Edward Snowden granted temporary asylum in Russia

[galaxy_resident]

NSA leaker Edward Snowden has been granted temporary asylum in Russia and has left the Moscow airport where he had been stranded for more than a month, his lawyer said on Thursday.

An airport representative said that the former intelligence contractor had already crossed through the immigration line and left the airport.

Snowden's lawyer, Anatoly Kucherena, said he wouldn't disclose the 30-year-old fugitive's whereabouts for security reasons.

“He is the most wanted man on planet Earth. What do you think he is going to do? He has to think about his personal security. I cannot tell you where he is going,” Kucherena said.

“I put him in a taxi 15 to 20 minutes ago and gave him his certificate on getting refugee status in the Russian Federation,” he said. “He can live wherever he wants in Russia. It's his personal choice.”

WikiLeaks posted on Twitter that Snowden had been granted asylum in Russia for a year.

"We would like to thank the Russian people and all those others who have helped to protect Mr. Snowden," it said in a tweet. "We have won the battle -- now the war."

[galaxy_resident]

Senantor Robert Menendez, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a statement Thursday that Snowden was “a fugitive who belongs in a United States courtroom, not a free man deserving of asylum in Russia.”

“Regardless of the fact that Russia is granting asylum for one year, this action is a setback to U.S.-Russia relations,” he said.

“Edward Snowden will potentially do great damage to U.S. national security interests and the information he is leaking could aid terrorists and others around the world who want to do real harm to our country. Russia must return Snowden to face trial at home.”

Marie Harf, a State Department deputy spokesperson, told reporters Wednesday that Snowden was “not a human rights activist.”

“He’s not a dissident. He’s been accused of leaking classified information, has been charged with three very serious felony counts, and must be, should be, returned to the United States to face a free and fair trial as soon as possible,” she said at the daily briefing.

“We are working through law enforcement channels with the Russian government to make the point that Mr. Snowden is wanted on serious felony charges and needs to be returned to the United States.”

But Harf added that the U.S. had also “made the point that we don’t want this issue to have a hugely negative impact on our bilateral relationship.”

EOT

[Aias]

>NSA spies on the communications of foreigners
>snowden has a weird feeling about this
>tells everyone stuff that everyone knew anyway
>massive outcry for some reason
>asylum in "democratic" Russia, where the opposition is jailed, harassed, murdered, and disappeared regularly and one man is essentially dictator for life.
>world applauds

Snowden must still have a trump card with him if Russia is treating him this good. Maybe an ability to hack into NSA systems or maybe an algorithm that only he knows how to read.

[passion_unlimitedd]

Suna FBI uske Dad ko bhej rahe Russia to convice him to return back to US.

[Aias]

[galaxy_resident]

>NSA spies on the communications of foreigners
>snowden has a weird feeling about this
>tells everyone stuff that everyone knew anyway
>massive outcry for some reason
>asylum in "democratic" Russia, where the opposition is jailed, harassed, murdered, and disappeared regularly and one man is essentially dictator for life.
>world applauds

Snowden must still have a trump card with him if Russia is treating him this good. Maybe an ability to hack into NSA systems or maybe an algorithm that only he knows how to read.

NSA doesnt spy on foreigners, it spies on its countrymen (US citizens) and consulates abroad and this information he leaked which was classified, and it caused an outrage.....and now the USA wants him at any cost.

Suna FBI uske Dad ko bhej rahe Russia to convice him to return back to US.

Uske dad ko samajhna chahiye ki agar wo wapas USA ayega toh bachega nahi......FBI use aisa detain karega ki kisi ko bhi pata nahi chalega uske bare mein....

[sens]

ohh yeahhh... my hubby was telling me about this.... its scary....

[Aias]

NSA doesnt spy on foreigners, it spies on its countrymen (US citizens) and consulates abroad and this information he leaked which was classified, and it caused an outrage.....and now the USA wants him at any cost.

oh no no! They can and they do monitor any person who is connected to the not-so-secure internet and mobile phones,
If you're using firefox install this add-on called 'do not track me'. You'll be surprised to know how many websites keep a track of what you're doing.

[ignoramusenator]

obviously snowden gave his secrets to Russia.