FBI questions Hillary Clinton's senior aides as part of probe into email server controversy

Huma Abedin has been very close to Ms Clinton for a number of years

Ms Abedin has been close to Ms Clinton for a number of years (Reuters)

A number of Hillary Clinton’s most senior aides, including her longtime adviser Huma Abedin, have reportedly been interviewed by the FBI as part of its probe of her use of a private email server. The investigation has apparently yet to find any evidence the former secretary of state willfully broke the law.

CNN said that in recent weeks, multiple aides had been interviewed, among them some of those closest to Ms Clinton. While a date has not yet been set for the investigators’ interview with the Democratic frontrunner, it is expected to happen in the next few weeks.

The network said that Ms Abedin, a long-time aide to Ms Clinton and her deputy chief of staff at the State Department, has cooperated with the probe, officials said. Lawyers for Ms Abedin have declined to comment.

Ms Abedin has been cooperating with investigators, according to reports (AP)

The federal officials said the interviews of Ms Clinton and her aides would be a routine part of an investigation like this.

The probe remains focused on the security of the server and the handling of classified information and has not expanded to other matters, the officials said. Spokesmen for the FBI and Justice Department declined to comment. The Clinton campaign has also yet to comment.

The investigation was launched after it emerged that Ms Clinton had used a private email server at her upstate New York home while she was secretary of state. He has always denied that any classified information was at risk of being hacked.

FBI officials overseeing the probe now expect to complete their work in the next few weeks and then turn over the findings to the Justice Department, which will make a final decision on whether to bring charges against anyone.

One of the final and most anticipated steps in the probe is an interview of the former secretary of state. The fact that Ms Clinton is a presidential candidate active on the campaign trail presents some logistical challenges for the FBI, which has been quietly bringing witnesses into an FBI office without drawing attention.

Ms Clinton's security is provided by the Secret Service and she's typically followed by a corps of campaign reporters. The FBI plans to coordinate her interview with her lawyers and security to try to ensure it can be done privately.