A US Justice Department review into the origins of the probe into Russia's alleged interference in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/republicans-to-unveil-measure-knocking-trump-impeachment-effort-258014">2016 US presidential election</a> is now a criminal investigation, a person familiar with the matter said on Thursday (October 24).

The person, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, declined to say whether a grand jury has been convened in the investigation.

The development was first reported by the New York Times.

US Attorney General William Barr launched a review earlier this year to investigate<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-compares-impeachment-to-lynching-faces-backlash-257586"> President Donald Trump</a>'s complaints that his campaign was improperly targeted by US intelligence and law enforcement agencies during the 2016 election.

Democrats and some former law enforcement officials say Barr is using the Justice Department to chase unsubstantiated conspiracy theories that could benefit the Republican president politically and undermine former Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation.

As part of his inquiry, Barr has asked Australian and British justice officials for assistance and visited Italy twice, meeting intelligence agents in Rome in August and September to learn more about people mentioned in Mueller's report.

Mueller's investigation found that Moscow interfered in the 2016 election to help Trump, and led to criminal convictions of several former campaign aides. But Mueller concluded that he did not have enough evidence to establish a criminal conspiracy with Russia.

Barr appointed Connecticut State Attorney John Durham to lead the review of whether US intelligence and law enforcement agencies acted properly when they examined possible ties between the Trump campaign and Russia, which ultimately led to the Mueller investigation.

Trump, who calls the Russia investigation a witch hunt and a hoax, says US officials launched the probe to undermine his chances of winning the White House, although he and his supporters have provided no evidence.

Trump is also grappling with a Democratic-led impeachment inquiry focused on his request in a July telephone call to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, who is a leading contender for the Democratic presidential nomination to face Trump in the 2020 election.

A US Justice Department review into the origins of the probe into Russia's alleged interference in the 2016 US presidential election is now a criminal investigation, a person familiar with the matter said on Thursday (October 24).

A US Justice Department review into the origins of the probe into Russia's alleged interference in the 2016 US presidential election is now a criminal investigation, a person familiar with the matter said on Thursday (October 24). The person, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, declined to say whether a grand jury has been convened in the investigation. The development was first reported by the New York Times. US Attorney General William Barr launched a review earlier this year to investigate President Donald Trump's complaints that his campaign was improperly targeted by US intelligence and law enforcement agencies during the 2016 election. Democrats and some former law enforcement officials say Barr is using the Justice Department to chase unsubstantiated conspiracy theories that could benefit the Republican president politically and undermine former Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation. As part of his inquiry, Barr has asked Australian and British justice officials for assistance and visited Italy twice, meeting intelligence agents in Rome in August and September to learn more about people mentioned in Mueller's report. Mueller's investigation found that Moscow interfered in the 2016 election to help Trump, and led to criminal convictions of several former campaign aides. But Mueller concluded that he did not have enough evidence to establish a criminal conspiracy with Russia. Barr appointed Connecticut State Attorney John Durham to lead the review of whether US intelligence and law enforcement agencies acted properly when they examined possible ties between the Trump campaign and Russia, which ultimately led to the Mueller investigation. Trump, who calls the Russia investigation a witch hunt and a hoax, says US officials launched the probe to undermine his chances of winning the White House, although he and his supporters have provided no evidence. Trump is also grappling with a Democratic-led impeachment inquiry focused on his request in a July telephone call to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, who is a leading contender for the Democratic presidential nomination to face Trump in the 2020 election.

US Justice Department review of origins of Russia probe turns into criminal investigation: Source

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/easter-attack-bombers-not-linked-islamic-state-ntj-persuaded-terror-group-to-claim-blasts-sri-lanka-investigators-238246">Sri Lanka`s Easter attacks</a> that killed more than 250 people were carried out by local groups who drew inspiration from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS) group, a top investigator said on Wednesday.

Ravi Seneviratne, the head of Sri Lanka`s Criminal Investigation Department (CID), said that the suicide bombers who targeted three churches and three hotels had no direct link to the foreign armed group, Al Jazeera reported.

The investigator made the remarks in a meeting with the country`s parliamentary panel investigating the security and intelligence lapses that led to the April 21 bombings."They followed the IS ideology, but our investigations have not shown any link between them," Seneviratne told the parliamentary panel.

He noted that remnants of the National Thowheeth Jamath (NTJ), the armed group that was held responsible for the Easter attacks, had persuaded ISIL to claim the attack two days after the deadly events in Sri Lanka.&nbsp;

NTJ leader Zahran Hashim made a video with fellow NTJ members pledging allegiance to ISIL leader Abu Bakr Al-Bagdadi. The video was released by ISIL two days later.

Sri Lanka`s former police chief, Pujith Jayasundara, and former secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Hemasiri Fernando, are currently facing criminal charges over their alleged negligence in failing to prevent the attack.

Several NTJ operatives were known to have travelled to India to meet with fellow extremists there, according to the Sri Lankan military.

Another investigator, Shani Abeysekara, told the same parliamentary panel that the CID found 105 kilogrammes of explosives from an NTJ hideout earlier this year."If not for this discovery, they would have been able to cause much more damage," Abeysekara said, adding that they were already investigating the NTJ when the attacks took place.

In a statement last week, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/drug-gangs-behind-sri-lanka-easter-bombings-president-maithripala-sirisena-236223">Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena</a> alleged the attacks "were the work of international drug dealers" to sabotage his anti-narcotics drive.&nbsp;

Sri Lanka`s Easter attacks that killed more than 250 people were carried out by local groups who drew inspiration from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS) group, a top investigator said on Wednesday.

Sri Lanka`s Easter attacks that killed more than 250 people were carried out by local groups who drew inspiration from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS) group, a top investigator said on Wednesday. Ravi Seneviratne, the head of Sri Lanka`s Criminal Investigation Department (CID), said that the suicide bombers who targeted three churches and three hotels had no direct link to the foreign armed group, Al Jazeera reported. The investigator made the remarks in a meeting with the country`s parliamentary panel investigating the security and intelligence lapses that led to the April 21 bombings."They followed the IS ideology, but our investigations have not shown any link between them," Seneviratne told the parliamentary panel. He noted that remnants of the National Thowheeth Jamath (NTJ), the armed group that was held responsible for the Easter attacks, had persuaded ISIL to claim the attack two days after the deadly events in Sri Lanka. NTJ leader Zahran Hashim made a video with fellow NTJ members pledging allegiance to ISIL leader Abu Bakr Al-Bagdadi. The video was released by ISIL two days later. Sri Lanka`s former police chief, Pujith Jayasundara, and former secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Hemasiri Fernando, are currently facing criminal charges over their alleged negligence in failing to prevent the attack. Several NTJ operatives were known to have travelled to India to meet with fellow extremists there, according to the Sri Lankan military. Another investigator, Shani Abeysekara, told the same parliamentary panel that the CID found 105 kilogrammes of explosives from an NTJ hideout earlier this year."If not for this discovery, they would have been able to cause much more damage," Abeysekara said, adding that they were already investigating the NTJ when the attacks took place. In a statement last week, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena alleged the attacks "were the work of international drug dealers" to sabotage his anti-narcotics drive.

Attackers of Sri Lanka Easter Sunday bombings were inspired by ISIS

The Chief of National Intelligence Sisira Mendis has resigned from his post with immediate effect. Mendis, Director of Sri Lanka’s Centre for National Intelligence under the Ministry of Defense, had served as DIG of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and was also head of the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) from 2008 to 2009.

Sri Lanka: National Intelligence Chief Resigns