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| Edward Snowden's father sets return conditions | Edward Snowden's father sets return conditions |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| The father of US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden has said in an interview he believes his son would go back to the US if several conditions were met. | The father of US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden has said in an interview he believes his son would go back to the US if several conditions were met. |
| Lon Snowden told NBC News his son may return if he is not detained before trial, nor subjected to a gag order and can choose where his trial is held. | |
| Mr Snowden Snr said his lawyer had written to US Attorney General Eric Holder to convey those terms. | Mr Snowden Snr said his lawyer had written to US Attorney General Eric Holder to convey those terms. |
| Edward Snowden faces espionage charges in the US. | |
| The former intelligence contractor flew to Moscow last weekend and has requested asylum in Ecuador. | |
| During Friday morning's television interview, Lon Snowden said he had not spoken to his son since April, a month before he fled to Hong Kong after leaking to media details of a huge US snooping programme. | During Friday morning's television interview, Lon Snowden said he had not spoken to his son since April, a month before he fled to Hong Kong after leaking to media details of a huge US snooping programme. |
| 'Misbehaviour' | |
| He said that his son had broken the law, but denied he was a traitor. | He said that his son had broken the law, but denied he was a traitor. |
| "At this point I don't feel that he's committed treason," he said. "He has in fact broken US law, in a sense that he has released classified information." | "At this point I don't feel that he's committed treason," he said. "He has in fact broken US law, in a sense that he has released classified information." |
| He also voiced concern his son was being exploited by Wikileaks, which has offered legal assistance to the 30-year-old. | He also voiced concern his son was being exploited by Wikileaks, which has offered legal assistance to the 30-year-old. |
| "I don't want to put him in peril, but I am concerned about those who surround him," he said. | "I don't want to put him in peril, but I am concerned about those who surround him," he said. |
| "I think Wikileaks, if you've looked at past history, you know, their focus isn't necessarily the constitution of the United States. It's simply to release as much information as possible." | "I think Wikileaks, if you've looked at past history, you know, their focus isn't necessarily the constitution of the United States. It's simply to release as much information as possible." |
| Mr Snowden fled to Hong Kong on 20 May before flying to Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport last Sunday, where Russian authorities say he remains in a transit zone. | |
| On Friday, the diplomatic fallout from the affair continued as the US accused China of "misbehaviour" for allowing Mr Snowden to leave Hong Kong last Sunday. | |
| "I don't think we had a good-faith partner throughout that process," said Stephen Young, the US consul general in Hong Kong, warning of repercussions. | |
| The city's government has said the US arrest paperwork had clerical errors, and that it had no legal basis to stop Mr Snowden travelling to Russia. | |
| Beijing has accused the US of "double standards" on cybersecurity. | |
| Ecuador says it has not yet processed the former US National Security Agency contractor's request for asylum. | |
| Russian authorities complained on Friday the US had not informed them in time that Mr Snowden's passport had been revoked, placing Moscow in a "tough spot". | |
| "If this fact had been known in advance, then possibly Mr Snowden might not have flown to Moscow and this entire story might never have happened," an unnamed Russian official told Interfax news agency. | |
| Russian President Vladimir Putin this week refused to hand over Mr Snowden to Washington, saying he was a "free man". | |
| Late on Thursday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro repeated his offer of sanctuary to the US fugitive. | |
| He is wanted for disclosing that the US has been seizing vast amounts of phone and web data under a secret surveillance programme. |