Ex-CIA chief Brennan interviewed in Russia probe review

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former CIA Director John Brennan was interviewed Friday by U.S. Attorney John Durham's team as part of its inquiry into the investigators and intelligence officials behind the 2016 Russia election interference probe.

The interview took place at CIA headquarters and lasted for eight hours, said Nick Shapiro, Brennan's former deputy chief of staff and senior adviser.

“Brennan was informed by Mr. Durham that he is not a subject or a target of a criminal investigation and that he is only a witness to events that are under review,” Shapiro said in a statement.

Brennan led the CIA under the Obama administration as it and other intelligence agencies arrived at the conclusion that Russia had interfered in the 2016 election to benefit Donald Trump. Durham's interest in speaking with Brennan underscores the extent to which he and his team are continuing to examine how U.S. intelligence officials reached that assessment, which Trump has long resisted.

Brennan appeared voluntarily for the interview and has previously said he welcomed the chance to be questioned and felt he had nothing to hide.

“And so I look forward to the day when the truth is going to come out and the individuals who have mischaracterized what has happened in the past will be shown to have deceived the American people," Brennan said in a May interview on MSNBC.

During the interview, Brennan offered details on the efforts made by the intelligence community to “understand and disrupt" Russia's efforts to interfere in the election, and answered questions related to a “wide range of intelligence activities" undertaken by the CIA in the run-up to November 2016, Shapiro said. He also answered questions about the January 2017 intelligence community assessment that blamed Russia for the...