WikiLeaks: Snowden going to Ecuador to seek asylum
Source: AP-Excite
By PHILIP ELLIOTT
WASHINGTON (AP) - Admitted leaker Edward Snowden took flight Sunday in evasion of U.S. authorities, seeking asylum in Ecuador and leaving the Obama administration scrambling to determine its next step in what became a game of diplomatic cat-and-mouse.
The former National Security Agency contractor and CIA technician fled Hong Kong and arrived at the Moscow airport, where he planned to spend the night before boarding an Aeroflot flight to Cuba. Ecuador's Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino said his government received an asylum request from Snowden, and the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks said it would help him.
"He goes to the very countries that have, at best, very tense relationships with the United States," said Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., adding that she feared Snowden would trade more U.S. secrets for asylum. "This is not going to play out well for the national security interests of the United States."
The move left the U.S. with limited options as Snowden's itinerary took him on a tour of what many see as anti-American capitals. Ecuador in particular has rejected the United States' previous efforts at cooperation, and has been helping WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, avoid prosecution by allowing him to stay at its embassy in London.
FULL story at link.
Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20130623/DA73N2IG0.html
A TV screen shows a news report of Edward Snowden, a former CIA employee who leaked top-secret documents about sweeping U.S. surveillance programs, at a shopping mall in Hong Kong Sunday, June 23, 2013. The former National Security Agency contractor wanted by the United States for revealing two highly classified surveillance programs has been allowed to leave for a "third country" because a U.S. extradition request did not fully comply with Hong Kong law, the territory's government said Sunday. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
Hissyspit
(45,788 posts)@GregMitch: NYT just posted interview with Assange--says Ecuador issued key travel doc long ago, last Monday. http://t.co/GugWe8PyU4
Demeter
(85,373 posts)I suspect that Anonymous are greatly enjoying this.
I'll believe it when it happens, not before. Meanwhile, there's too much scrambled egg on a lot of military heads, and a President who's had the experience of being "droned", if only digitally.
Ash_F
(5,861 posts)The right wing military establishment there has been known to take the law into their own hands, despite what Ecuadorian law says.
Cha
(297,935 posts)keep running Leaker man until you land in that safe comfy spot you're looking for.
And, Matt Drudge among others is cheering Putin on now.. Yay. Go Russia Go China bad USA. Not.
GOPathetic @GOPathetic
So, Matt @Drudge is now rooting for Putin over his own country. Keep it classy. https://twitter.com/drudge/status https://twitter.com/drudge/status/348812517356748800
http://theobamadiary.com/2013/06/23/rise-and-shine-535/#comments
Cha
(297,935 posts)Gus @Gus_802
Ecuador: Pres. Correa says he won't allow marriage or adoption rights for gays and will veto any gender identity laws
He acknowledged there were current efforts in the national assembly to pass a gender identity law but mocked the legislator introducing the bill and promised to veto the bill if it ever reached his desk.
The shock and disappointment among leading Ecuadorian LGBT rights advocates was palpable on the social networks and many took to Twitter to demand an explanation from Correa on the eve of his inauguration.
http://blabbeando.blogspot.com/2013/05/ecuador-no-to-marriage-equality-no-to.html?spref=tw
http://theobamadiary.com/2013/06/23/i-dare-not-linger-for-my-long-walk-is-not-ended/
sheshe2
(84,005 posts)Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said she had been told Snowden had perhaps more than 200 sensitive documents.
http://apnews.excite.com/article/20130623/DA73N2IG0.html
All this hair on fire, yet so many do not seem to be upset that Snowden has in his hands, highly classified documents! Documents that could be a threat to our national security!
Go figure, Cha.
Cha
(297,935 posts)about the harm he did to those whose lives and families were in danger. Only that he downloaded and leaked a crap load of classified documents and gave it to Leakers R Us without knowing shit about what was in there.
Only maybe Snowden knows.. he just doesn't give a shite.. as along as he has a comfy place to hide. But, in Ecuador? Freaking hypocrite.
Sam Stein ✔ @samsteinhp
Stephanie Cutter says al Qaeda is "passing around" Edward Snowden's power points.
http://theobamadiary.com/2013/06/23/chat-away-181/
msanthrope
(37,549 posts)Cha
(297,935 posts)Of course, Assange would want to go to the Ecuadorian embassy and Snowden would seek out Ecuador for a hiding place.