Surprise: Snowden Knows Some Russian Spies
Edward Snowden “has had and continues to have contact” with Russian intelligence services since arriving in Moscow three years ago, newly declassified portions of a US congressional report released recently.
The House of Representatives intelligence committee released the declassified portions to provide what the panel’s chairman called “a fuller account of Edward Snowden’s crimes and the reckless disregard he has shown for US national security”.
The report is highly critical of Snowden, the former NSA contractor who revealed the scale of the NSA’s surveillance program, claiming that he did not attempt to communicate his concerns to his supervisors before providing the Guardian with top-secret NSA documents.
However, the report’s credibility was immediately condemned by Snowden’s lawyer Ben Wizner.
The political motivation of the report was called into question in September when a four-page executive summary was released on the eve of the premiere of Oliver Stone’s biopic on the whistleblower, claiming that Snowden “damaged” national security, without providing evidence to support the claim.
Then in another recent the interview, Snowden spoke of a perceived double standard in the US justice system and said that US Army General Davd Petraeus leaked "information that was far more highly classified than I ever did," but he still never "spent a single day in jail."
According to Snowden, weighing Petraeus' punishment against his own status as a fugitive is evidence that justice isn't always cut and dry.
"We have a two-tiered system of justice in the United States, where people who are either well-connected to government or they have access to an incredible amount of resources get very light punishments."
Snowden came into fame after leaking information to journalists in 2013 about the NSA's spying and surveillance efforts. And, while Snowden alluded to the idea that he shared information with the public "for their benefit," he lambasted Petraeus for sharing classified information about the military and the president with "his biographer and lover for personal benefit."
For the crime of mishandling classified information, Petraeus was charged with a misdemeanor, of which he plead guilty. Snowden, is likely facing charges of violating the US Espionage Act, among other felonies.
The interview comes at a time when Petraeus is rumored to be on the short list for consideration as secretary of state under US president-elect Donald Trump. Additionally, Snowden supporters are working to petition current US president Barack Obama to pardon Snowden before Trump takes office.
There's no doubt that Snowden is a polarising figure. His actions have earned him praise from some as an American hero, but he has also faced his share of demonisation.
Bob Gourley, co-founder of the cyber security consultancy Cognitio and former CTO of the Defense Intelligence Agency, said that it is important to realise there are two sides to every story, and there are defined differences between Snowden and Petraeus.
"Every action Snowden has done, and every statement he has ever made, has to be looked at through a skeptical lens," Gourley said. "He has always acted in ways that spin things his way and likely always will. None of us should excuse Petraeus for his crime, but he had the bravery to face justice and admit wrong. Snowden may have some credibility if he does the same. Till then, I'm a skeptic."
Image: Punk_Patriot411
TechRepublic: Guardian: Snowden Worried That He'll Face Prison Or Execution If Russia Sends Him Home:
