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Binder with intelligence on Russian interference in 2016 US election missing since end of Trump term
- The disappearance of the 10-inch thick binder has fuelled fears that the methods used to collect the information could be compromised
- The materials also contained anti-Trump text messages between FBI officials who were involved in the interference probe
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A binder holding top-secret intelligence that contributed to a US assessment that Russia tried to help throw the 2016 US election to Donald Trump has been missing since the last days of his presidency, a source familiar with the issue said.
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The Russia intelligence was included with other documents in a binder that Trump directed the CIA to send to the White House just before he left office so he could declassify materials related to the FBI probe of Russian interference in the 2016 vote, the source said.
The Russia materials included highly classified raw intelligence gathered by the US and Nato allies, fuelling fears that the methods used to collect the information could be compromised, the source added.
Trump’s presidential campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence in January 2017 released an assessment that found Russian President Vladimir Putin and his government conducted a campaign of disinformation and cyberattacks to “help … Trump’s election chances” by denigrating his Democratic foe, Hillary Clinton.
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