Ex-Trump adviser Stone indicted in Mueller probe

Roger Stone, a longtime adviser to Donald Trump, was arrested yesterday under an indictment issued by the US special prosecutor examining possible collusion between the president's campaign and Russia.

Stone was charged with seven counts, including obstruction of an official proceeding, making false statements and witness tampering, according to Special Counsel Robert Mueller's office.

The indictment concerns Stone's communications with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, whose group leaked tens of thousands of stolen Democratic Party emails that embarrassed Trump's rival Hillary Clinton in an apparent bid to influence the 2016 presidential election.

But Stone was not accused in the document of conspiring with Assange or Russian officials.

The White House rejected the idea that the noose was getting tighter around Trump, who has denied any collusion with Russia.

"This has nothing to do with the president and certainly nothing to do with the White House," spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told CNN.

It was the first indictment in months by the special prosecutor probing Russian efforts to influence the election and whether Trump and his aides tried to obstruct justice.

Stone is due in federal court there later in the day.

Stone, who launched his career as a campaign aide to Richard Nixon has spent decades advising various US political campaigns. He was one of the first members of Trump's team when the billionaire real estate magnate formally announced he was seeking office, but he left months later, but remained in contact.

Stone had previously said he was ready to face possible charges from Mueller's team, and publicly criticized the special counsel, echoing Trump's claims of a "witch hunt."

Stone has also previously insisted that he would never testify against Trump.