NEW YORK, August 13. /TASS/. Former US intelligence officer Scott Ritter said the FBI had monitored him for years.

"They admitted that they've been monitoring me for years," he said on a podcast called Judging Freedom, which is hosted by Andrew Napolitano.

"I got nothing to hide here. But they [the FBI] are concerned. It came down to their concern about my relationship with the Russian government, and that somehow I'm taking direction from the Russian government," the former officer said.

On August 7, NBC television reported Ritter's home was subjected to a search. The FBI confirmed to TASS that its agents conducted investigative actions at the former officer’s home. Ritter had previously said the searches could be related to the US government's concerns about violations of the US Foreign Agents Registration Act. The Times Union reported that the law requires individuals and organizations representing foreign interests in the United States to register with the Department of Justice and disclose their activities. Ritter strongly denies all of the allegations. He also stated the US government is seeking to intimidate him.