Russian President Putin Grants Former NSA Contractor Edward Snowden Russian Citizenship

After years of separation from our parents, my wife and I have no desire to be separated from our SONS.

After two years of waiting and nearly ten years of exile, a little stability will make a difference for my family. I pray for privacy for them—and for us all. https://t.co/24NUK21TAo pic.twitter.com/qLfp47uzZ4

— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) September 26, 2022

Daily Mail: Former NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, 39, welcomes Russian citizenship saying it will give his family ‘stability’ as US officials who still want him on espionage charges say he should be drafted to fight against Ukraine 

* Snowden has been living in Russia since 2013 to escape prosecution in the U.S. 

* He's wanted for espionage after leaking details of the NSA's covert data program 

* Ex-contractor is one of 75 foreign nationals getting citizenship under decree * He has said he welcomes citizenship which will give his family 'stability' 

* His wife and mother of his child Lindsay Mills will also be applying for citizenship 

* Snowden has been living in exile since leaking the trove of documents in 2013 

* Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle said Snowden should be drafted to fight 

Former CIA and NSA employee Edward Snowden has said Russian citizenship will provide security for his family, after President Vladimir Putin granted a visa for the whistleblower who leaked information on the NSA's operation to covertly collect information on millions of Americans.

'After years of separation from our parents, my wife and I have no desire to be separated from our SONS,' he said on Twitter, welcoming his newfound citizenship. 

'After two years of waiting and nearly ten years of exile, a little stability will make a difference for my family. I pray for privacy for them—and for us all.' 

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: Of course he is happy. A return to the U.S. would mean decades in prison .... Snowden responds to Putin approval of Russian citizenship (The Hill). 

Russian President Putin Grants Former NSA Contractor Edward Snowden Russian Citizenship  

Vladimir Putin grants former NSA contractor Edward Snowden Russian citizenship -- CNN  

Putin grants Russian citizenship to US whistleblower Edward Snowden -- The Guardian 

Russia grants citizenship to Edward Snowden -- DW  

Edward Snowden given Russian citizenship by Vladimir Putin, two years after becoming permanent resident -- ABC News Australia  

Putin Grants Edward Snowden Russian Citizenship – Decree -- Moscow Times

Edward Snowden And Others Warn Of Consequences To Trump’s Facebook Ban

I know a lot of folks in the comments read this are like "YAAAAS," which, like—I get it. But imagine for a moment a world that exists for more than the next 13 days, and this becomes a milestone that will endure.

— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) January 7, 2021

RT: ‘Turning point in the battle for control’: Edward Snowden, others warn of consequences to Trump’s Facebook ban 

Edward Snowden and others have reacted to news, and ensuing celebration, that Facebook will ban content from Donald Trump for two weeks by warning that giving such power to social media platforms sets a dangerous precedent. 

Many are celebrating the announcement by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg that President Trump will be banned from posting content on the social media platform, as well as Instagram, for at least the next two weeks following violence at the US Capitol – but others are warning that this moment could have dire consequences for free speech in the near future. 

Read more .... 

WNU Editor: Edward Snowden is not alone. The richest man in the world is also critical of Facebook .... 'Domino Effect': Elon Musk Tweets Meme Blaming Facebook For US Capitol Attack (Outlook India). His meme's on Facebook are spot on (see below).

This is called the domino effect pic.twitter.com/qpbEW54RvM

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 7, 2021

pic.twitter.com/2ja38Z8MRE

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 7, 2021

US Whistleblower Edward Snowden And His Wife Are Applying For Russian Citizenship For Sake Of Future Son

 

The Guardian: Edward Snowden applies for Russian citizenship for sake of future son 

US whistleblower says move is to prevent separation from his as-yet unborn son in ‘era of pandemics and closed borders’ 

The US whistleblower Edward Snowden and his wife are applying for Russian citizenship in order not to be separated from their future son in an era of pandemics and closed borders, he said on Monday.

Snowden’s wife, Lindsay, is expecting a child in late December, the Interfax news agency cited Anatoly Kucherena, his Russian lawyer, as saying. 

Snowden, 37, fled the US and was given asylum in Russia after leaking secret files in 2013 that revealed vast domestic and international surveillance operations carried out by the US National Security Agency where he was a contractor. 

US authorities have for years wanted Snowden returned to the US to face a criminal trial on espionage charges brought in 2013.  

Read more .... 

Update #1: Fugitive US whistleblower Ed Snowden reveals he and his wife have applied for Russian citizenship so they won't be separated from their future son in an 'era of pandemics and closed borders' (Daily Mail) 

Update #2: US whistleblower Snowden seeks Russian citizenship ahead of son’s birth (France 24)

WNU Editor: It makes sense for him and his wife to have a dual citizenship since they are now expecting a son. He is still keeping his options open to go back to the U.S.. He just does not want to spend the next 20 years in a jail cell.

NSA Whistleblower Edward Snowden Granted Permanent Residency In Russia

Fugitive US whistleblower Edward Snowden (pictured in 2016) has been granted permanent residency in Russia, his lawyer said on Thursday 

Daily Mail: CIA whistleblower Edward Snowden is granted permanent residency in Russia after living in exile in the country since 2013 

 * Snowden, 37, revealed the US government was spying on its citizens in 2013 

 * He has lived in exile in Russia since the revelations but wants to return to the US 

 * His lawyer said his Russian residency permit was extended and is now indefinite 

Fugitive US whistleblower Edward Snowden has been granted permanent residency in Russia, his lawyer said today. 

Snowden, the former US intelligence contractor who revealed in 2013 that the US government was spying on its citizens, has been living in exile in Russia since the revelations. 

The 37-year-old has said he would like to return to the United States. 

His lawyer Anatoly Kucherena said on Thursday that his residency permit was extended and is now indefinite. 

Read more .... 

Update #1: Snowden Granted Permanent Russian Residency – Lawyer (Moscow Times) 

Update #2: America's most wanted man to remain far from Uncle Sam's reach: Whistleblower Edward Snowden granted permanent residency in Russia (RT) 

WNU Editor: He is eligible for Russian citizenship, but choose not to apply. This tells me that he wants to return back to the US.

NSA Whistleblower Edward Snowden Agrees To Pay United States $5 Million From Book And Speeches

CIA whistleblower Edward Snowden (pictured) has agreed to forfeit more than $5million from book proceeds and speeches to the US government, according to court records

Daily Mail: CIA whistleblower Edward Snowden agrees to forfeit more than $5m from book proceeds and $18,000 a time speeches to the US government

* Edward Snowden, 37, published a book last year without government approval
* It breached contracts he signed with the CIA and the National Security Agency
* Justice Department brought a lawsuit which was upheld by a federal judge
* Snowden has since agreed a payment plan with the Trump administration

CIA whistleblower Edward Snowden has agreed to forfeit more than $5million from book proceeds and speeches to the US government, according to court records.

The 37-year-old, who leaked intelligence secrets in 2013, published a book last year without government approval which breached contracts he had signed with the CIA and the National Security Agency.

The Justice Department brought a lawsuit against Snowden which has since been upheld by a federal judge - but a forfeiture plan has not yet been approved.

Read more ....

Update #1: Edward Snowden agrees to give up more than $5 million from book and speeches (CNN)
Update #2: Snowden Reportedly Agrees to Pay United States $5 Million From Book, Speeches (Sputnik)

WNU Editor: This tells me a couple of things. Edward Snowden is in contact with US authorities. He did not have to agree to give away $5 million. He is living in Russia where the US courts have no jurisdiction. So why the deal? It looks like something else is at play, and that is Edward Snowden wants to return to the U.S.. To do that he is willing to lay the groundwork with US authorities to make that happen with minimal penalties, and this forfeiture of earnings is his way of showing that he is serious.

Will President Trump Pardon Edward Snowden?

Edward Snowden speaks via video link at an EU event in Strasbourg in 2019. The US government has repeatedly demanded that he return to face charges under the Espionage Act. Photograph: Vincent Kessler/Reuters

USA Today: Trump says he will look 'very strongly' at granting pardon to whistleblower Edward Snowden

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump said Saturday that he's considering granting a pardon to whistleblower Edward Snowden.

“I’m going to take a look at that very strongly,” Trump said during a news conference at his golf resort in Bedminster, New Jersey.

Snowden, a former contractor for the National Security Agency, has been living in exile in Moscow since fleeing the U.S. six years ago after leaking information on the nation's most secretive spy agencies and their programs. His revelations triggered a debate over government eavesdropping, with some hailing him as a hero and others calling him a traitor.

Trump said that he is “not that aware of the Snowden situation” but that people on both the left and the right are divided over the former contractor.

"It seems to be a split decision," he said. “Many people think he should be somehow treated differently, and other people think he did very bad things."

Read more ....

WNU Editor: I do not think President Trump is serious about pardoning Edward Snowden. But I do see President Trump using Edward Snowden as a tool against the US intel community that if they interfere in the US Presidential election, he will pardon Edward Snowden and Julian Assange.

Update: The US government still wants to seize his Edward Snowden's money .... Edward Snowden has taken $1.2m in speaking fees in exile, US filing says (The Guardian).

Edward Snowden: Found No Evidence Of Aliens In CIA, Military, And Government Databases

Business Insider: Edward Snowden said he couldn't find any evidence that the government was hiding aliens when he searched through CIA databases

* Edward Snowden, the NSA whistleblower who blew the lid on the US government's classified mass surveillance programs, shut down a conspiracy theory that the US is secretly housing alien lifeforms.
* Speaking on an episode of "The Joe Rogan Experience" podcast, which aired on Wednesday, Snowden said he did not find any evidence of extraterrestrials when he snooped through the databases of the CIA and NSA.
* "Everybody wants to believe in conspiracy theories because it helps life make sense," he told Rogan. "It helps us believe that somebody is in control, that somebody is calling the shots."

Edward Snowden shut down the conspiracy theory that the US government is secretly harboring aliens at its top secret facilities during an episode of "The Joe Rogan Experience" podcast, which aired on Wednesday.

Snowden, an American whistleblower who revealed details of classified US government surveillance programs in 2013, addressed rumors about secret extraterrestrial lifeforms in his recently released memoir "Permanent Record."

"I know, Joe, I know you want there to be aliens," he said. "I know Neil deGrasse Tyson badly wants there to be aliens. And there probably are, right?"

Read more ....

More News On Edward Snowden Saying He Found No Evidence Of Aliens In CIA, Military, And Government Databases

NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden claims he used his 'ridiculous access' to search CIA and military networks for proof aliens exist - but 'couldn't find anything' -- Daily Mail
Edward Snowden says he found no evidence of aliens in government databases -- The Hill
Edward Snowden searched the CIA's networks for proof that aliens exist. Here's what he found -- CNN

U.S. Justice Department Sues Edward Snowden Over The Publication Of New Memoir

Reuters: U.S. wants to seize all money Edward Snowden makes from new book

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States filed a lawsuit on Tuesday against Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor who leaked secret documents about U.S. telephone and internet surveillance in 2013, saying his new book violates non-disclosure agreements.

The Justice Department said Snowden published his memoir, "Permanent Record," without submitting it to intelligence agencies for review, adding that speeches given by Snowden also violated nondisclosure agreements. In 2013, Snowden wrote "Everything You Know about the Constitution is Wrong."

The United States is seeking all proceeds earned by Snowden for the book, the Justice Department said. The lawsuit also names the "corporate entities" behind the book's publication as nominal defendants.

Read more ....

More News On The U.S. Justice Department Suing Edward Snowden Over The Publication Of His New Memoir

Justice Department sues Edward Snowden over publication of new memoir -- NBC
DOJ files civil suit against Edward Snowden over new memoir -- FOX News
US sues Edward Snowden for failing to submit book to government for clearance -- CNBC
U.S. Tries to Seize Edward Snowden’s Proceeds From New Memoir -- The New York Times
Justice Department Sues Edward Snowden, Seeking Profits From His Book -- NPR
The U.S. is suing Snowden over the publication of his autobiography -- Yahoo News

Edward Snowden Tells Of Whistleblowing, His AI Fears And Six Years In Russia

The Guardian: 'They wanted me gone': Edward Snowden tells of whistleblowing, his AI fears and six years in Russia

The man whose state surveillance revelations rocked the world speaks exclusively to the Guardian about his new life and concerns for the future

The world’s most famous whistleblower, Edward Snowden, says he has detected a softening in public hostility towards him in the US over his disclosure of top-secret documents that revealed the extent of the global surveillance programmes run by American and British spy agencies.

In an exclusive two-hour interview in Moscow to mark the publication of his memoirs, Permanent Record, Snowden said dire warnings that his disclosures would cause harm had not come to pass, and even former critics now conceded “we live in a better, freer and safer world” because of his revelations.

Read more ....

More News On Edward Snowden

Snowden tells life story and why he leaked in new memoir -- AP
Edward Snowden prepares to release memoir saying the US intelligence community 'hacked the Constitution' and the 18 years since 9/11 have been a 'litany of American destruction' -- Daily Mail
Edward Snowden explains how he pulled off one of the largest leaks in U.S. history - The Washington Post -- Washington Post
'If I Happen to Fall out of a Window, You Can Be Sure I Was Pushed' -- Spiegel Online
Edward Snowden still eying asylum in Germany -- DW
Snowden says he hopes France will grant him asylum -- Reuters
Whistleblower Edward Snowden reveals his own secret... he married the 'love of his life' while in exile in Russia two years ago -- Daily Mail
Edward Snowden Opens Up About His Life in Russia -- Sputnik

NSA Leaker Edward Snowden: I Am Not Safe In Russia

Edward Snowden. Photo by: Glenn Greenwald,Laura Poitras

Washington Times: NSA leaker Snowden: I'm not safe in Russia

'Does it matter? I didn't come forward to be safe.'

Edward Snowden has raised concerns regarding his safety in Russia, where the former U.S. intelligence contractor has resided for over five years in the wake of leaking classified National Security Agency documents.

“As for the future in Russia and what will happen there, I can’t say I’m safe. I don’t know” Mr. Snowden said Thursday during an address telecast to a crowd in Austria.

“But the real question is: Does it matter?” the NSA leaker added. “I didn’t come forward to be safe.”

Read more ....

WNU Editor:  Duh!!!!!

Life Is Good For NSA Leaker Edward Snowden In Russia

© AFP 2018 / Frederick Florin

Sputnik: Ordinary Guy: Edward Snowden's Life in Russia After Leaking Classified Data

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Five years ago former US National Security Agency (NSA) officer, whistleblower Edward Snowden, who leaked online classified information revealing global surveillance programs run by US intelligence services in early June 2013, was granted temporary asylum in Russia.

Snowden's revelations could cost him as much as 30 years in prison in the United States, where he is wanted on charges of espionage and theft of government property.

After the documents' release, Snowden fled to Hong Kong, and on June 23, 2013, arrived from Hong Kong to Moscow. He remained in the transit zone of Sheremetyevo Airport, which he was unable to leave, as his US passport had been revoked.

On June 30, 2013, WikiLeaks editor Sarah Harrison, presented to the consular department at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport requests for political asylum addressed to 21 countries, including Austria, Bolivia, Brazil, China, Cuba, Finland, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain, Switzerland and Venezuela.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Life is not so good for Wikileaks founder Julian Assange .... Assange in 'solitary confinement' at embassy, fears possible extradition to US, lawyer says (ABC News).

NSA Leaker Edward Snowden Calls The Russian Government Corrupt

Edward Snowden in 2018. Photograph: Lindsay Mills

The Guardian: Edward Snowden describes Russian government as corrupt

Whistleblower’s comments a risk given his sanctuary in the country since 2013

National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden has delivered his most trenchant criticism yet of the Russian government, describing it unequivocally as “corrupt”.

His comments mean the proposed US-Russia summit in Helsinki on 16 July is potentially risky for him if Donald Trump was to request Vladimir Putin to hand him over.

Snowden is wanted in the US on three charges under the Espionage Act, carrying a minimum of 10 years each in jail. Putin could balance the propaganda value of having Snowden in Russia against providing Trump with an easy gift.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Edward Snowden is only voicing what almost every Russian thinks about his government. I also do not think the Russians are going to expel him even though by making political comments critical of the Russian governemnt he is violating the terms of his residency status. But Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is correct when he said the following .... Lavrov on trading Snowden for sanctions relief: Russia sees US exile as ‘master of his own destiny’ (RT). Where it will be a problem for Edward Snowden is if he participates in anti-government protests and makes numerous comments denouncing the government. In that case .... when his residency permit is up for renewal (I think it is in the next year or two) .... they are not going to renew it, and he will have to find another safe haven. I think Iceland would accept him .... but he will have to figure out a way to get there.

Are The Russians Getting "Tired" Of NSA "Whistle-Blower" Edward Snowden?

Edward Snowden remains in exile in Russia. Photograph: Lindsay Mills

Daily Mail: Five years after whistleblower Edward Snowden fled the US, there's growing evidence the Russians are getting fed up with him, too

* This month marks fifth anniversary of Edward Snowden's escape from Hawaii
* He revealed almost all US telephone firms handed the NSA their phone records
* But now, it appears even the Russians are becoming tiresome of Snowden

Do you remember convicted MI6 traitor and Soviet agent George Blake, who escaped over the wall of Wormwood Scrubs in London, where he was serving a 42-year sentence? He fled across Europe and has lived in Russia ever since.

Blake, who got away in 1966, now spends his time in a Kremlin-provided dacha — or country house — at Kratovo, not far from Moscow. He also has an apartment in a quiet street in the centre of the capital. These locations are not state secrets.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: He does not live in Moscow. If he was, Russian social media would have outed him within a few days. If I was to hazard a guess, he is in the northern past of the Urals living in a small town where everyone knows everyone, and everyone keeps to themselves. And no .... the Russians are not going to kick him out of the country.

Update: I forgot to mention it. It is his birthday today.

Edward Snowden Has No Regrets Five Years After Leaking The Biggest Cache Of Top Secret Documents In History

Edward Snowden remains in exile in Russia. Photograph: Lindsay Mills

Ewen MacAskill and Alex Hern, The Guardian: Edward Snowden: 'The people are still powerless, but now they're aware'

Five years after historic NSA leaks, whistleblower tells the Guardian he has no regrets.

Edward Snowden has no regrets five years on from leaking the biggest cache of top-secret documents in history. He is wanted by the US. He is in exile in Russia. But he is satisfied with the way his revelations of mass surveillance have rocked governments, intelligence agencies and major internet companies.

In a phone interview to mark the anniversary of the day the Guardian broke the story, he recalled the day his world – and that of many others around the globe – changed for good. He went to sleep in his Hong Kong hotel room and when he woke, the news that the National Security Agency had been vacuuming up the phone data of millions of Americans had been live for several hours.

Read more ....

Update #1: 'I have no regrets': Edward Snowden praises himself for 'changing everything' as he speaks from Russia five years after leaking the biggest cache of top secret documents in history (Daily Mail)
Update #2: Leaks Connected to Edward Snowden Are Still Trickling Out — 5 Years After His NSA Document Dump (Time/AP)

WNU Editor: I am not sure if he has no regrets. And upon reflection .... the surveillance state still exists, and the tools to monitor our personal data and communications are still there .... albeit currently restricted in today's political climate (that can change tomorrow).

Where Is Edward Snowden?

Snowden’s temporary asylum document from August 2013.

Yahoo News: Russian investigative journalist: Snowden is 'a sort of ghost'

Russian investigative journalist Andrei Soldatov, who co-wrote the definitive books on the post-Soviet security services and the history of the Russian internet, has kept tabs on National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden’s ongoing exile.

“He is a sort of ghost,” Soldatov told a recent Lawfare podcast. “It looks like he’s there, but since he’s banned from talking to Russian journalists or Moscow-based foreign journalists, … he speaks only to journalists coming specifically to interview him, so they are all approved [by the Russian government] in advance. So he is almost nowhere.”

Read more ....

WNU Editor: I am not surprised that he still has a security detail around him. He is probably the most wanted man within the U.S. intelligence community (Wikileaks founder Julian Assange is probably number two) .... and he would be a prize if he is brought back to the U.S.. As to the question .... will he come back on his own free will? I doubt it .... spending the next 20 years (or more) in a federal penitentiary is definitely something that he does not want. So living in Russia it is .... whether he likes it or not.

A U.S. - Russia Deal To Swap Edward Snowden For Victor Bout?

Photo: Selfies: As his girlfriend Ms Mills, pictured with the whistleblower, posts carefree pictures on Instagram, there is growing evidence he is concerned he may be handed back to the US

Daily Mail: Could Edward Snowden be sent to US in SWAP for Russian arms dealer...? Putin may 'gift' Trump whistleblower whose pole dancer lover posts naked selfies from hideaway on Instagram

* Former NSA contractor Edward Snowden has been exiled in Russia since 2013
* He fled the United States after leaking millions of top secret files onto internet
* He could now be extradited back in exchange for release of Russian jailed in US
* Arms dealer Viktor Bout, 50, is one of the prisoners mentioned in possible swap
* The speculation comes as Kremlin confirm Putin and Trump will meet at the G20

NSA Whistleblower Edward Snowden could be extradited to the US by Vladimir Putin in a swap deal for a Russian criminal, MailOnline has learned.

Speculation is growing that Putin may be ready to send back Snowden to help mend the strained relationship between Washington and Moscow.

As his girlfriend Lindsay Mills posts carefree pictures on Instagram, there is growing evidence Snowden is concerned he may be handed back to the US.

A source told MailOnline: 'A way forward could be an exchange of the kind negotiated when Anna Chapman and other 'illegal agents' returned to Moscow.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: The Russians want Viktor Bout back .... but forcibly removing Edward Snowden and sending him back to the U.S. for what may end up as a 30-year sentence for him .... I just do not see it happening.

Edward Snowden Believes The WikiLeaks' Vault 7 Dump Of CIA Documents Is 'Authentic'

Still working through the publication, but what @Wikileaks has here is genuinely a big deal. Looks authentic.

— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) March 7, 2017

Washington Times: Edward Snowden says WikiLeaks’ CIA documents look legit

Documents released by WikiLeaks alleging the CIA’s ability to compromise and commandeer the world’s most popular electronic devices appear to be authentic examples of its vast but “reckless” hacking prowess, former NSA contractor Edward Snowden said Tuesday.

As questions emerged Tuesday following WikiLeaks‘ publication of “Year Zero” – a cache of documents purportedly obtained from the CIA’s Center for Cyber Intelligence, its elite hacking division – Mr. Snowden indicated he was inclined to believe the leaked files were legitimate.

“Still working through the publication, but what @Wikileaks has here is genuinely a big deal. Looks authentic,” Mr. Snowden, 33, tweeted to his nearly 3 million Twitter followers on Tuesday.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: One commentator summed it up perfectly .... Mr. Snowden's leaks provided a briefing book on U.S. surveillance, but the CIA leaks could provide the blueprints.

More News On Edward Snowden's Analysis On The WikiLeaks' Vault 7 Dump Of CIA Documents

'What Wikileaks has here is a genuinely big deal': Edward Snowden claims CIA hack offers proof that US government is 'secretly paying to keep software unsafe' -- Daily Mail
Edward Snowden says WikiLeaks’ CIA documents look legit -- Washington Times
Edward Snowden Reacts To WikiLeaks' Vault 7 Dump, Calls CIA Documents 'Authentic' -- International Business Times
NSA former intelligence contractor Edward SnowdenSnowden Says WikiLeaks CIA Classified Leaks Archive 'Looks Authentic' -- Sputnik
Snowden: What The Wikileaks Revelations Show Is "Reckless Beyond Words" -- Zero Hedge

Edward Snowden Talks About Russia And The Trump Administration

The NSA whistleblower claimed that getting snatched by the CIA was a 'possibility'. Reuters

IBTimes: Snowden talks about life in Russia and state of security under Trump administration

Snowden and Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg spoke to a live audience in San Francisco.

Edward Snowden made an appearance via video before a live audience in San Francisco on Sunday (26 February) to talk about the state of security and privacy under the Trump administration and to highlight the important role whistleblowers play in a democracy. Snowden was joined by former US military analyst Daniel Ellsberg, who leaked classified documents known as the Pentagon Papers in 1971.

In an interview with KQED's Scott Shafer, Snowden also spoke about his life in Russia, where he now resides under asylum. Both Ellsberg and Snowden also attempted to highlight the silver linings of the Trump administration, in sparking heightened awareness among the American people about policies and rights.

Read more ....

WNU Editor:  He misses the U.S..

Report: Russia Considering Deporting NSA Leaker Edward Snowden To The U.S.

NBC: Russia Considers Returning Snowden to U.S. to ‘Curry Favor’ With Trump: Official

U.S. intelligence has collected information that Russia is considering turning over Edward Snowden as a "gift" to President Donald Trump — who has called the NSA leaker a "spy" and a "traitor" who deserves to be executed.

That's according to a senior U.S. official who has analyzed a series of highly sensitive intelligence reports detailing Russian deliberations and who says a Snowden handover is one of various ploys to "curry favor" with Trump. A second source in the intelligence community confirms the intelligence about the Russian conversations and notes it has been gathered since the inauguration.

Snowden's ACLU lawyer, Ben Wizner, told NBC News they are unaware of any plans that would send him back to the United States.

"Team Snowden has received no such signals and has no new reason for concern," Wizner said.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: I for one would be totally stunned if they deport Edward Snowden back to the U.S. unconditionally.

More News On Russia Is Considering Deporting NSA Leaker Edward Snowden To The U.S.

Russia could handover Edward Snowden to US to ‘curry favour’ with Donald Trump, report suggests -- The Independent
Russia considering giving Snowden to US as ‘gift’ to Trump: report -- The Hill
Snowden claims report Russia may 'gift' him to Trump proves he is not a spy -- The Guardian
Snowden uses report that Russia may turn him over as proof he is not spy -- FOX News
Edward Snowden says he is GLAD Putin is 'offering to return him to Trump as a gift' - despite facing life in prison if he returns to America -- Daily Mail

Reaction from Russia ....

US intelligence has info on possible transfer of Snowden to US - TV (TASS)
Edward Snowden Denies Reports That Russia Will Hand Him Over to Washington (Sputnik)
‘Evidence I never worked for Russia’: Snowden on NBC report claiming he’s to be ‘gifted’ to Trump (RT)

Edward Snowden's Leaked Documents Reveals What The NSA Knew About Earlier Russian Hacking

The Intercept: Top-Secret Snowden Document Reveals What the NSA Knew About Previous Russian Hacking

TO DATE, THE only public evidence that the Russian government was responsible for hacks of the DNC and key Democratic figures has been circumstantial and far short of conclusive, courtesy of private research firms with a financial stake in such claims. Multiple federal agencies now claim certainty about the Kremlin connection, but they have yet to make public the basis for their beliefs.

Now, a never-before-published top-secret document provided by whistleblower Edward Snowden suggests the NSA has a way of collecting evidence of Russian hacks, because the agency tracked a similar hack before in the case of a prominent Russian journalist, who was also a U.S. citizen.

Read more ....

Update #1: Snowden doc shows NSA blamed Russia for hack of murdered journalist: report (The Hill).
Update #2: The scary reason the NSA knows when Russia hacks the US, without any doubt (BGR)

WNU Editor: If this report is true .... it tells me that the NSA can trace all hackers around the world if they wanted to.