Edward Snowden was targeted by Russian spies 6 years …

Ex-KGB Major Boris Karpichkov said spies from Russias SVR intelligence service posing as diplomats tricked Snowden into seeking asylum in Russia

Russian spies had whistleblower Edward Snowden in their sights SIX YEARS before he exposed US secrets, reports the Sunday People.

Moscow believed the cyber wizard working for the CIA in Geneva was ripe for defection in 2007 and opened a file on him, says a KGB defector.

But secret agents did not swoop until last year when Snowden, 30, fled to Hong Kong with 1.7 million top secret documents which he leaked to the media.

Ex-KGB Major Boris Karpichkov said spies from Russias SVR intelligence service posing as diplomats tricked Snowden into seeking asylum in Russia.

And when the turncoat went there the information was leaked to provoke the US into cancelling his passport , so restricting his movements, said Karpichkov.

He believes the Kremlin will keep the ex-US intelligence official another three years until he has no more information to give.

Kapichkov revealed that the SVR had a recruitment operational dossier on Snowden, who had diplomatic cover to maintain the CIAs computer network security in the Swiss city.

But they did not approach him until he went to Hong Kong, when agents persuaded him President Putins Russia was the best place for him to seek asylum in a nation of his choice.

Plot: Former KGB agent Boris Karpichkov

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Edward Snowden was targeted by Russian spies 6 years ...