Bolivia demands answers on flight ban
Source: Agencies |
July 9, 2013, Tuesday
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BOLIVIA has demanded that the ambassadors from France, Spain, Portugal and Italy inform the government yesterday why they thought former US spy agency contractor Edward Snowden was on President Evo Morales' flight from Moscow last week.
Bolivia says the four countries banned Morales' plane from their airspace on suspicions he was transporting Snowden to Bolivia in defiance of Washington, which wants the fugitive returned home to face espionage charges.
Outraged, Bolivia is now calling the incident an act of "state terrorism" by the US and its allies against Morales, an outspoken critic of US policies.
"We are simply asking the government of Spain and the other governments, of course, to clarify and explain where that version of Snowden being on the presidential plane came from. Who spread that fallacy, that lie?" Communications Minister Amanda Davila said.
Davila said the government believes the US knew that Snowden was not on the plane and simply wanted to intimidate Morales, who has since offered unconditional asylum to Snowden.
"As experts in international law and human rights have said, this is a massive attack," she said. "It's the first case of state terrorism against a president, against a nation, against a people. That's what we're talking about now."
Snowden, 30, is believed to be still holed up in the transit area of Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport.
Bolivia says the four countries banned Morales' plane from their airspace on suspicions he was transporting Snowden to Bolivia in defiance of Washington, which wants the fugitive returned home to face espionage charges.
Outraged, Bolivia is now calling the incident an act of "state terrorism" by the US and its allies against Morales, an outspoken critic of US policies.
"We are simply asking the government of Spain and the other governments, of course, to clarify and explain where that version of Snowden being on the presidential plane came from. Who spread that fallacy, that lie?" Communications Minister Amanda Davila said.
Davila said the government believes the US knew that Snowden was not on the plane and simply wanted to intimidate Morales, who has since offered unconditional asylum to Snowden.
"As experts in international law and human rights have said, this is a massive attack," she said. "It's the first case of state terrorism against a president, against a nation, against a people. That's what we're talking about now."
Snowden, 30, is believed to be still holed up in the transit area of Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport.
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