Hundreds rally in Hong Kong to demand protection for Snowden

[News_Editor]

KOWLOON, HONG KONG (BNO NEWS) -- Hundreds of people marched through Hong Kong on Saturday to demand protection for American whistleblower Edward Snowden and denounce allegations which have revealed previously unknown details about the U.S. government's secret surveillance programs.

Protesters began their march in Charter Garden, located in the region's Central District, and went to the U.S. Consulate before proceeding to the Hong Kong government's headquarters. Authorities estimated at least 300 people participated in the march, but organizers put the number at around 900.

Some protesters were carrying Snowden masks while others carried signs such as "Betray Snowden, Betray Freedom," "Let Snowden Stay," and "No big brother state." Petitions and letters were handed over to representatives of the U.S. Consulate and the Hong Kong government, while rights advocates and political activists held speeches.

Hours after the protests, Hong Kong leader CY Leung broke his silence on the matter by releasing a brief statement. "When the relevant mechanism is activated, the Hong Kong SAR Government will handle the case of Mr Snowden in accordance with the laws and established procedures of Hong Kong," he said.

He also addressed allegations that U.S. intelligence agencies have been hacking into computers in Hong Kong and mainland China for years. "The Government will follow up on any incidents related to the privacy or other rights of the institutions or people in Hong Kong being violated," Leung added in his statement, giving no other details.

Snowden, a 29-year-old American who worked for defense contractor Booz Allen Hamilton as an infrastructure analyst for the National Security Agency (NSA), identified himself last week as the source behind recent newspaper articles that revealed previously unknown details about the U.S. government's secret surveillance programs.

According to recent disclosures by The Guardian and the Washington Post, U.S. intelligence agencies have direct access to the servers of nine Internet companies for a wide range of digital data. A slideshow, marked "TOP SECRET", identifies current data providers as Microsoft, Google, Yahoo!, Facebook, PalTalk, YouTube, Skype, AOL and Apple.

The slideshow explains that much of the world's communications flow through the United States, and that the communications of foreign targets could easily flow through the U.S. It says the nine current providers supply information on a massive scale, including e-mails, chats, videos, photos, stored data, voice communications (VoIP), file transfers, video conferences, online social networking details and details about when accounts are accessed.

Snowden, speaking from a hotel room in Hong Kong during an interview last week, said he came forward publicly to authenticate his recent disclosures and because his concerns about 'abuses' in the intelligence community agencies had not been taken seriously. "The more you talk about the (wrongdoing), the more you're ignored," he said.

The contract employee said he is not against the U.S. government but wants the public to be able to decide whether the intelligence agencies should have the authority to carry out controversial and secretive surveillance programs. "This is something that's not our place to decide, the public needs to decide whether these programs and policies are right or wrong," he said.

Snowden said the intelligence community originally focused on foreign targets but is now increasingly targeting all communications in the U.S. "It ingests them by default. It collects them in its system and it filters them and it analyses them and it measures them and it stores them for periods of time simply because that's the easiest, most efficient, and most valuable way to achieve these ends," he said.

The contractor said analysts with proper clearance could target anyone at will, ranging from ordinary citizens to federal judges and up to President Barack Obama if they have his personal contact details. He said the public should be concerned because citizens are being "watched and recorded," whether they did something wrong or not.

"You simply have to eventually fall under suspicion from somebody even by a wrong call. And then they can use this system to go back in time and scrutinize every decision you've ever made, every friend you've ever discussed something with," he said. "And [they'll] attack you on that basis to sort of derive suspicion from an innocent life and paint anyone in the context of a wrongdoer."

Snowden, who lived with his girlfriend in Hawaii, flew to Hong Kong last month after telling his NSA supervisor that he needed several weeks off to receive treatment for epilepsy. His whereabouts are currently unknown after he checked out of the Mira hotel in Tsimshatsui on Monday morning, but he is believed to remain in Hong Kong.

Snowden said he came to Hong Kong because it has a strong tradition of free speech and because he believes the Hong Kong government is more likely to resist the dictates of the U.S. government, which has launched a criminal investigation. But under an extradition treaty that came into force in 1998, the U.S. government is able to request Hong Kong to detain a U.S. citizen for up to two months while it prepares an extradition request.

(Copyright 2013 by BNO News B.V. All rights reserved. Info: [email protected].)

[givenall]

He is my hero

Sent from my ST18a using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Ulysses G.]

If he is lucky, he will be sharing a closet soon with Assange. Being a fugitive in Russia sounds pretty bleak.

[Publicus]

The CCP is reviled in Hong Kong, which is why the estimates of demonstrators ranges from 300 by the police and 900 by the demonstrators themselves. There's virtually no support in Hong Kong for Snowden or his deeds. This is true even after Snowden gave a lengthy interview to HKG's respected leading English language newspaper, the South China Morning Post.

The people of Hong Kong know Snowden provided U.S. national security intelligence to the CCP, just as the people of HKG know Beijing has agents and state security operatives crawling all over the city, 24/7. More like 10,000 in Hong Kong demonstrated a few years ago against Beijing's required learning and use of Mandarin over the native tongue of most HKG people, Cantonese.

Every June 4th 10,000 or more turn out to honor the young people massacred in Tianamen Square in 1989.

This attempt to show support of Edward Snowden is feeble and ineffective. The government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region can ignore it based on the fact the demonstration was barely noticeable or notable. The Boyz in Beijing will ignore any demonstration regardless of its number.

The people of HKG know Snowden's present handlers are the CCP. They know anyone who allows that to happen is a dim bulb.

[wealth]

The CCP is reviled in Hong Kong, which is why the estimates of demonstrators ranges from 300 by the police and 900 by the demonstrators themselves. There's virtually no support in Hong Kong for Snowden or his deeds. This is true even after Snowden gave a lengthy interview to HKG's respected leading English language newspaper, the South China Morning Post.

The people of Hong Kong know Snowden provided U.S. national security intelligence to the CCP, just as the people of HKG know Beijing has agents and state security operatives crawling all over the city, 24/7. More like 10,000 in Hong Kong demonstrated a few years ago against Beijing's required learning and use of Mandarin over the native tongue of most HKG people, Cantonese.

Every June 4th 10,000 or more turn out to honor the young people massacred in Tianamen Square in 1989.

This attempt to show support of Edward Snowden is feeble and ineffective. The government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region can ignore it based on the fact the demonstration was barely noticeable or notable. The Boyz in Beijing will ignore any demonstration regardless of its number.

The people of HKG know Snowden's present handlers are the CCP. They know anyone who allows that to happen is a dim bulb.

it's not the number, it's the quality that counts. Or do you prefer split glass of a windshield over a diamond?

Edited June 16, 2013 by wealth

[Mrjlh]

Interesting how he has become this "hero" over something that has been in place over 7 years when it was openly debated in US courts and no body gave a sh*t then. Why now? Plus the people demonstrating are foreigners to the US. The way it works: They only track numbers called "to" or called from "known" terrorist and criminals. No other numbers are tracked unless the number matches numbers listed in a criminal database. No other personal information is passed on without a Federal Search Warrant issued by a Federal Judge on an "as case basis". There are no violations here except of you are a criminal. And if you are do you want me to cry for you? Get a life! Simply put, that is what they do but people continually want to expand and over dramatize the issue. Snowden then makes claims on what he could do from his computer which actually is only hype to build up his own image. There are too many other safe guards in place for him to do what he said he could do. This guy is a High School dropout with only marginal knowledge of how the security business works. But everyone still believes he some sort of Saint. What he did was criminally wrong anyway you cut it. He signed a sworn document not to reveal this information and he gave it out with the knowledge of committing a crime. If your girl friend, boyfriend, wife or husband gave out your "PIN" number and bank account numbers do you think they would be Saints too? Think not and it is the same thing.

Think about it for a second. How many phone numbers are there world wide? How many email addresses are there world wide? To track each and every one, even with the most powerful computer today would be near impossible. Now if you are only tracking known numbers the odds change drastically. And still its only a number. No personal info attached until a warrant is issued. Now if they are doing this without a warrant then that's a problem. That's a realistic question to be asked. The risk of them doing so is too great when they only need to do it the right way. JMHO

[wealth]

Interesting how he has become this "hero" over something that has been in place over 7 years when it was openly debated in US courts and no body gave a sh*t then. Why now? Plus the people demonstrating are foreigners to the US. The way it works: They only track numbers called "to" or called from "known" terrorist and criminals. No other numbers are tracked unless the number matches numbers listed in a criminal database. No other personal information is passed on without a Federal Search Warrant issued by a Federal Judge on an "as case basis". There are no violations here except of you are a criminal. And if you are do you want me to cry for you? Get a life! Simply put, that is what they do but people continually want to expand and over dramatize the issue. Snowden then makes claims on what he could do from his computer which actually is only hype to build up his own image. There are too many other safe guards in place for him to do what he said he could do. This guy is a High School dropout with only marginal knowledge of how the security business works. But everyone still believes he some sort of Saint. What he did was criminally wrong anyway you cut it. He signed a sworn document not to reveal this information and he gave it out with the knowledge of committing a crime. If your girl friend, boyfriend, wife or husband gave out your "PIN" number and bank account numbers do you think they would be Saints too? Think not and it is the same thing.

Think about it for a second. How many phone numbers are there world wide? How many email addresses are there world wide? To track each and every one, even with the most powerful computer today would be near impossible. Now if you are only tracking known numbers the odds change drastically. And still its only a number. No personal info attached until a warrant is issued. Now if they are doing this without a warrant then that's a problem. That's a realistic question to be asked. The risk of them doing so is too great when they only need to do it the right way. JMHO

It's a progress and takes time to wake up the sheep under the wrong shepherds

One of my spiritual mentors. Ring the bells THAT STILL CAN RING

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vKFkUHYk14

Edited June 16, 2013 by wealth

[geriatrickid]

I would expect that the protestors are all linked to the Chinese security apparatus in some way or another. The Hong Kong residents have no fondness for the mainlanders and while some may sympathize with Mr. Snowden, the animosity to the PRC is sufficient for many to steer clear of a chap who is now associated with the totalitarian regime of the PRC.

The South China Morning Post interview is revealing. When asked about the offer of asylum by the Russian government, he replied;

“My only comment is that I am glad there are governments that refuse to be intimidated by great power”.

Really? The Russian government used Canadian naval officer Jeffrey Delisle to spy on Canada and its allies Australia, New Zealand, the UK and the USA. The damage done was extensive and significant. It was a hostile act. And yet this traitor has the audacity to refer to a country that engaged in a beligerent act against Canada as a great power that refuses to be intimidated. Right. His comment speaks volumes.

The interview also contained this nugget; “People who think I made a mistake in picking HK as a location misunderstand my intentions. I am not here to hide from justice, I am here to reveal criminality,”

Anyone who accepts that statement as the truth is a gullible guppy. He could have presented his claims to any number of US Representatives and Senators who would have raised his concerns. He could have made his comments in any number of EU countries or Norway where he would have been legally protected for quite some time. It would have taken the US years to get Snowden and he would have had all the time in the world to promote his claims of "telling the truth". Instead, he picked the Chinese fiefdom of Hong Kong, where he can enjoy a nice comfortable lifestyle and the protection of the Chinese government.

How is this guy paying for his expensive accommodation? Who is paying the bills? The man allegedly did not have much in savings and Hawaii is an expensive place to live. It wasn't as if he had several hundred thousand dollars in the bank to draw upon was it? He was a 29 year old living on a basic salary. IMO this guy is as dirty as they come and he's so covered with solid waste that I can smell it from here. Hong Kong residents have a keen sense of smell for PRC operations and the result is that they stayed away in droves from the protest.

[Publicus]

The CCP is reviled in Hong Kong, which is why the estimates of demonstrators ranges from 300 by the police and 900 by the demonstrators themselves. There's virtually no support in Hong Kong for Snowden or his deeds. This is true even after Snowden gave a lengthy interview to HKG's respected leading English language newspaper, the South China Morning Post.

The people of Hong Kong know Snowden provided U.S. national security intelligence to the CCP, just as the people of HKG know Beijing has agents and state security operatives crawling all over the city, 24/7. More like 10,000 in Hong Kong demonstrated a few years ago against Beijing's required learning and use of Mandarin over the native tongue of most HKG people, Cantonese.

Every June 4th 10,000 or more turn out to honor the young people massacred in Tianamen Square in 1989.

This attempt to show support of Edward Snowden is feeble and ineffective. The government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region can ignore it based on the fact the demonstration was barely noticeable or notable. The Boyz in Beijing will ignore any demonstration regardless of its number.

The people of HKG know Snowden's present handlers are the CCP. They know anyone who allows that to happen is a dim bulb.

it's not the number, it's the quality that counts. Or do you prefer split glass of a windshield over a diamond?

We have to lock horns here because in a public demonstration with all the media there and the government watching, numbers are the most important matter. The numbers for Snowden in HKG, a politically active city of democrats, are pathetic. And how do you know the quality of the people? Only on the basis of their support of Snowden? That's a pretty subjective judgement and determination. The bottom line is that if you can't get a couple of thousand people in HKG, you're nothing.

[Ulysses G.]

How is this guy paying for his expensive accommodation? Who is paying the bills?

Indeed. Why would a man who will be a fugitive for the rest of his life - if he is lucky - be spending all his money on expensive hotel rooms?

[Credo]

I lived in HK for a number of years. The number of protesters is important.

[chrisinth]

I would expect that the protestors are all linked to the Chinese security apparatus in some way or another. The Hong Kong residents have no fondness for the mainlanders and while some may sympathize with Mr. Snowden, the animosity to the PRC is sufficient for many to steer clear of a chap who is now associated with the totalitarian regime of the PRC.

The South China Morning Post interview is revealing. When asked about the offer of asylum by the Russian government, he replied;

“My only comment is that I am glad there are governments that refuse to be intimidated by great power”.

Really? The Russian government used Canadian naval officer Jeffrey Delisle to spy on Canada and its allies Australia, New Zealand, the UK and the USA. The damage done was extensive and significant. It was a hostile act. And yet this traitor has the audacity to refer to a country that engaged in a beligerent act against Canada as a great power that refuses to be intimidated. Right. His comment speaks volumes.

The interview also contained this nugget; “People who think I made a mistake in picking HK as a location misunderstand my intentions. I am not here to hide from justice, I am here to reveal criminality,”

Anyone who accepts that statement as the truth is a gullible guppy. He could have presented his claims to any number of US Representatives and Senators who would have raised his concerns. He could have made his comments in any number of EU countries or Norway where he would have been legally protected for quite some time. It would have taken the US years to get Snowden and he would have had all the time in the world to promote his claims of "telling the truth". Instead, he picked the Chinese fiefdom of Hong Kong, where he can enjoy a nice comfortable lifestyle and the protection of the Chinese government.

How is this guy paying for his expensive accommodation? Who is paying the bills? The man allegedly did not have much in savings and Hawaii is an expensive place to live. It wasn't as if he had several hundred thousand dollars in the bank to draw upon was it? He was a 29 year old living on a basic salary. IMO this guy is as dirty as they come and he's so covered with solid waste that I can smell it from here. Hong Kong residents have a keen sense of smell for PRC operations and the result is that they stayed away in droves from the protest.

"The man allegedly did not have much in savings and Hawaii is an expensive place to live. It wasn't as if he had several hundred thousand dollars in the bank to draw upon was it?"

Did Snowden state the above?

If he didn't, then how did knowledge of his financial status become available to the world?

This leaves a horrible taste about data protection to me if it was 'leaked', sort of along the same lines as Snowden has told the world reference access to private information............

Or is it the inspirational writings from an unqualified reporter? Just as bad IMHO..................

[Publicus]

Under the U..S. and Hong Kong extradition treaty Snowden can be extradited for "unlawful use of a computer." It's as simple as that. Applying for political asylum for "illegal use of a computer" doesn't cut it, so he's a goner on that count too.

The U.S. Government can revoke its passport issued to him now if it wants to take that action now. It doesn't have an address for him in HKG, but knows from tracking its passport issued to him whether he's still in HKG. If he's gone to another country without using his passport, it's obvious he'd be in the country illegally which would be another obvious problem for him. Snowden wouldn't necessarily have to surrender the passport. But anytime an immigration officer sticks his passport (biographical) page into the computer slot, the word "Revoked" would appear, which rings up as a no sale.

If the U.S. Government notifies the HKG SAR that it is preparing an extradition request, the SAR can put him in the slammer for up to 60 days. Of course the HKG authorities would have to locate him to do that. The SAR's statement today seemed to indicate an extradition request would set that mechanism in motion.

Addressing another post while I was writing this one, I've said it's almost for sure he's in the care and feeding of the CCP, which has agents and state security operatives crawling all over HKG 24/7. Snowden had thought he could stay indefinitely at the luxury hotel until finding out that after he identified himself things too hot for both he and his handlers. Or that's when he sought the active assistance of his CCP handlers.

[IMA_FARANG]

If he is lucky, he will be sharing a closet soon with Assange. Being a fugitive in Russia sounds pretty bleak.

If he is lucky, he will be sharing a closet soon with Assange. Being a fugitive in Russia sounds pretty bleak.

------------------

Yes it would be.

But exactly why do you suppose either of them have any thing to do with Russia?

[Ulysses G.]

Russia sort of offered him asylum, but he would be better off sharing a room with Assange in the Embassy where he is holed up in London.

[chrisinth]

Has anyone any idea what the salary of an infrastructure analyst with access to highly classified material in the NSA data banks is?

I don't, I am only asking the question. I would assume (not out of character for this and the other thread as so much is based on it) that it would be quite substantial. This would probably allow him to live in Hawaii quite comfortably.

Also, I remember reading that Snowden has no qualifications (read university education) for his position; I think this was in one of the earlier articles. Soooooooo, either he is a whizkid at what he does, or there should be a big question raised over vetting by Booz Allen Hamilton and all the intelligence agencies involved.........

I only mention this point as there are assumptions as to how he can pay for accommodation in Hong Kong.

As a disclaimer, all the above is speculation on my part, but I would be willing to have a few facts added and would not be upset if those facts discredited my opinion for this story............

[wealth]

The CCP is reviled in Hong Kong, which is why the estimates of demonstrators ranges from 300 by the police and 900 by the demonstrators themselves. There's virtually no support in Hong Kong for Snowden or his deeds. This is true even after Snowden gave a lengthy interview to HKG's respected leading English language newspaper, the South China Morning Post.

The people of Hong Kong know Snowden provided U.S. national security intelligence to the CCP, just as the people of HKG know Beijing has agents and state security operatives crawling all over the city, 24/7. More like 10,000 in Hong Kong demonstrated a few years ago against Beijing's required learning and use of Mandarin over the native tongue of most HKG people, Cantonese.

Every June 4th 10,000 or more turn out to honor the young people massacred in Tianamen Square in 1989.

This attempt to show support of Edward Snowden is feeble and ineffective. The government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region can ignore it based on the fact the demonstration was barely noticeable or notable. The Boyz in Beijing will ignore any demonstration regardless of its number.

The people of HKG know Snowden's present handlers are the CCP. They know anyone who allows that to happen is a dim bulb.

it's not the number, it's the quality that counts. Or do you prefer split glass of a windshield over a diamond?

We have to lock horns here because in a public demonstration with all the media there and the government watching, numbers are the most important matter. The numbers for Snowden in HKG, a politically active city of democrats, are pathetic. And how do you know the quality of the people? Only on the basis of their support of Snowden? That's a pretty subjective judgement and determination. The bottom line is that if you can't get a couple of thousand people in HKG, you're nothing.

I lived in HK for a number of years. The number of protesters is important.

It's not Chinese style to mob up big style (not now), especially when agents and state security operatives crawling all over HKG 24/7 The mass don't see it as a national matter (yet). Therefore each of these protesters have a deeper understanding of the whole issue and count for 20000 or more each.

Instead of a massive Gaga indoctrination I prefer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZanRMviUfzM

[chuckd]

Has anyone any idea what the salary of an infrastructure analyst with access to highly classified material in the NSA data banks is?

I don't, I am only asking the question. I would assume (not out of character for this and the other thread as so much is based on it) that it would be quite substantial. This would probably allow him to live in Hawaii quite comfortably.

Also, I remember reading that Snowden has no qualifications (read university education) for his position; I think this was in one of the earlier articles. Soooooooo, either he is a whizkid at what he does, or there should be a big question raised over vetting by Booz Allen Hamilton and all the intelligence agencies involved.........

I only mention this point as there are assumptions as to how he can pay for accommodation in Hong Kong.

As a disclaimer, all the above is speculation on my part, but I would be willing to have a few facts added and would not be upset if those facts discredited my opinion for this story............

I read his last salary with Booze Allen was $122,000 annually.

Don't have the link nor the inclination to look it up now but that's my story and I'm sticking by it.

[wealth]

Has anyone any idea what the salary of an infrastructure analyst with access to highly classified material in the NSA data banks is?

I don't, I am only asking the question. I would assume (not out of character for this and the other thread as so much is based on it) that it would be quite substantial. This would probably allow him to live in Hawaii quite comfortably.

Also, I remember reading that Snowden has no qualifications (read university education) for his position; I think this was in one of the earlier articles. Soooooooo, either he is a whizkid at what he does, or there should be a big question raised over vetting by Booz Allen Hamilton and all the intelligence agencies involved.........

I only mention this point as there are assumptions as to how he can pay for accommodation in Hong Kong.

As a disclaimer, all the above is speculation on my part, but I would be willing to have a few facts added and would not be upset if those facts discredited my opinion for this story............

I read his last salary with Booze Allen was $122,000 annually.

Don't have the link nor the inclination to look it up now but that's my story and I'm sticking by it.

the difference to 200 000 could be the escape bonus added on by the same, just to follow their scripts. I don't think Snowden made it up.

[wealth]

close to 1000000 signatures now and still running

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/stop_prism_global/?slideshow

[Publicus]

I would expect that the protestors are all linked to the Chinese security apparatus in some way or another. The Hong Kong residents have no fondness for the mainlanders and while some may sympathize with Mr. Snowden, the animosity to the PRC is sufficient for many to steer clear of a chap who is now associated with the totalitarian regime of the PRC.

The South China Morning Post interview is revealing. When asked about the offer of asylum by the Russian government, he replied;

“My only comment is that I am glad there are governments that refuse to be intimidated by great power”.

Really? The Russian government used Canadian naval officer Jeffrey Delisle to spy on Canada and its allies Australia, New Zealand, the UK and the USA. The damage done was extensive and significant. It was a hostile act. And yet this traitor has the audacity to refer to a country that engaged in a beligerent act against Canada as a great power that refuses to be intimidated. Right. His comment speaks volumes.

The interview also contained this nugget; “People who think I made a mistake in picking HK as a location misunderstand my intentions. I am not here to hide from justice, I am here to reveal criminality,”

Anyone who accepts that statement as the truth is a gullible guppy. He could have presented his claims to any number of US Representatives and Senators who would have raised his concerns. He could have made his comments in any number of EU countries or Norway where he would have been legally protected for quite some time. It would have taken the US years to get Snowden and he would have had all the time in the world to promote his claims of "telling the truth". Instead, he picked the Chinese fiefdom of Hong Kong, where he can enjoy a nice comfortable lifestyle and the protection of the Chinese government.

How is this guy paying for his expensive accommodation? Who is paying the bills? The man allegedly did not have much in savings and Hawaii is an expensive place to live. It wasn't as if he had several hundred thousand dollars in the bank to draw upon was it? He was a 29 year old living on a basic salary. IMO this guy is as dirty as they come and he's so covered with solid waste that I can smell it from here. Hong Kong residents have a keen sense of smell for PRC operations and the result is that they stayed away in droves from the protest.

"The man allegedly did not have much in savings and Hawaii is an expensive place to live. It wasn't as if he had several hundred thousand dollars in the bank to draw upon was it?"

Did Snowden state the above?

If he didn't, then how did knowledge of his financial status become available to the world?

This leaves a horrible taste about data protection to me if it was 'leaked', sort of along the same lines as Snowden has told the world reference access to private information............

Or is it the inspirational writings from an unqualified reporter? Just as bad IMHO..................

NSA security personnel and the FBI can presently access Snowden's bank account based on his unauthorized absence and due to the documents he purloined from NSA which he admitted he had when he said he's showed them to the CCP in HKG. Snowden earlier had showed purloined documents to the anti-American rag, the Guardian. There's no problem at this point for U.S. authorities to get a court order compelling compliance of banks and other organizations to produce records of Snowden. The authorities no doubt legally know now which airline Snowden flew, times of departure and arrival etc etc. Legally know.

It's possible Snowden had some money stashed away to pay for his brief stay at the HKG luxury hotel. However, it's reasonable for one to ask about Snowden's money situation upon skulking away from Hawaii to HKG and how long he could expect to support himself in a lifestyle to which he had yet to be accustomed. Snowden presently is in someone's care and feeding, and the CCP is clearly our leading suspect in this respect.

Snowden knew the U.S. will revoke his passport, which would make him an illegal in the PRC, or anywhere else. That is, unless the PRC would give him him a new citizenship and, perhaps, a PRC passport, but not necessarily so as I'd be sure the CCP would want Snowden to remain under their thumb.

[chuckd]

It seems there are many conspiracy theories abounding about young Mr. Snowden's actions and whether the PRC, CCP, PVC or any other shadow group is in support of them, none of the theories based on fact.

Rather like the beginning of the Assange debacle.

[impulse]

Russia sort of offered him asylum, but he would be better off sharing a room with Assange in the Embassy where he is holed up in London.

Jeez. There are parts of Russia that are absolutely gorgeous.

And between Bangkok and Moscow, I'd have a hard time deciding if my company came in tomorrow and offered to send my paycheck to Moscow instead of Bangkok. Yeah, the winters are bleak, but as far as accommodations, amenities and quality of life, it's a lot closer than your post would indicate.

I know lots of expats on assignment in Russia and loving it there.

Edited June 16, 2013 by impulse

[chrisinth]

I would expect that the protestors are all linked to the Chinese security apparatus in some way or another. The Hong Kong residents have no fondness for the mainlanders and while some may sympathize with Mr. Snowden, the animosity to the PRC is sufficient for many to steer clear of a chap who is now associated with the totalitarian regime of the PRC.

The South China Morning Post interview is revealing. When asked about the offer of asylum by the Russian government, he replied;

“My only comment is that I am glad there are governments that refuse to be intimidated by great power”.

Really? The Russian government used Canadian naval officer Jeffrey Delisle to spy on Canada and its allies Australia, New Zealand, the UK and the USA. The damage done was extensive and significant. It was a hostile act. And yet this traitor has the audacity to refer to a country that engaged in a beligerent act against Canada as a great power that refuses to be intimidated. Right. His comment speaks volumes.

The interview also contained this nugget; “People who think I made a mistake in picking HK as a location misunderstand my intentions. I am not here to hide from justice, I am here to reveal criminality,”

Anyone who accepts that statement as the truth is a gullible guppy. He could have presented his claims to any number of US Representatives and Senators who would have raised his concerns. He could have made his comments in any number of EU countries or Norway where he would have been legally protected for quite some time. It would have taken the US years to get Snowden and he would have had all the time in the world to promote his claims of "telling the truth". Instead, he picked the Chinese fiefdom of Hong Kong, where he can enjoy a nice comfortable lifestyle and the protection of the Chinese government.

How is this guy paying for his expensive accommodation? Who is paying the bills? The man allegedly did not have much in savings and Hawaii is an expensive place to live. It wasn't as if he had several hundred thousand dollars in the bank to draw upon was it? He was a 29 year old living on a basic salary. IMO this guy is as dirty as they come and he's so covered with solid waste that I can smell it from here. Hong Kong residents have a keen sense of smell for PRC operations and the result is that they stayed away in droves from the protest.

"The man allegedly did not have much in savings and Hawaii is an expensive place to live. It wasn't as if he had several hundred thousand dollars in the bank to draw upon was it?"

Did Snowden state the above?

If he didn't, then how did knowledge of his financial status become available to the world?

This leaves a horrible taste about data protection to me if it was 'leaked', sort of along the same lines as Snowden has told the world reference access to private information............

Or is it the inspirational writings from an unqualified reporter? Just as bad IMHO..................

NSA security personnel and the FBI can presently access Snowden's bank account based on his unauthorized absence and due to the documents he purloined from NSA which he admitted he had when he said he's showed them to the CCP in HKG. Snowden earlier had showed purloined documents to the anti-American rag, the Guardian. There's no problem at this point for U.S. authorities to get a court order compelling compliance of banks and other organizations to produce records of Snowden. The authorities no doubt legally know now which airline Snowden flew, times of departure and arrival etc etc. Legally know.

It's possible Snowden had some money stashed away to pay for his brief stay at the HKG luxury hotel. However, it's reasonable for one to ask about Snowden's money situation upon skulking away from Hawaii to HKG and how long he could expect to support himself in a lifestyle to which he had yet to be accustomed. Snowden presently is in someone's care and feeding, and the CCP is clearly our leading suspect in this respect.

Snowden knew the U.S. will revoke his passport, which would make him an illegal in the PRC, or anywhere else. That is, unless the PRC would give him him a new citizenship and, perhaps, a PRC passport, but not necessarily so as I'd be sure the CCP would want Snowden to remain under their thumb.

"NSA security personnel and the FBI can presently access Snowden's bank account based on his unauthorized absence....."

Of this I have no doubt.

My point was, do they have legal rights to make that knowledge known, hence providing a source for the media to jump onto? I was asking did Snowden make the statement about his financial status, was it provided by the intelligence services or is it wild speculation by the media?

People will believe the strangest things you know .................

Edit: Would you be more worried about your FB account being monitored or the knowledge that an organization could access your bank details and theoretically make that knowledge available about a person who hasn't been charged with anything yet?

Hypothetically speaking off course.................

Edited June 16, 2013 by chrisinth

[wealth]

reminds me a bit of Hotel California: "you can check out, but you can never leave" 555

We don't need that

3-6 month is more than sufficient for security matters to keep data from the internet. I mean is there anybody out there that can confirm?

[Somtamnication]

Secret courts, massive eavesdropping, torture, secret flights, government approved abductions (renditions), secret prisons all over the world.

This is not my grandmother's America.

This guy is going to be roasted and I feel for him.

[Credo]

I don't feel much for this guy. He basically is airing the internal dirty laundry of the country. All he needed to do was meet with a few of the more powerful Senators or Representatives and he would have received full protection. Unless, of course, his motives are less honorable than he wants us to believe.

[Ulysses G.]

Secret courts, massive eavesdropping, torture, secret flights, government approved abductions (renditions), secret prisons all over the world.

This is not my grandmother's America.

Many of those things were going on in WW2. Don't be naive.

[wealth]

NSA admits listening to U.S. phone calls without warrants

National Security Agency discloses in secret Capitol Hill briefing that thousands of analysts can listen to domestic phone calls. That authorization appears to extend to e-mail and text messages too.

... There are serious "constitutional problems" with this approach ...

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-57589495-38/nsa-admits-listening-to-u.s-phone-calls-without-warrants/

Flashback: NSA intercepted and mocked soldiers' phone calls as far back as 2008

Despite pledges by President George W. Bush and American intelligence officials to the contrary, hundreds of US citizens overseas have been eavesdropped on as they called friends and family back home, according to two former military intercept operators who worked at the giant National Security Agency (NSA) center in Fort Gordon, Georgia.

http://www.naturalnews.com/040784_NSA_spying_soldiers_Bill_of_Rights.html

Terrorism?

[JDGRUEN]

I think Snowden will get financial assistance from various sources. Sympathy groups or individuals will rightly or wrongly set up funds for him. Snowden could stay hidden for a long time. If he has access to a phony passport that could pass muster and changed his appearance a little on the new passport photo, Snowden could go hide in a lot of places. Just be a 'backpacker' through S.E.A.