US Formally Charges Snowden with Espionage

This is just breaking, more links will be be added as it is picked up.


Federal prosecutors have filed a sealed criminal complaint against Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor who leaked a trove of documents about top-secret surveillance programs, and the United States has asked Hong Kong to detain him on a provisional arrest warrant, according to U.S. officials.

Snowden was charged with espionage, theft and conversion of government property, the officials said.


The complaint was filed in the Eastern District of Virginia, a jurisdiction where Snowden’s former employer, Booz Allen Hamilton, is headquartered, and a district with a long track record in prosecuting cases with national security implications.

A Justice Department spokeswoman declined to comment.



http://thepoliticalfreakshow.us/post/53547094268/breaking-us-formally-charges-edward-snowden-with

 

More documents released yesterday and just now as well.

yesterday
http://www.politicalforum.com/current-events/308129-theyre-heeeeeere-new-snowden-docs.html

today (Pay attention in the UK)
http://www.politicalforum.com/curre...eeeere-new-snowden-docs-3.html#post1062771772

 

Has anyone been charged or even questioned about the leaks that got most of the SEAL Team that killed Osama killed?? Is BH Obama going to be charged for his treasonous speeches in Egypt, Germany, etc??

 

I suppose the question now, will become how to go about extradition. Below is an interesting article, that speaks to a very interesting clause in international extradition treaties. One that is sure to become problematic for the government, it is known as 'political offense exception'.


The article was written prior to the charges of Snowden, but relevant nontheless.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/cybertruth/2013/06/19/how-edward-snowden-could-sidestep-extradition/2434335/

 

Okay, the story of the charges are finally starting to pop up. Here are a couple more links..........


http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2013/06/government-files-espionage-charges-against-edward-snowden/66503/


http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2013/06/government-files-espionage-charges-against-edward-snowden/66503/

 

That is a great point. The White House leaked how the Bin Laden raid was conducted and the tactics of the helicopters. Shortly thereafter, most of that team was killed by Taliban that used the leak to devise a trap to shoot them down. Who is accountable at the White House and where is the espionage charge?

 

The US extradition treaty with Hong Kong has an exception for political offences such as espionage and 50% of Hong Kongers believe that Snowden should not be sent back if Washington files for extradition, according to a local newspaper poll. Moreover, Beijing has the power to veto any ruling by Hong Kong authorities and Snowden's extradition is likely denied by China especially because he acted out of conscience to protect “basic liberties for people around the world”.

 

Snowden was charged with espionage, theft and conversion of government property, the officials said.

The complaint was filed in the Eastern District of Virginia, a jurisdiction where Snowden’s former employer, Booz Allen Hamilton, is headquartered, and a district with a long track record in prosecuting cases with national security implications.

Finally!

 

Snowden is just the latest in a long string of tyrannical prosecutions by these crooked feds. More charges in under the E.A. than all other previous administrations combined, and that's since the early 1900s.

As Snowden himself put it, the more they do this the more they will just motivate more and more brave heroes to come forward. At this point we've heard enough whistles that we already know these corrupted pieces of (*)(*)(*)(*) are destroying our democracy. But they WILL lose.

 

The point of the sealed order is that they are going to try to snatch him. They have 30 days to find him.

 

Are you not equally impatient for the prosecution for that leak that got that Seal team killed?

 

*Breaking*

NSA Leaker Edward Snowden has just been indicted for espionage & theft and the U.S. has asked Hong Kong to detain 'em ... these are charges stemming from as far back as Woodrow Wilson who inacted Espionage Acts ...

Snowden sympatheizer Glenn Greenwald currently rallying behind Snowden by declaring charges as *Obama over-reach*



US charges NSA leaker Snowden with espionage

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/201...harges-nsa-leaker-snowden-with-espionage?lite

Federal prosecutors filed espionage charges against alleged National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden, officials familiar with the process said. Authorities have also begun the process of getting Snowden back to the United States to stand trial.

The charges were filed June 14 under seal in federal court in Alexandria, Va. -- and only disclosed Friday.

Snowden has been charged with three violations: theft of government property and two offenses under the espionage statutes, specifically giving national defense information to someone without a security clearance and revealing classified information about "communications intelligence."

Each of the charges carries a maximum of 10 years in prison.

(Read continues in Link)



NSA Leaker Edward Snowden

 

Yes, but Snowden is on the front burner.

I'd also like to get the guy(s) who released the details of the TSP to the New York Times in 2006. That was an extremely damaging leak. Also the guy who leaked the Treasury Program to track terrorist funds.

I'm not anti whistleblower, but when the information leaked is classified information, that's a crime and (IMHO) treason.

 

Duplicate thread
http://www.politicalforum.com/current-events/308208-us-formally-charges-snowden-espionage.html

and a few hours late
http://www.politicalforum.com/curre...eeeere-new-snowden-docs-3.html#post1062771772

 

Oooops .. mods please merge or delete ...

 

Apparently Snowden did break the law. But I'll leave that to the experts and authorities.


What has bothered me about Snowden, is how he went about doing all this, specifically his chosen location to start disclosing it. And, some of the things he has said.


I'm not a fan.

 

When the system in place to expose abuse exists solely to cover up abuse... this is the only option.

Whistleblowers have been coming forward since Bush WARNING that what is now being done, could be done.

You were just focused on the wrong administration. This justice dept just makes it up as it goes along.

 

Oh he broke the law... he stole classified government documents. He should do time for that.

So should Sandy Berger.

What they are going after him for puts him in rendition/drone territory. They are accusing him of aiding the enemy... which... is funny considering we keep arming them.

 

I agree Ctrl.

Somewhere early on, perhaps one of your threads (I don't recall), I said, his actions just put a huge target on his back, a marked man.

 

Obama HAD to charge him. If I was BOB I'd have done the same.

And he is probably guilty.

Doesn't make him any less of a hero.

EDIT: Does anyone else think he resembles former ER actor, Noah Wyle?

 

I appreciate your words KP, but for me personally, he is no hero.


Immediately disclosing (while in Hong Kong), that the U.S. is actively spying on China, and saying he'd rather trust his fate to the people of Hong Kong than to an American court, tarnishes the truth of what he exposed.

Again, personal opinion.

 

I was against that too. So is Binney. That was a national embarrassment in front of probably the most important world leader, whom he was there to scold... because as bad as we are... we ain't quite China. They have NO oversight... and if they are hacking us... they are getting access... to what we have access to.

 

except whoops

Snowden is being charged under provisions of the Espionage Act, he’s not being charged with espionage. There is a specific espionage charge, and it’s not in the complaint: 10 USC § 906a - Art. 106a. Espionage.

http://littlegreenfootballs.com/article/42169_NSA_Leaker_Snowden_Charged_With_Espionage

 

I see your Little Green Footballs and raise you... all other sources?

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/201...harges-nsa-leaker-snowden-with-espionage?lite
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world...7497d8-dab1-11e2-a016-92547bf094cc_story.html
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/06/21/snowden-charged-espionage-hong-kong/2447665/
http://www.npr.org/2013/06/21/194371404/u-s-charges-nsa-leaker-snowden-with-espionage
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/us-charge-nsa-leaker-edward-snowden-espionage/story?id=19461065
http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/21/politics/nsa-leaks/

 

except they all got it wrong. Espionage is a specific charge as I sited and he ain't charged with it....so headline writers who screw up is fine but it just ain't so.