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October 18, 2013

Snowden Says He Took No Secret Files to Russia 
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National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden says he has
ensured there is a "zero percent chance" either China or Russia could
obtain access to the secret NSA documents he has given to journalists.
Writing over encrypted chat, Snowden told The New York Times' James
Risen he did not keep any copies of the files after handing them to
Glenn Greenwald and Laura Poitras in Hong Kong. He says he was able to
prevent China from accessing the files because he was familiar with
their systems after targeting them as an NSA contractor. Snowden told
Risen: "So long as there's broad support amongst a people, it can be
argued there's a level of legitimacy even to the most invasive and
morally wrong program, as it was an informed and willing decision.
However, programs that are implemented in secret, out of public
oversight, lack that legitimacy, and that's a problem." Snowden also
disputed an earlier New York Times report about a warning regarding his
behavior placed in his personnel file in 2009 by a supervisor at the
CIA. Snowden said the supervisor was retaliating against him after he
warned about a software vulnerability. The CIA has also disputed The New
York Times' account.

 

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