German opposition parties intensified efforts to give former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden safe passage to Berlin to testify in front of a parliamentary committee investigating mass spying.

In a bid to outmaneuver Chancellor Angela Merkels government, which doesnt want to risk damaging relations with the U.S. by hosting the fugitive responsible for leaking NSA secrets, lawmakers from the Green Party and anti-capitalist Left Party said theyll seek a court order to bring Snowden to Germany to speak in front of the panel.

The parliamentary investigative committee is probing revelations of NSA mass surveillance and the alleged tapping of Merkels mobile phone disclosed by Snowdens leaks, which have opened a rift between the trans-Atlantic allies. The tension culminated in July, with Merkels government expelling the top U.S. intelligence officer from Berlin after more spy allegations.

While all the lawmakers on the panel agreed they want to talk to Snowden, those from Merkels faction have said they prefer to do so by video link or to visit him informally in Moscow. The opposition has insisted on allowing the 31-year-old former contractor to safely testify in person, even as Germanys close ally seeks his arrest on espionage charges.

This committee meets in Berlin -- and this committee needs to meet with the witness Edward Snowden, Martina Renner, the Left Party lawmaker who sits on the committee, told reporters in the German capital. Weve decided on this challenge because we feel obligated to clarify one of the greatest scandals of this century.

The opposition parties filed a complaint with the Karlsruhe-based Federal Constitutional Court against the government, as well as the coalition majority on the panel, to clarify which body makes the decision on calling or blocking a witness. The challengers lawyer, Astrid Wallrabenstein, said she sought an expedited procedure.

Wallrabenstein declined to give a timeframe when asked how long it would likely take the court to decide.

Snowden, who last month won a three-year extension of his asylum in Russia, has declined to speak with the legislative investigators outside Germany. His Berlin-based lawyer, Wolfgang Kaleck, has said that such questioning can only take place within the country.

Green Party lawmaker Hans-Christian Stroebele, who visited Snowden in Moscow last October, repeated that the ex-spy offered to testify to authorities in Germany.

German government spokesman Steffen Seibert declined to comment on the opposition bid today. Merkels government last year ruled out granting Snowden asylum.

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Opposition Parties Seek Court Order to Bring Snowden to Germany

Snowden Gets #39;Alternative Nobel #39;: Whistleblower accused of aiding Russian invasion of Ukraine
Former US National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden has been awarded Sweden #39;s Right Livelihood Honorary Award, often referred to as the #39;Alternative Nobel Prize #39;. The award #39;s foundation...

By: UKRAINE TODAY

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Snowden Gets 'Alternative Nobel': Whistleblower accused of aiding Russian invasion of Ukraine - Video

Details Written by Karl Ritter, Associated Press Published: 24 September 2014

STOCKHOLM (AP) Edward Snowden was among the winners Wednesday of a Swedish human rights award, sometimes referred to as the "alternative Nobel," for his disclosures of top secret surveillance programs.

The decision to honor the former National Security Agency contractor with the Right Livelihood Award appeared to cause a diplomatic headache for Sweden's Foreign Ministry, which withdrew the prize jury's permission to use its media room for the announcement.

Snowden split the honorary portion of the award with Alan Rusbridger, editor of the Guardian, which has published a series of articles on government surveillance based on documents leaked by Snowden.

The 1.5 million kronor ($210,000) cash portion of the award was shared by Pakistani human rights activist Asma Jahangir, Basil Fernando of the Asian Human Rights Commission and U.S. environmentalist Bill McKibben.

Created in 1980, the annual Right Livelihood Award honors efforts that founder Jacob von Uexkull felt were being ignored by the Nobel Prizes.

Foundation director Ole von Uexkull the award creator's nephew said all winners have been invited to the Dec. 1 award ceremony in Stockholm, though he added it's unclear whether Snowden can attend.

"We will start discussions with the Swedish government and his lawyers in due course to discuss the potential arrangements for his participation," von Uexkull told The Associated Press.

Snowden, who has reportedly also been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, remains exiled in Russia since leaking top secret NSA documents to journalists last year. He has been charged under the U.S. Espionage Act and could face up to 30 years in prison.

Though the honorary award doesn't include any money, the foundation would offer to help pay Snowden's legal costs, von Uexkull said.

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The Skanner Newspaper - NSA Leaker Ed Snowden Honored With "Alternative Nobel" Prize

STOCKHOLM: Edward Snowden was among the winners on Wednesday of a Swedish human rights award, sometimes referred to as the "alternative Nobel," for his disclosures of top secret surveillance programs.

The decision to honor the former National Security Agency contractor with the Right Livelihood Award appeared to cause a diplomatic headache for Sweden's Foreign Ministry, which withdrew the prize jury's permission to use its media room for the announcement.

Snowden split the honorary portion of the award with Alan Rusbridger, editor of the Guardian, which has published a series of articles on government surveillance based on documents leaked by Snowden.

The 1.5 million kronor ($210,000) cash portion of the award was shared by Pakistani human rights activist Asma Jahangir, Basil Fernando of the Asian Human Rights Commission and US environmentalist Bill McKibben.

Created in 1980, the annual Right Livelihood Award honors efforts that founder Jacob von Uexkull felt were being ignored by the Nobel Prizes.

Foundation director Ole von Uexkull the award creator's nephew said all winners have been invited to the Dec. 1 award ceremony in Stockholm, though he added it's unclear whether Snowden can attend.

"We will start discussions with the Swedish government and his lawyers in due course to discuss the potential arrangements for his participation," von Uexkull told The Associated Press.

Snowden, who has reportedly also been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, remains exiled in Russia since leaking top secret NSA documents to journalists last year. He has been charged under the US Espionage Act and could face up to 30 years in prison.

Though the honorary award doesn't include any money, the foundation would offer to help pay Snowden's legal costs, von Uexkull said.

The announcement had been set for Thursday, but it was communicated early after a leak to Swedish broadcaster SVT.

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Edward Snowden honored with 'alternative Nobel'

Edward Snowden

Snowden is wanted by the United States for leaking extensive secrets of its electronic surveillance programmes and lives in Russia where he has a three-year residence permit.

The Right Livelihood Award Foundation said Snowden was given the prize "for his courage and skill in revealing the unprecedented extent of state surveillance violating basic democratic processes and constitutional rights."

He shares the award with Alan Rusbridger, editor-in-chief of the British newspaper The Guardian, with whom he collaborated to publish his revelations on the US National Security Agency (NSA), the foundation said in a statement.

It also said it would fund legal support for Snowden.

Snowden, who fled to Hong Kong and then Moscow last year, is believed to have taken 1.7 million computerised documents. Those published so far revealed massive programmes run by the NSA that gathered information on emails, phone calls and Internet use by hundreds of millions of Americans.

Snowden was charged last year in the United States with theft of government property, unauthorised communication of national defence information and wilful communication of classified intelligence to an unauthorised person.

The Right Livelihood Award was established in 1980 to honour and support those "offering practical and exemplary answers to the most urgent challenges facing us today".

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Snowden wins 'alternative Nobel Prize'

Karl Ritter, The Associated Press Published Wednesday, September 24, 2014 10:24AM EDT Last Updated Wednesday, September 24, 2014 1:28PM EDT

STOCKHOLM, Sweden -- Edward Snowden was among the winners Wednesday of a Swedish human rights award, sometimes referred to as the "alternative Nobel," for his disclosures of top secret surveillance programs.

The decision to honour the former National Security Agency contractor with the Right Livelihood Award appeared to cause a diplomatic headache for Sweden's Foreign Ministry, which withdrew the prize jury's permission to use its media room for the announcement.

Snowden split the honorary portion of the award with Alan Rusbridger, editor of the Guardian, which has published a series of articles on government surveillance based on documents leaked by Snowden.

The 1.5 million kronor ($210,000) cash portion of the award was shared by Pakistani human rights activist Asma Jahangir, Basil Fernando of the Asian Human Rights Commission and U.S. environmentalist Bill McKibben.

Created in 1980, the annual Right Livelihood Award honours efforts that founder Jacob von Uexkull felt were being ignored by the Nobel Prizes.

Foundation director Ole von Uexkull -- the award creator's nephew -- said all winners have been invited to the Dec. 1 award ceremony in Stockholm, though he added it's unclear whether Snowden can attend.

"We will start discussions with the Swedish government and his lawyers in due course to discuss the potential arrangements for his participation," von Uexkull told The Associated Press.

Snowden, who has reportedly also been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, remains exiled in Russia since leaking top secret NSA documents to journalists last year. He has been charged under the U.S. Espionage Act and could face up to 30 years in prison.

Though the honorary award doesn't include any money, the foundation would offer to help pay Snowden's legal costs, von Uexkull said.

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Edward Snowden among winners of 'alternative Nobel' prize

Edward Snowden has been declared one of the winners of a Swedish human rights award for his disclosures of top secret government surveillance programmes, Al Jazeera reports.

The former National Security Agency contractor on Wednesday split the honorary portion of the 2014 Right Livelihood Award, also referred to as the alternative Nobel with Alan Rusbridger, editor of British newspaper The Guardian, which has published a series of articles based on documents leaked by Snowden.

The 1.5m kronor ($210,000) cash award was also shared by Pakistani human rights activist Asma Jahangir, Basil Fernando of the Asian Human Rights Commission and US environmentalist Bill McKibben.

Created in 1980, the annual Right Livelihood Award honours efforts that prize founder Jacob von Uexkull felt were being ignored by the Nobel Prizes.

Foundation director Ole von Uexkull the award creators nephew said all winners have been invited to the December 1 award ceremony in Stockholm, though he added its unclear whether Snowden can attend.

We will start discussions with the Swedish government and his lawyers in due course to discuss the potential arrangements for his participation, von Uexkull told the AP news agency.

More here:
Snowden awarded Swedish alternative Nobel

By KARL RITTER Associated Press

STOCKHOLM (AP) - Edward Snowden was among the winners Wednesday of a Swedish human rights award, sometimes referred to as the "alternative Nobel," for his disclosures of top secret surveillance programs.

The decision to honor the former National Security Agency contractor with the Right Livelihood Award appeared to cause a diplomatic headache for Sweden's Foreign Ministry, which withdrew the prize jury's permission to use its media room for the announcement.

Snowden split the honorary portion of the award with Alan Rusbridger, editor of the Guardian, which has published a series of articles on government surveillance based on documents leaked by Snowden.

The 1.5 million kronor ($210,000) cash portion of the award was shared by Pakistani human rights activist Asma Jahangir, Basil Fernando of the Asian Human Rights Commission and U.S. environmentalist Bill McKibben.

Created in 1980, the annual Right Livelihood Award honors efforts that founder Jacob von Uexkull felt were being ignored by the Nobel Prizes.

Foundation director Ole von Uexkull - the award creator's nephew - said all winners have been invited to the Dec. 1 award ceremony in Stockholm, though he added it's unclear whether Snowden can attend.

"We will start discussions with the Swedish government and his lawyers in due course to discuss the potential arrangements for his participation," von Uexkull told The Associated Press.

Snowden, who has reportedly also been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, remains exiled in Russia since leaking top secret NSA documents to journalists last year. He has been charged under the U.S. Espionage Act and could face up to 30 years in prison.

Though the honorary award doesn't include any money, the foundation would offer to help pay Snowden's legal costs, von Uexkull said.

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Snowden honored with 'alternative Nobel' - NBC40.net

Joseph Gordon-Levitt has been offered the role of Edward Snowden in Oliver Stones, tentatively titled, The Snowden Files. Snowden, a former U.S. intelligence analyst, released more classified documents than anyone since Daniel Ellsberg released the Pentagon Papers during the Vietnam War.

A Variety source claims that Stone offered Gordon-Levitt the lead role, and he accepted it. However, they are still working on negotiations. So no formal contracts have been signed, but both men want the deal to go through.

Stone is currently working on the script, and will be directing the film. He will also be producing it with Eric Kopeloff and Moritz Borman. The Snowden Files will be based on the novel Time of the Octopus by Anatoly Kucherena, Snowdens Russian lawyer. Its considered the closest thing to a documented account of the events that happened after Snowden released the NSA documents. The Snowden Files will also be based on journalist Luke Hardings book The Snowden Files: The Inside Story of the Worlds Most Wanted Man.

If Stone and Gordon-Levitt reach a deal soon, the Snowden Files could start filming as early as December, with a 2015 release. Meanwhile Gordon-Levitt continues to stay busy. He recently filmed The Walk, a film about Philippe Petit. Petit was a french high-wire artist who in 1974 attempted to cross the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. Levitt is also currently filming an untitled Christmas Eve movie with 50/50 co-star Seth Rogen.

Both films have a 2015 release. This summer, Gordon-Levitt played Johnny in the Sin City sequel, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For.

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Joseph Gordon Levitt Reportedly Offered Edward Snowden Role

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is in early talks to play Edward Snowden in Oliver Stone's forthcoming movie about the NSA leaker, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.

Stone is set to write and direct a movie based on two books: The Snowden Files: The Inside Story of the World's Most Wanted Man, written by journalist Luke Harding, and the novel Time of the Octopus, written by Snowden's Russian lawyer Anatoly Kucherena.

See more The 21 Best Movies About Whistleblowers

Stone will also produce the film alongside Moritz Berman and Eric Kopeloff. Production was originally set to begin before the end of the year.

Harding's book deals with reports based on Snowden's disclosures in The Guardian while Kucherena's fictional story focuses on an American whistleblower, who after being threatened by his government and waiting for a decision on his request for Russian asylum, spends weeks at the Moscow airport.

Stone's film isn't the only Snowden-focused story in the works. Laura Poitras' CITIZENFOUR documentary is set to screen at the New York Film Festival, and Sony has optioned the film rights to Glenn Greenwald's No Place to Hide: Edward Snowden, the NSA, and the U.S. Surveillance State.

See more Surveillance Cinema: 14 Movies Featuring Big Brother

Sony is in the process of finding a high-profile writer to tackle that adaptation.

Greenwald and Poitras were among the initial group of people who saw and reported on Snowden's top-secret NSA documents.

Gordon-Levitt recently wrapped production on Robert Zemeckis' The Walk, playing Philippe Petit, the high-wire artist who famously walked between the World Trade Center towers. He's also filming an untitled Christmas Eve movie in which he reunites with his 50/50 co-star Seth Rogen and that movie's director, Jonathan Levine. Gordon-Levitt most recently appeared in the Sin City sequel, A Dame to Kill For.

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Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Talks to Play Edward Snowden in Oliver Stone Movie