Top US spy chiefs gave hacking evidence

Director of National Intelligence James Clapper says Russia was behind the email hacks

Top US intelligence officials are giving testimony to a Senate panel investigating claims of Russian interference in the US election.

The Senate Armed Services Committee is led by Republican John McCain, a critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

On Thursday, President-elect Donald Trump said he was a "big fan" of intelligence agencies.

For months he has cast doubt on their conclusion that the Kremlin ordered the hack of Democratic Party emails.

Russia has denied involvement but the US has announced sanctions against Russian officials.

"The point of this hearing is to have the intelligence community reinforce, from their point of view, that the Russians did this," Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said about the hearing at the Senate Armed Services Committee.

In joint testimony prepared for the hearing, official said Russia had an advanced cyber programme that posed a major threat to a wide range of US interests

"Russia is a full-scope cyber actor that poses a major threat to US government, military, diplomatic, commercial and critical infrastructure," the testimony said.

It was written by James Clapper, the Director of National Intelligence, Marcel Lettre, Undersecretary of Defense for intelligence, and Admiral Michael Rogers, director of the National Security Agency

Mr Trump has repeatedly rejected allegations that the Russian government hacked into the computers of John Podesta, Hillary Clinton's campaign manager, and the servers of the Democratic National Committee.

He has criticised the US intelligence community repeatedly, pointing to their false assertion that the Iraqi government possessed weapons of mass destruction.

The Department of Homeland Security in late December released a declassified report to bolster accusations that the Russian government deliberately sought to to aid the New York real estate mogul's candidacy.

The Obama administration also expelled 35 Russian diplomats from the US and closed two compounds said to be used by Russian intelligence.

Russian President Vladimir Putin chose not to respond, saying he would wait until Mr Trump assumes office on 20 January.

Mr Trump praised that decision as "very smart".

President Barack Obama will also get a classified briefing into the alleged hack and any other foreign interference into the election.

BBC News