[Infowarrior] - Nicaragua Offers Political Asylum To Snowden

[Richard Forno]

Nicaragua Offers Political Asylum To Snowden

12:36am UK, Saturday 06 July 2013

http://news.sky.com/story/1112194/nicaragua-offers-political-asylum-to-snowden

US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden has been told he could be welcomed in Nicaragua after he applied to another six countries for asylum.

Speaking at a public event on Friday, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega said his government was willing to grant political asylum to the former NSA contractor "if circumstances permit it".

He added: "We are open, respectful of the right to asylum, and it is clear that if circumstances permit it, we would receive Snowden with pleasure and give him asylum here in Nicaragua."

Mr Ortega said his government had received an asylum application at its embassy in Moscow.                

Snowden is believed to be holed up at a Moscow airport looking for a country that will give him safe haven as the US wants to extradite him to face espionage charges.

The 30-year-old has previously asked 21 countries for asylum but most said he must be on their soil for his application to be accepted.

WikiLeaks revealed he had applied to more countries.

A tweet from the anti-secrecy website said: "Edward Snowden has applied to another six countries for asylum.

"They will not be named at this time due to attempted US interference."

The message appeared to be an allusion to the drama surrounding the flight of Bolivian President Evo Morales, whose plane was recently abruptly rerouted to Austria over suspicions Snowden was aboard.

Washington has revoked the passport of Snowden, who is seeking to evade US justice for leaking details about a vast US electronic surveillance programme to collect phone and Internet data.

He also revealed evidence of the spying activities of British eavesdropping agency GCHQ - including its scanning of vast amounts of emails and other internet traffic by tapping cable networks.

A bid by Snowden for Icelandic citizenship failed when the country's parliament voted not to debate it before the summer recess.

Russia has shown signs of growing impatience over Snowden's stay in the country.

Its deputy foreign minister said on Thursday that Snowden had not sought asylum in the country and needed to choose a place to go.

Moscow has made clear that the longer he stays, the greater the risk of the diplomatic standoff over his fate causing lasting damage to relations with Washington.
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