Edward Snowden leaves airport and enters Russia after authorities grant him temporary asylum

[Punkingal]

MOSCOW — National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden has left a transit zone of a Moscow airport and entered Russia after authorities granted him a temporary asylum, his lawyer said Thursday.

Anatoly Kucherena said that Snowden’s whereabouts will be kept secret for security reasons. The former NSA systems analyst was stuck at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport since his arrival from Hong Kong on June 23.

The U.S. has demanded that Russia send Snowden home to face prosecution for espionage, but President Vladimir Putin has dismissed the request.

Putin had said that Snowden could receive asylum in Russia on condition he stops leaking U.S. secrets. Kucherena has said Snowden accepted the condition.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/edward-snowden-had-papers-that-allow-him-to-enter-russia-his-lawyer-says/2013/08/01/31ef125a-faa2-11e2-89f7-8599e3f77a67_story.html

Interesting!

[Catherina]

1. Awesome! n/t

[frazzled]

2. So nice to reside in an actual police state ...

than a theoretical one.

[randome]

3. Hey, he'll be fine in Russia.

So long as he doesn't do anything 'gay' or sing in a church or protest too much.

He'll be fine.

[JaneyVee]

4. Ah yes, Russia. That bastion of freedom, free speech, and human rights.

Finally, he's free from the massive surveillance state, tyranny, and corruption!

[backscatter712]

7. These days, it's realpolitik that determines asylum choices...

Russia happens to be big enough to give the U.S. the middle finger and get away with it, and Putin would be seen as a wuss by his own people if he didn't.

That, and Snowden didn't have much of a choice - it was Russia or nothing.

[npk]

9. Well, "temporarily" free of course

I wonder what kind of conditions Snowden will be placed under by the Kremlin.

[Scurrilous]

5. Free at last!!1!

Finally Freeeeeeeeee...

Free to frolic in a land that respects human rights!

[Cleita]

6. K&R

[backscatter712]

8. Good to hear. I'll be he's glad to get out of that airport! n/t

[The Link]

10. At least Obama will think twice before droning him there.

[DCBob]

11. I hope while he is there he can hack into Russia's surveillance system..

and dump what he finds on Greenwalds desk. That would be interesting information.

[UglyGreed]

12. Good old Russia AKA the Soviet Union

who sent my Uncle to Siberia because he stated he did not like Stalin's face at a local bar. Who's troops used my Aunt as target practice while walking home from school at the age of 14. And finally chased my mother and father out of their own country during WW2.... God bless them.