French public and MPs call for Snowden #39;s asylum
Political refugee and whistleblower Edward Snowden is nearing the end of the one-year asylum granted to him by Russia. Now, many want Snowden to be sheltered in France. But despite the mass...
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French public and MPs call for Snowden's asylum - Video
Edward Snowden causes fury for attack on Britain's new surveillance bill Defence contractor wanted for treason for leaking spy agency documents David Cameron claims new laws necessary because of Snowden's leaks Comes amid concern of new bomb making threats from Al Qaeda
By Ian Drury
Published: 18:09 EST, 13 July 2014 | Updated: 18:09 EST, 13 July 2014
Fugitive whistleblower Edward Snowden has attacked Britain's new anti-terror legislation
Fugitive CIA worker Edward Snowden caused fury last night by attacking Britain for introducing emergency legislation to foil terrorist plots.
His critics said the new surveillance Bill was being pushed through Parliament today largely because of his treachery in leaking Britains spy secrets.
Snowden, who has become one of the worlds most wanted men, said the measures to allow the security services and police to monitor the publics phone, email and internet records defied belief.
He is wanted for treason after stealing classified documents from the US National Security Agency.
The defence contractor, a computer specialist at an intelligence centre in Hawaii, leaked highly damaging revelations of attempts by state spy agencies including Britains GCHQ and MI5 to monitor citizens private information.
After he revealed how intelligence agents had access to data compiled by the likes of Google and Yahoo, some of the internet giants under pressure from civil liberties groups became reluctant to co-operate with the Government and say they may withhold crucial intelligence.
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Snowden attacks the terror Bill prompted by his treason: Fugitive says plans to monitor communications 'defies belief'
File photo of Edward Snowden
In an interview with The Guardian newspaper, to whom the former National Security Agency contractor revealed the existence of mass surveillance programmes a year ago, Snowden said the planned laws were "beyond belief".
The British parliament is this week due to debate new legislation allowing Internet providers and mobile phone companies to keep details of communications between people in case they are needed in investigations.
In April the European Court of Justice threw out an EU law that forced companies to retain data for at least six months, saying it breached the right to privacy.
Prime Minister David Cameron has argued that it is necessary to bring in an emergency law to allow continued retention of data to protect national security.
But Snowden countered: "Is it really going to be so costly for us to take a few days to debate where the line should be drawn about the authority and what really serves the public interest?"
In an interview in Moscow, he told Snowden told The Guardian, "If these surveillance authorities are so interested, so invasive that the courts are actually saying they violate fundamental rights, do we really want to authorise them on a new, increased and more intrusive scale without any public debate?"
Snowden said it was unusual for a government to pass emergency laws during peace time when there are no bombs falling or "U-boats in the harbour".
Cameron has said that current surveillance powers would not be extended, but civil liberties campaigners have said the legislation is intrusive and could infringe privacy rights.
Snowden fled to Russia after he leaked details of secret state surveillance programmes, and Moscow is likely to extend his temporary asylum permit when it runs out at the end of July, according to the newspaper.
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Edward Snowden Attacks British Emergency Surveillance Laws
(07-11 11:32)
The lawyer for Edward Snowden, the National Security Agency whistle blower, has confirmed that his client has applied to extend his stay in Russia. He sought temporary asylum in the country after fleeing the US in May 2013. The NSA contractor faces charges in the US for leaking details of mass government surveillance. According to Anatoly Kucherena, Snowdens lawyer, official paperwork has been submitted to Russias federal Migration Service, asking for an extension of Edward Snowdens visa. His one year permit allowing him to stay in Russia ends on the 31st of July, so that expiry date is looming. His lawyer has refused to say how long Snowden has asked to stay in Russia, nor whether he is looking to receive Russian citizenship. The NSA whistleblower was stranded at a Moscow airport last year on his way from Hong Kong to Cuba. His asylum in Russia has angered the US, as it is seeking his extradition, so that he can stand trial for charges against him relating to the leaking of the National Security agencies use of phonetaps, which sparked an international scandal. Since arriving in Russia he has kept relatively a low profile, whether he will be granted an extension of asylum is now in the hands of the migration service. If they do decide to extend Snowdens stay, its a move that will likely further anger the US and further damage the relationship between Moscow and Washington. --Xinhua
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Snowden faces several charges in US
Julian Assange Responds to Hillary Clinton on Edward Snowden Getting a "Fair Trial"
Amy Goodman goes inside Ecuador #39;s embassy in London to speak with Julian Assange, the founder of Wikileaks. Assange has been living in the embassy for more t...
By: freespeechtv
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Julian Assange Responds to Hillary Clinton on Edward Snowden Getting a "Fair Trial" - Video
Diskussionsabend: Was bedeuten die berwachungsaktivitten der NSA tatschlich?
Diskussionsabend zum Thema NSA und Edward Snowden am 01. Juli 2014 im PresseClub Mnchen e.V. mit Richard Gutjahr und Jimmy Schulz. Moderation: Daniel Frg.
By: Frg Media
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Diskussionsabend: Was bedeuten die Überwachungsaktivitäten der NSA tatsächlich? - Video
Edward Snowden Likely to Win Approval to Stay in Russia
Russia is likely to extend fugitive intelligence contractor Edward Snowden #39;s asylum status next week, an official with the state migration service said Frida...
By: WSJDigitalNetwork
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Edward Snowden Likely to Win Approval to Stay in Russia - Video
MOSCOW, July 11 (Reuters) - Russia will most probably extend former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden's temporary asylum on the grounds that "his life is endangered", an official close to the country's Federal Migration Service (FMS) was quoted as saying on Friday.
Snowden fled to Russia after leaking details of secret state surveillance programs and Moscow granted him a year-long asylum on Aug. 1, 2013, upsetting Washington which wants to try the American at home on charges including espionage.
The presence of Snowden in Russia has strained relations between Moscow and Washington, also at odds over the crises in Syria and Ukraine as well as human rights, security and trade issues.
"I see no problem in prolonging the temporary asylum. The circumstances have not changed. As before, Snowden's life is endangered so the FMS has grounds to extend his status," Vladimir Volokh, head of an advisory body to the migration authorities, told the Interfax news agency.
Russia's Federal Migration service refused to comment and Snowden's Russian lawyer, Anatoly Kucherena, was not available for comment, his assistant said. (Writing by Gabriela Baczynska, editing by Elizabeth Piper)
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Edward Snowden's Temporary Asylum Will Likely Be Extended ...
After more than a year of public dispute about whether National Security Agency contractor-turned-whistleblower Edward Snowden should have addressed his concerns about the scope of U.S. surveillance with his superiors rather than leak thousands of classified documents, the NSA said it has and will continue to retain a trove of Snowdens email records.
The admission came Thursday in a letter responding to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request from journalist Matthew Keys, who sought Snowdens email records and information regarding his contactor status with the intelligence agency. Pamela Phillips, the NSAs top FOIA officer, explained in the letter to Keys that many of the documents were found to be currently and properly classified, while others could interfere with law enforcement proceedings, could cause an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, could reveal the identities of confidential sources or would reveal law enforcement techniques and procedures.
Phillips, according to the document posted on Keys website, The Desk, also noted that there are no emails indicating that Mr. Snowden contacted agency officials to raise concerns about NSA programs.
This disclosure comes after NSA brass and other officials within the Obama administration have criticized Snowden, who has maintained that he leaked thousands of classified and top secret agency documents detailing spying practices inside the U.S. and around the world out of conscience. Snowden's detractors are critical of his actions because they feel he did not first try to address his concerns with his superiors within the NSA or CIA, where he was also employed. Former White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said as recently as two months ago that the issue should have been handled internally.
There were and there are numerous avenues that Mr. Snowden could have used to raise other concerns or whistleblower allegations, Carney told reporters, as quoted by Bloomberg. The appropriate authorities have searched for additional indications of outreach from Mr. Snowden in those areas and to date have not found any engagements related to his claims.
The NSA has since released a single email exchange between Snowden and the NSAs Office of General Counsel from 2013 in which Snowden asked whether some of the ongoing surveillance ran in accordance with the Constitution.
I actually did go through the channels, and that is documented," Snowden told Brian Williams of NBC two months ago."The NSA has records, they have copies of emails right now to their Office of General Counsel, to their oversight and compliance folks, from me raising concerns about the NSAs interpretations of its legal authorities.
The response, more or less, in bureaucratic language, was: You should stop asking questions.
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NSA Admits Retaining Snowden Emails Despite Claiming He Never Raised Surveillance Issues Internally
Former U.S.-based National Security Agency (NSA) employee Edward Snowden's plea to extend his asylum in Russia is expected to be approved soon, said a Russian migration official.
Vladmir Volokh, head of a key advisory council to Russia'a federal migration service said in a statement to the Russian news service interfax that he did not see any problem in prolonging Snowden's asylum.
Anatoly Kucherena, Snowden's Russian attorney said that Snowden had applied for a continual of asylum after his current temporary asylum had expired on July 31.
An investigation by The Post's Greg Miller reveals that the U.S. had no information on Snowden's day-to-day existence. U.S. officials did not even have the slightest knowledge about Snowden's whereabouts in Russia, said the investigation.
The relations between U.S. and Russia have worsened since Russia ignored U.S. requests to return Snowden, reports the Washington Post.
(Posted on 12-07-2014)
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Russia to approve Snowden's visa extension application for continued asylum