Snowden may be Putin’s ‘gift’ to US
"Finally: irrefutable evidence that I never co-operated with Russian intel. No country trades away spies, as the rest would fear they're next." Edward Snowden, National Security Agency leaker
RUSSIA: Edward Snowden said at the weekend that reports Vladimir Putin was considering handing him over to the US as ‘‘a gift’’ to Donald Trump was proof that he was not a Russian spy.
The Russian president is said to be thinking about whether to give the National Security Agency leaker to the US in an effort to ‘‘curry favour’’ with Trump, who described Snowden as a ‘‘traitor’’ and called for his execution.
US intelligence is reported to have intercepted evidence of highlevel discussions within the Russian government over the potential benefits for Moscow of sending Snowden back to the US to face trial.
American spies have also reportedly confirmed parts of a dossier about Trump compiled by a former MI6 agent. US operatives have not verified the more salacious details in the file but if parts have been found to be accurate it may strengthen the document’s overall credibility.
The idea that Putin might use Snowden as a bargaining chip has been circulating since Trump’s election victory in November.
Some advisers around Putin believe that giving Snowden as ‘‘a gift’’ to the US would improve the Kremlin’s standing with the new president and help Russia achieve its foreign policy goals, a US official said.
Snowden said the report was proof he was not a Russian spy, an accusation levelled at him since he sought refuge in Moscow in 2013 after leaking thousands of classified US and British files.
‘‘Finally: irrefutable evidence that I never co-operated with Russian intel. No country trades away spies, as the rest would fear they’re next,’’ he wrote on Twitter.
Trump has made no secret of his animosity towards the former NSA contractor. ‘‘Snowden is a spy who has caused great damage to the US. A spy in the old days, when our country was respected and strong, would be executed,’’ he said in 2014.
Snowden’s lawyer, Ben Wizner, said he was not aware of any plans to send Snowden back to America.
Meanwhile, CNN reported US intelligence had corroborated parts of a 35-page dossier that Christopher Steele, a former MI6 spy, had created on Trump’s background.
It related to conversations between Russian citizens, rather than claims about prostitutes. Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary, said: ‘‘We continue to be disgusted by CNN’S fake news reporting.’’ – Telegraph Group