The Reason Why Hong Kong Permitted NSA Whistle-Blower Edward Snowden To Leave And Avoid A U.S. Arrrest Warrent

People cross a street in front of a monitor showing file footage of Edward Snowden, a former contractor for the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA), with a news tag (L) saying he has left Hong Kong, outside a shopping mall in Hong Kong June 23, 2013. Snowden left Hong Kong on a flight for Moscow on Sunday and his final destination may be Ecuador or Iceland, the South China Morning Post said.

Hong Kong Says It Let The NSA Leaker Go Partly Because The US Got His Middle Name Wrong -- Business Insider

Hong Kong is defending its decision to let NSA whistleblower/leaker Edward Snowden leave the country, saying it had not received the necessary paperwork from the U.S. to have him arrested.

It turns out that some of that necessary information was as simple as Edward Joseph Snowden’s name and passport number.

From The South China Morning Post:

The name used in US government diplomatic documents was Edward James Snowden, the US Department of Justice referred to him as Edward J Snowden, and Hong Kong’s Immigration Department had him recorded as Edward Joseph Snowden, [Hong Kong's justice secretary Yuen Kwok-keung] said.

“I couldn’t say the three names were consistent, so we needed further clarification. Otherwise, there would have been legal problems with a provisional arrest warrant,” Yuen said.

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My Comment: I am sure that if it was not this reason .... the authorities in Hong Kong would find something else that would give them the legal cover to let Edward Snowden leave. But for someone who has leaked more critical U.S. intelligence than anyone else in years .... this sloppiness by U.S. authorities (not knowing his full name and Passport#) is unbelievable. It makes you wonder if this is a case that the U.S. is taking seriously .... or their concerns are just for show.

Update: U.S. says it didn't blunder when Snowden fled Hong Kong -- CNN