Snowden’s father says his son has more secrets to share, and has advised the former NSA contractor to stay in Russia “to make sure the true story is told.” The comment was made after Snowden Sr. returned to the US following a visit with his son in Russia.
Lon Snowden spoke at New York’s John F. Kennedy International
Airport on Wednesday after a week-long trip to visit his son in
Russia for the very first time.
Former NSA contractor Edward Snowden rose to global prominence
after a series of publications on mass surveillance by the US
government and its allies began in May. The reports were largely
based on leaked documents which Snowden handed over to
journalists.
Lon told reporters at the airport that he advised his son to stay
in Russia. “It's not necessarily what my son will do. He's
comfortable. He's happy. And he's absolutely committed to what he
has done."
The father added: "There's much more to be shared." And by
staying in Russia the former NSA contractor will be able to
“continue to push these issues forward, to make sure the true
story is told."
Lon Snowden visited his son in Russia months after he was
expected to do so. He has now been granted a multiple-entry visa
and can enter and leave the country freely.
Edward Snowden was granted temporary asylum in Russia in August
after he became stranded in the country due to the withdrawal of
his American passport by US authorities. Washington is pushing
for him to be handed over for trial on espionage charges and has
pressured several countries which voiced their intention to
harbor the fugitive. Moscow’s decision is one of several points
of contention between Russia and the US.
His whereabouts are being kept secret by Russian authorities.
"He's not a fugitive. He's a legal asylee of the Russian
Federation and the press needs to get that right and I think our
government understands that at this point,” Snowden’s father
said.
Yet opinions about Snowden still vary. While the intelligence
community and numerous politicians and officials regard Snowden
as traitor, he is viewed as an idealistic whistleblower and
defender of privacy by many people throughout the world. He has
been nominated for several high profile human rights awards,
including the Nobel Peace Prize and the European Sakharov Prize.