Snowden reveals spy partners
Source: Agencies |
July 8, 2013, Monday
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Fugitive intelligence leaker Edward Snowden says the US National Security Agency operates broad secret spying partnerships with other Western governments now complaining about its programs, in an interview published yesterday.
Snowden said in comments made before his exposure of US espionage practices came to light last month and printed in German news weekly Der Spiegel that NSA spies are "in bed together with the Germans and most other Western states."
In remarks published in German, Snowden said an NSA department known as the Foreign Affairs Directorate coordinated work with foreign secret services.
The partnerships are organized so that authorities in other countries can "insulate their political leaders from the backlash" if it becomes public "how grievously they're violating global privacy," he said.
The interview was conducted by US cryptography expert Jacob Appelbaum and documentary filmmaker Laura Poitras using "encrypted e-mails shortly before Snowden became known globally for his whistleblowing," Der Spiegel said.
On cooperation with Germany's BND foreign intelligence agency, Snowden said the NSA provides "analysis tools" for data passing through Germany from regions such as the Middle East.
The US government has revoked the passport of Snowden, a former NSA contractor who is seeking to evade US justice for leaking details about a vast US electronic surveillance program to collect phone and Internet data.
He has been stranded at a Moscow airport for two weeks but three Latin American countries - Bolivia, Venezuela and Nicaragua - have now offered him asylum.
In Moscow, an influential Russian parliament member encouraged Snowden to accept Venezuela's offer.
Alexei Pushkov, who heads the international affairs committee in Russia's parliament, posted a message on Twitter saying: "Venezuela is waiting for an answer from Snowden. This, perhaps, is his last chance to receive political asylum."
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Elias Jaua said he expects to consult with Russian officials today.
For Snowden to leave for South America, he would need Venezuela to issue travel documents and he would need to find a way to get there. The only direct commercial flight from Moscow goes to Havana, Cuba. Snowden had booked a seat on the flight the day after arriving from Hong Kong, but failed to show up.
The Moscow-Havana flight goes over Europe and the US. Some European countries refused to allow Bolivian President Evo Morales to fly through their airspace last week because of suspicions Snowden was on his plane.
Pushkov joked that if Snowden does not find shelter in Venezuela, "he will have to stay and marry Anna Chapman," the Russian spy among 10 sleeper agents deported from the US in 2010.
The 31-year-old Chapman proposed to Snowden, who just turned 30, on Twitter last week.
Snowden said in comments made before his exposure of US espionage practices came to light last month and printed in German news weekly Der Spiegel that NSA spies are "in bed together with the Germans and most other Western states."
In remarks published in German, Snowden said an NSA department known as the Foreign Affairs Directorate coordinated work with foreign secret services.
The partnerships are organized so that authorities in other countries can "insulate their political leaders from the backlash" if it becomes public "how grievously they're violating global privacy," he said.
The interview was conducted by US cryptography expert Jacob Appelbaum and documentary filmmaker Laura Poitras using "encrypted e-mails shortly before Snowden became known globally for his whistleblowing," Der Spiegel said.
On cooperation with Germany's BND foreign intelligence agency, Snowden said the NSA provides "analysis tools" for data passing through Germany from regions such as the Middle East.
The US government has revoked the passport of Snowden, a former NSA contractor who is seeking to evade US justice for leaking details about a vast US electronic surveillance program to collect phone and Internet data.
He has been stranded at a Moscow airport for two weeks but three Latin American countries - Bolivia, Venezuela and Nicaragua - have now offered him asylum.
In Moscow, an influential Russian parliament member encouraged Snowden to accept Venezuela's offer.
Alexei Pushkov, who heads the international affairs committee in Russia's parliament, posted a message on Twitter saying: "Venezuela is waiting for an answer from Snowden. This, perhaps, is his last chance to receive political asylum."
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Elias Jaua said he expects to consult with Russian officials today.
For Snowden to leave for South America, he would need Venezuela to issue travel documents and he would need to find a way to get there. The only direct commercial flight from Moscow goes to Havana, Cuba. Snowden had booked a seat on the flight the day after arriving from Hong Kong, but failed to show up.
The Moscow-Havana flight goes over Europe and the US. Some European countries refused to allow Bolivian President Evo Morales to fly through their airspace last week because of suspicions Snowden was on his plane.
Pushkov joked that if Snowden does not find shelter in Venezuela, "he will have to stay and marry Anna Chapman," the Russian spy among 10 sleeper agents deported from the US in 2010.
The 31-year-old Chapman proposed to Snowden, who just turned 30, on Twitter last week.
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