 |
| Edward Snowden |
Is Edward Snowden a hero or a misguided traitor? The young American is just 29 and has so far led what must be called a rather undistinguished life. Fresh as this story is, millions will already have made their judgement on the former employee of the CIA. Last month, Snowden gathered up secret documents at the restricted premises of his current employer in Hawaii and communicated them to the Guardian newspaper in Britain. The paper’s story revealed that the U.S. National Security Agency was keeping track of phone calls and Internet traffic of all the customers of the wireless giant Verizon. It has since been revealed that the NSA monitors effectively all such transmissions in the U.S. The Government says the NSA does not listen to phone calls or record them. The purpose of the program appears to be to identify interaction between numbers that are known to be used by terrorists and others who may be communicating with them. A warrant is required to listen to any phone conversation. The video embedded on the special page called Snowden contains a sympathetic interview with Mr. Snowden by Guardian reporters. Tonight, it appears that the NSA is preparing to charge Mr Snowden with treason. If this is done, he will have to be extradited from China. In the video, Mr. Snowden says, “I understand that I will be made to suffer for my actions,” but “I will be satisfied if the federation of secret law, unequal pardon and irresistible executive powers that rule the world that I love are revealed even for an instant. I really want the focus to be on these documents and the debate which I hope this will trigger among citizens around the globe about what kind of world we want to live in.” He added: “My sole motive is to inform the public as to that which is done in their name and that which is done against them.” The U.S. Congress had been briefed on this program for some time. Video
