Edward Snowden leaves Hong Kong, seeks asylum in Ecuador
Just two days after the US government filed espionage charges against the NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden and reports say authorities have requested that Hong Kong detain him for extradition, Snowden has left Hong Kong and is currently in Moscow.
In a statement from the HKSAR Government, officials say, Mr Edward Snowden left Hong Kong today (June 23) on his own accord for a third country through a lawful and normal channel.
The US Government earlier on made a request to the HKSAR Government for the issue of a provisional warrant of arrest against Mr Snowden. Since the documents provided by the US Government did not fully comply with the legal requirements under Hong Kong law, the HKSAR Government has requested the US Government to provide additional information so that the Department of Justice could consider whether the US Government’s request can meet the relevant legal conditions. As the HKSAR Government has yet to have sufficient information to process the request for provisional warrant of arrest, there is no legal basis to restrict Mr Snowden from leaving Hong Kong.
The HKSAR Government has already informed the US Government of Mr Snowden’s departure.
It is reported that Snowden flew to Moscow aided by the anti-secrecy group, Wikileaks.
Now the speculation is where Snowden goes from here. Some suggest Venezuela, others Iceland and some say Cuba.
One thing for certain is Edward Snowden has requested asylum in Ecuador. The Ecuador foreign minister, Ricardo Patino Aroca, wrote on Twitter moments ago:
In an interview on Meet the Press this morning, investigative reporter Glenn Greenwald said, “where [Snowden] is ultimately headed is unknown.
“In every conversation that I’ve had with him over the last three weeks, he has stressed that the key contact for every decision he’s making is as was reported this morning.
“The Obama administration has been engaged in an unprecedented war against whistleblowers, people who bring transparency to what their doing, as he believes its vital that he stays out of the clutches of the US government.
“He is apparently headed to a democratic country that will grant him asylum from this persecution.”
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SO, WHEN Edward Snowden RUNS OUT OF MONEY, UNITED STATES WILL GRAB HIM? THIS SITUATION IS CRAZY. YOU CAN NOT CATCH ‘EM ALL, UNITED STATES. NOW, Mr. Snowden KNOWS HOW “friendly” HIS FORMER COUNTRY CAN BE.
CHRISTOPHER ALLEN HORTON