Assange: Edward Snowden Is ‘Marooned In Russia’

[Purveyor]

By David A. Fahrenthold and Juan Forero, Updated: Sunday, June 30, 8:35 PM E

Edward Snowden seems to be stranded.

Three weeks after Snowden revealed himself as the source of leaked top-secret documents on U.S. intelligence gathering, the former intelligence contractor is stuck in legal limbo in Russia. Although he has not been seen publicly in days, he is believed to be inside a transit area of a Moscow airport.

On Sunday, two of his strongest supporters — Julian Assange of WikiLeaks and President Rafael Correa of Ecuador — said it was unlikely that Snowden would leave there anytime soon.

“The United States, by canceling his passport, has left him for the moment marooned in Russia,” said Assange, whose anti-secrecy organization has aided Snowden in his flight.

--CLIP
Now, Snowden’s flight has brought him to the transit area of Sheremetyevo International Airport. And to a dwindling set of options.

One is simply staying in the airport. If Snowden is not being detained by Russian authorities — and Russian officials have said that he is not — he could remain in an area reserved for international travelers making connections. As long as he does not go through passport control, Russian officials say he would not legally cross into Russian territory.

MORE...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/julian-assange-edward-snowden-is-marooned-in-russia/2013/06/30/67ed243e-e191-11e2-9960-65d66450db63_story.html

[Kolesar]

1. My inlaws have an expression: Sucks to be you

or , sucks for him

[randome]

2. Like we can believe anything Assange says. Mr. Transparency.

[hr]
[font color="blue"][center]I'm always right. When I'm wrong I admit it.
So then I'm right about being wrong.[/center][/font]
[hr]

[longship]

8. I believe his statements about Snowden are truthful.

At least as much as he knows, or will admit.

He made to statements this morning on ABC which I think bear up under what we know from the reportage.

First, about Snowden:

Our legal people have been in contact with Mr. Snowden. I can't say anything about the present situation.

He doesn't say when he has had contact with Snowden, but we know that Wikileaks people delivered the Ecuadorean passage to him in HK allegedly for his flight to Quito via Moscow and Havanna. We know he ended up in Moscow and was booked to Havanna. No problems yet.

We know that Assange likely got the transit papers from the London counsel and delivered them to HK via a Wikileaks courier who would then accompany Snowden (Sarah Harrison?).

Then, when Snowden does not board the Havanna flight we now know something has gone askew.

Furthermore, the USA has cancelled his passport and now Ecuador is denying the safe passage papers that got him to Moscow.

The Snowden father business adds one more piece of info. Assange says this on ABC today:

Mr. Snowden's father as a parent, of course he is worried in this situation, every father would be worried in this situation. We have established contact with Mr. Snowden's father's lawyer to put some of his concerns to rest.

So it very much appears from this that Assange has remained in fairly recent contact with Snowden. How else could he provide such insurance? (There are undoubtedly reporters who will check this Assange-Snowden family contact.)

I think Snowden's still in the transit zone at Sheremetyevo.

[railsback]

3. As much as a dick this guy is

Last edited Mon Jul 1, 2013, 02:00 AM - Edit history (1)

He probably intentionally sabotaged Snowden's efforts to get to Ecuador, because Assange himself is stuck in a concrete prison and the thought of Snowden chilling on the nice beaches just drove him nuts.

[SidDithers]

4. Shouldn't have used Assange as his travel agent, I guess...nt

Sid

[Cha]

13. Not his first mistake.

[Number23]

5. Putin made it plain as day that Snowden was not welcome there

His "shearing a baby pig" comment on that was almost priceless.

Assange seems to be having difficulty in getting Snowden aid as well.

[Purveyor]

7. And yet Vlad could have him 'dispatched', which he hasn't done, with a mere phone call. eom

[Number23]

9. He sure could have. And incurred even more wrath from the US and its allies

Letting Snowden sit endlessly in an airport terminal shows pretty clearly how Russia views Snowden. They ain't willing to help the U.S. get their hands on him, but they aren't willing to help him get any where either. I'm sure Vlad probably wishes Snowden had gone anywhere else but there.

[Purveyor]

10. Oh I'm sure Putin is cowering in fear of the 'wrath' of the US and its allies while perusing the

data Snowden is providing.

LOL.

[Number23]

11. No president worth half a brain wants to incite a diplomatic incident

And the US is still the last remaining superpower and has legions of allies. Good thing lots of smart people still know that.

[Purveyor]

12. Yeah, the last nearly bankrupt superpower. Russia has NOTHING to fear from the USA...nothing.

[Number23]

15. LOL! You keep telling yourself that if it makes you feel better

[fujiyama]

16. Legions of allies? And at this point, I think we can safely say that China IS a world superpower...

We sure can bully people and cower them into submission. But allies? That's rich. Yeah, the Europeans are really going to view us as strong allies after all the revelations we were spying on them.

I agree with you on the rest. Snowden isn't worth anything more than the info he gives. To the Russian security apparatus, he's no better than a used condom.

[Number23]

17. Gee, I hope someone tells the Canadians, Aussies, and the NUMEROUS countries in Europe

including the NATO countries, as well as numerous countries in Asia, South America, and throughout the Middle East that they are no longer our allies. I'm sure the Liberians would love to hear this too. Love how some people seem to think that the only allies we have are Germany and a few other European countries. Or is that some feel these are the only allies we have that matter? Wonder why that is?

To the Russian security apparatus, he's no better than a used condom.

That's some visual.

[Historic NY]

6. And Assange is holed up in a room in London.

[Zorra]

14. What if he's not really there, and has slipped away, never to be found?

[Recursion]

18. I keep wondering that too

He could be in Mongolia now for all we know.

[KinMd]

19. This would make a great movie

with Ton Hanks say, he's stranded at the airport and.....oh they did? when?..never mind