How Rich (Do We Really Want to Catch Ed Snowden?)

US whistleblower Edward Snowden "has most likely already left Russia", Russian news agency Interfax has quoted a source familiar with the matter as saying.

[...]

Meanwhile, the White House asked the Russian government to "look at all options available" to send Snowden back to the US to face espionage charges. The call has not received a positive reponse.

“It does appear that Americans missed a bit of a trick. Because if they had put Edward Snowden on the Interpol wanted list, then the Russians would have no options but to arrest him,” Al Jazeera’s Peter Sharp said, reporting from Moscow.

  al Jazeera

Really? Could the Russians not have thought of some way to let him slip through the cracks, so to speak? Or does the US actually NOT want him in their hands? Could it be that a trial would be worse for the government than just having the opportunity to demonize him and say he’s lying without having to prove it?

Al Jazeera's Sharp said that Snowden did not have a legal passport as it was revoked by the US, adding that he had been using Ecuadorian documents to travel.

Hmmmm. Asked Hong Kong to extradite him, revoked his passport, but didn’t put him on the Interpol wanted list. Don’t know just what that says. Perhaps it does simply indicate bumbling. Perhaps.

Regarding Snowden's asylum request, Ecuador's foreign minister Ricardo Patino said: "We will make a decision... we are analysing it."

"It [the request] has to do with freedom of expression and the security of citizens around the world. We always act by principle not in our own interest. There are some governments who act more on their own interests, we do not," he added during an official visit to Vietnam.

Just what are you trying to say?

And, just in case….

MOSCOW (Reuters) – There was no sign that former U.S. spy agency contractor Edward Snowden was onboard a Russian plane bound for Cuba as it prepared to take off on Monday, a Reuters correspondent on the plane said.

A flight attendant said Snowden was not on the plane and the seat he had been expected to occupy was taken by another passenger.

  Raw Story

Snowden, 29, has kept out of sight in the transit area of Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport as Ecuador says it considers his request for asylum.

His decision to fly to Russia, which like China challenges U.S. dominance of global diplomacy, is another embarrassment to President Barack Obama who has tried to “reset” ties with Moscow and build a partnership with Beijing.

The White House said it expected the Russian government to send Snowden back to the United States and lodged “strong objections” to Hong Kong and China for letting him go.

[...]

The Russian government ignored the appeal and President Vladimir Putin’s press secretary denied any knowledge of Snowden’s movements.

  Raw Story

The White House didn’t REALLY expect those governments to cooperate, did they?

Edward Snowden’s flight from Hong Kong to Moscow and plans to seek political asylum in a third country have hurt his chances of avoiding prison, lawmakers said Sunday.

  The Hill

It’ pretty hard to hurt your chances when they’re nil to begin with.

  ...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.


UPDATE: 6/29/13

Hong Kong's justice secretary, Rimsky Yuen, explained on Tuesday that there had been discrepancies in the documentation filed by US authorities.

He said Hong Kong immigration records listed Snowden's middle name as Joseph, but the US government used the name James in some documents.

Yuen said US authorities had also not provided his passport number.

  Guardian

Seriously?