Washington, May 8 (IANS) The US Department of Justice is moving to drop the criminal charges against former national security adviser Michael Flynn.

Flynn was among the former aides to President Donald Trump convicted during the special counsel's investigation into Russian election interference, the BBC reported on Thursday.

He had pleaded guilty in 2017 to lying to the FBI about contacts with Russia's ambassador to the US.

Flynn had been seeking to withdraw his guilty plea.

The justice department's decision also follows criticism of the case by President Trump and his supporters.

Flynn, a retired Army three-star lieutenant general, left the White House in February 2017, just weeks after Mr Trump was sworn in.

In response to the announcement, Flynn tweeted a video of his grandson reciting the US Pledge of Allegiance with the caption: "and JUSTICE for ALL".

On Thursday, Trump said he was "very happy for General Flynn".

--IANS rt/