Media: Former FBI Director Questioned Over Shell Photo

NYT: Former FBI Director Suspected of Supporting Trump Assassination

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US intelligence agencies have questioned former FBI chief James Comey over the publication of a photograph in which shells are arranged in the shape of the numbers 8647, The New York Times reported, citing informed sources. US President Donald Trump said he interpreted the post as a hidden threat to his life.

According to the NYT, the interrogation took place at the Secret Service's Washington office. The publication explained that the combination 8647 had previously been used by Trump's opponents during protests. As Reuters points out, in the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the term "86" means "to liquidate," and the number "47" corresponds to Trump's ordinal number among American presidents.

Komi removed the controversial image from social media, explaining: "I did not realize that some people were making a connection to violence in these numbers. The thought had not occurred to me, but I am categorically against any form of aggression, so the post was removed."

Trump, on Fox News, accused the former FBI chief of inciting the murder, saying, "Even a child could understand the meaning of those numbers." He also called on the Justice Department to launch a formal investigation into the incident.