MOSCOW, (PNA/Itar-Tass) — Lon Snowden, the father of CIA’s ex-agent Edward Snowden, arrived in Russia by air on Thursday, the Russia-24 television channel reports.
The airliner with Mr. Snowden, Sr., on board landed at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport at about 07:50 (03:50 GMT). Lon Snowden arrived in Moscow to meet with his son Edward.
Edward Snowden, 30, who had published information about US special services’ global spying program, was granted a temporary asylum in Russia.
Prior to that, he had spent more than a month in the transit zone of the Sheremetyevo airport. In the US, Snowden is accused of divulging classified information on the National Security Agency’s electronic spying program.
Mr. Snowden, Sr., had earlier stated more than once his desire to see Edward. He reiterated that he loves his son and is proud of him and that he thinks that “if we go to Russia, we shall do that on legitimate grounds and in appropriate circumstances”.
Earlier, lawyer Anatoly Kucherena told reporters about the imminent visit of Lon Snowden to Russia.
According to Kucherena, Edward Snowden is now in quite modest financial situation.
“He lives on the money he had, quite modestly. Certainly, it is not enough for better living conditions,” the lawyer said.
The lawyer also said that the ex-CIA officer is going search a job in Russia.
Brazil asks for video conference with Snowden
Brazilian Senate committee for investigating facts of espionage by the U.S. intelligence October 10 decided to ask Russian authorities to “give a permission to participate in a videoconference of Edward Snowden” with Brazilian lawmakers.
The decision was made after the Senate Committee at its public meeting heard Glenn Greenwald, an American journalist living in Brazil. He is a correspondent for The Guardian.
He was the person that Snowden gave a large number of revelatory documents. Media publications on the basis of these documents revealed that U.S. and Canadian intelligence services were recording telephone calls and reading the electronic correspondence of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, as well as of Brazilian diplomats, strategic ministries and companies of the South American country.
The Guardian to continue revelations
Chief Editor of The Guardian Alan Rusbridger said October 9 that the British newspaper will continue to publish revelatory documents provided by Snowden.
In this way he reacted to the statement by the head of counterintelligence MI5 Andrew Parker that these publications pose a threat to national security.
Accusation against Snowden
Edward Snowden is accused by the United States of leaking classified information about electronic surveillance programs run by the National Security Agency.
At home, he is charged of violation of two articles of the U.S. law on espionage of 1917 – unauthorized disclosure of classified information affecting national defense and deliberate transmission of U.S. intelligence data to persons not entitled to receive such information.
In addition, Snowden is accused of stealing property of the U.S. government. For each of these points he faces up to 10 years in prison.