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Mike Flynn will testify in the Russia inquiry if he's given immunity. So what's it all about?

Who is Michael Flynn and why is this a big deal?
Who is Michael Flynn and why is this a big deal? Who is Michael Flynn and why is this a big deal?

President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser has issued a statement through his lawyer saying he “has a story to tell” the US Congress and Senate about links between the Trump campaign and Russian intelligence.

So who is Mike Flynn and why is this important?

Who is Mike Flynn?

Michael Flynn is a former lieutenant general of the US Army who was forced to resign from his role as Trump’s national security adviser after misleading the White House about conversations he had with the Russian ambassador to the US.

(C-Span)
(C-Span)
(C-Span)

Flynn’s 33-year career included serving as the director of intelligence for the Joint Special Operations Command in Iraq and Afghanistan and serving as Barack Obama’s director of the Defence Intelligence Agency in 2012.

What is he offering?

Flynn was asked to resign in February after information emerged that he had discussed American sanctions against Russia with the Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, despite telling Vice President Mike Pence otherwise.

This, along with allegations of Russian interference in the US election, has led to the opening of FBI and Congressional inquiries into links between the Trump campaign and Russian intelligence.

On Thursday Flynn issued a statement through his lawyer saying that he “certainly has a story to tell, and he very much wants to tell it, should the circumstances permit”.The Wall Street Journal broke the story, saying Flynn had agreed to be interviewed by the House and Senate committees on the promise of immunity.Why does he want immunity?Flynn’s lawyer referenced the intense media scrutiny Flynn has been under since his resignation as a reason for seeking immunity. He said: “No reasonable person, who has the benefit of advice from counsel, would submit to questioning in such a highly politicised, witch hunt environment without assurances against unfair prosecution.”Inconveniently for Flynn, an old clip of him talking about Hillary Clinton’s staff in September has re-emerged, in which he said: “When you are given immunity that means that you probably committed a crime.”