Snowden Departs Hong Kong For Moscow
By Countercurrents.org
23 June, 2013
Countercurrents.org
NSA whistle blower Edward Snowden has flown out of Hong Kong, from where the US was seeking his extradition on charges of espionage. He is expected in Moscow on Sunday afternoon amid speculation he will then fly on to another country.
Hong Kong said Washington had failed to meet the requirements for extradition.
Snowden, an intelligence contractor, fled to Hong Kong in May after revealing details of internet and phone surveillance by US intelligence.
"Mr Edward Snowden left Hong Kong today (June 23) on his own accord for a third country through a lawful and normal channel," the Hong Kong government said in a statement.
The statement added that Hong Kong had "not obtained adequate information" to handle a provisional arrest warrant for Snowden issued by the US.
Snowden's final destination may be Cuba, Ecuador, Iceland or Venezuela, according to various reports
Russia's Interfax news agency quoted a source at the Aeroflot airline as saying there was a ticket in Snowden's name for a Moscow-Cuba flight.
Another Russian news agency Itar-Tass cited a source as saying Snowden would fly from Havana to the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said it was looking into the situation and confirmed Snowden may be planning to travel through Moscow as a transit passenger en route to another destination.
The Wikileaks anti-secrecy website said on Sunday it helped Snowden leave Hong Kong and find "political asylum in a democratic country, travel papers and safe exit from Hong Kong". It said he was currently in Russian airspace and travelling with Wikileaks legal advisors.
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