Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday granted Russian citizenship to former US intelligence adviser Edward Snowden, nine years after his revelations showing the extent of surveillance by the National Security Agency (NSA).
The now 39-year-old Snowden fled the United States and took asylum in Russia after the leakage secret files in 2013 that revealed massive domestic and international surveillance operations conducted by the NSA, where he worked.
US authorities have for years wanted him to return to the United States to face criminal trial on espionage charges.
Edward Joseph Snowden was born on June 21, 1983 and is a technician (systems administrator). On a contract basis, he worked for the NSA and the CIA. In 2013, Snowden leaked classified information from the NSA to the press about the mass surveillance programs implemented by the American and British governments. The information reveals the programs surveillance that the NSA runs with the cooperation telecommunications companies and European governments.
On May 20, 2013, Snowden flew to Hong Kong after leaving work at a installation της NSA στη Χαβάη και στις αρχές του Ιουνίου αποκάλυψε χιλιάδες διαβαθμισμένα έγγραφα της υπηρεσίας στους δημοσιογράφους Glenn Greenwald, Laura Poitras και Ewen MacAskill. Αμέσως μετά και για πολύ μεγάλο χρονικό διάστημα οι πληροφορίες που διέρρευσε κυκλοφόρησαν στις εφημερίδες, The Guardian και The Washington Post, Der Spiegel και The New York Times.
