives on seven or eight aircraft, there could have been thousands of lives lost and an enormous economic impact with devastating consequences for international air travel."

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