Edward Snowden to start anew
Tags:
Moscow: US fugitive Edward Snowden will publish no more leaks but instead look to build a life in Russia where he has been granted a year-long asylum, his lawyer said on Thursday.
Anatoly Kucherena, a Russian lawyer who is assisting Snowden, said the 30-year-old has found shelter in a private home of American expatriates after leaving Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport following more than five weeks in limbo there.
A pledge not to publish more information that could harm the United States was the condition under which Russian President Vladimir Putin said the American could receive safe harbour.
But Snowden’s promise does not extend to the WikiLeaks anti-secrecy group to which he has already handed over much of his material, Kucherena said.
“Edward assured me that he is not planning to publish any documents that blacken the American government,” Kucherena said.
“But before that he said... when he was in Hong Kong he gave a part of that material to journalists, so that material, of course, he can’t take back.” The lawyer also added that the former US National Security Agency contractor wants to rent a flat and find work in Russia, and has no immediate plans to leave.
Later, it was learnt that the whistleblower is likely to get a job at Russia’s top social-networking site VKontakte, according to a news report on NYT.
Meanwhile, Mosow’s asylum to Mr Snowden angered the US and putting in doubt a planned summit between the two nations’ Presidents.
The United States wanted Russia to send Snowden home to face criminal charges including espionage.
The White House has signalled that President Barack Obama may boycott a September summit with President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
Post new comment