U.S. Special Counsel: Trump's ally Roger Stone arrested in Florida

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The U.S. Special Counsel Friday said in a statement that President Donald Trump's former campaign adviser Roger Stone was arrested following an indictment by a federal grand jury.

Stone, Trump's longtime ally, was arrested for lying to Congress about the 2016 campaign's efforts to use stolen emails to undercut his Democratic rival in the latest arrest of the Special Counsel probe into possible election manipulation.

The indictment ends months of speculation that Stone would be charged as part of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe into Russia's alleged interference in the 2016 campaign to help Trump defeat Hillary Clinton.

Political operative Roger Stone speaks at the American Priority conference in Washington, DC, U.S., December 6, 2018. /VCG Photo

It described in detail numerous emails and text messages "during the 2016 campaign in which he discussed WikiLeaks, which is referred to as 'Organization 1' in the indictment, its head, and its possession of hacked emails."

Stone still possessed many of those communications when he gave false testimony about them, prosecutors said in the indictment.

A magistrate judge released Stone on a 250,000 U.S. dollar bond and ordered him to limit his travel to South Florida, New York City, and Washington.

'Greatest witch hunt'

"Greatest Witch Hunt in the History of our Country! NO COLLUSION!" Trump wrote on Twitter following Stone's arrest, using his most common denunciation of the Mueller probe.

Stone was charged with seven criminal counts including obstruction of an official proceeding, witness tampering and making false statements. He is due to be arraigned in federal court in Washington on Tuesday.

Roger Stone speaks to reporters after appearing before a closed House Intelligence Committee investigating Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, September 26, 2017. /VCG Photo

'Will not testify against the president'

In a rowdy scene outside a courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Stone denounced his arrest as politically motivated and told reporters he had done no wrong.

"After a two-year inquisition, the charges today related in no way to Russian collusion, WikiLeaks coordination or any other illegal act in connection with the 2016 campaign," he said.

"I will not testify against the president because I would have to bear false witness against him."

The White House, on the other hand, denied connections with the president.

"The charges brought against Mr. Stone have nothing to do with the president, has nothing to do with the White House," spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said, "The president did nothing wrong."

(Cover: U.S. President Donald Trump (L) and political consultant Roger Stone, January 25, 2019. /VCG Photo)

(With inputs from Reuters)