LISTEN: Maltese Professor At Heart Of Trump-Russia Links Emerges From Two Years In Hiding – ‘I Need To Return To Life’
The infamous Maltese professor alleged to be at the heart of links between Donald Trump’s election campaign team and the Russian government may have finally emerged from two years hiding in a revealing 13-minute recording where he “categorically refuted” any claims levelled towards him.
The tape, which can be heard in full on the website of Italian news agency Adnkronos, begins with a man who claims to be Joseph Mifsud issuing a heartfelt plea to be reunited with his family:
“Today is November 11, 2019, I am Joseph Mifsud, this is my voice”
“I have had absolutely no contact with friends and family for several months.”
“It’s been two years that this whole-blown up issue was presented to the world media and the world stage as if I had something to do with issues concerning countries, or tried to infiltrate countries or any other institutions,” he can be heard saying.
Mifsud was previously named as the alleged link between the campaign team of US President Donald Trump and the Russian government.
He was thrust onto the international stage two years ago after George Papadopoulos, a former campaign adviser of Trump, pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his relationship with the Maltese professor, who he claimed told him Russia had “dirt” on Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, including thousands of her emails.
Following two brief denials in La Repubblica and The Daily Telegraph, Mifsud went into hiding and no one has been able to trace him since. He was even believed to be dead at one point.
In the tape, Mifsud claims he was simply a “good networker” and never worked with anybody in the secret services. If he did, he says, he would not have known about it.
“I have done nothing but put A in contact with B and B in contact with C for purely academic purposes. The idea is to have networks. I have always been involved with think tanks and we are involved in getting two groups to meet and speak about a topical issue.”
“I have never tried to obtain any information. I have never passed on information because I was never in possession of any useful information,” Mifsud says.
Mifsud then turned his focus to the Link Campus University, a Rome educational institution which used to be the Italian branch of the University of Malta. He categorically denied reports that the university was being used as some sort of secret intelligence front.
“Of course, I have friends and acquaintances from the university, but it is important to say that these represent their interests. So it wasn’t me trying to put them in contact with someone else. They never asked me and absolutely never ever tried to do it “.
“Every time I met someone, and this has been demonstrated several times, I tried to keep that person or institution in mind, if there is it was a project or event in which that institution could actually play a part,” he explains.
Throughout the tape, he reiterates that he simply brought people together, at one point referencing his “Catholic faith” as evidence of his interest in being a “bridge-builder”.
“I never, repeat never, have been paid by anyone to commit an intrusion into someone else’s privacy. I’ve never been this, and I’ve never tried to put someone in contact with someone else without his permission. I’ve always asked if there was a desire, a request from A to get in touch with B and always asked A and B if they wanted to do it. That’s all. It was of interest to me to see that a part of these relationships produced fruit “.
Mifsud’s message, it seems, is targeted towards one thing, having the ability to emerge from his hiding spot.
“I kept myself out of the spotlight, I tried to keep myself mentally busy, because this was an extremely difficult time for me, I didn’t have any contact, as I said before, with my family, which is something that someone at my age, I will turn 60 in April, needs to have.”
“I really am at the end. I can no longer bear it, unfortunately. I apologise to all the people I have hurt, even if this was done in a truly indirect way because I never tried to hurt anyone.
“It is extremely important, finally, that I am given the opportunity to return to life”
“It was very difficult for me to live like this, without any human contact, without any human experience, and I believe that I should be given the opportunity to do so.”
“It is extremely important that someone, somewhere, decides to let me breathe again. Thank you,” he concludes.
It remains to be seen how the situation will progress with President Trump currently facing an impeachment process. Should he resurface, he would certainly have to face serious questions in the US.
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