Former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Robert Mueller has died at the age of 81. His family announced in a statement on Saturday that Mueller passed away on Friday night and requested that their privacy be respected.

Mueller was appointed as FBI director by former President George Bush in September 2001, just a week before the 9/11 attacks, which thrust him into the center of a national crisis. He became a key figure in transforming the bureau from combating crime to focusing on countering national security threats following the attack on New York's World Trade Center.

After stepping down from the FBI in 2013, Mueller was appointed as special counsel in 2017 to oversee the Justice Department's investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election, which saw Donald Trump defeat Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. His report sparked widespread debate but did not lead to any concrete charges.

Following the announcement of his death, former President Donald Trump posted a critical statement on his Truth Social platform, expressing a harsh reaction to Mueller's passing. Mueller is survived by his wife and two children.

Source: www.aljazeera.com