Russia is considering handing notorious fugitive Edward Snowden over to President Trump as a 'gift', it has been claimed. <\/p>\n
Snowden, a former CIA worker, fled the US in 2013 after leaking thousands of classified documents about the government's surveillance techniques. <\/p>\n
He remains in Russia where he received asylum. <\/p>\n
But NBC News says US intelligence sources have recently gathered evidence that Russia is considering turning Snowden over to Donald Trump. <\/p>\n
The new President has called Snowden a \"traitor\" in the past who deserves to be executed. <\/p>\n
Last July, Trump said: \"I think he's a total traitor and I would deal with him harshly. <\/p>\n
\"And if I were president, Putin would give him over.\" <\/p>\n
According to NBC, handing over Snowden is one of a number of tactics being considered by Russia to \"curry favour\" with Trump. <\/p>\n
Ben Wizner, one of Trump's legal supporters in the US, said he had heard of no such rumours. <\/p>\n
And Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said talk about returning Snowden is \"nonsense.\" <\/p>\n
Snowden faces charges back on US soil that carry a minimum of 30 years in jail. <\/p>\n
The reports come after Barack Obama commuted the prison sentence of British-raised former soldier Chelsea Manning in one of his final acts as President. <\/p>\n
Manning was imprisoned for the biggest military classified leak in American history. <\/p>\n
Originally known as Bradley Manning before transitioning from a man to a woman, she will now be freed on May 17 after Obama cut her 35-year sentence. <\/p>\n
The 35-year-old was convicted by a court martial in July 2013 for breaking Americas espionage act. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n