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| Edward Snowden's father arrives in Russia | Edward Snowden's father arrives in Russia |
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| Edward Snowden's father landed in Moscow on Thursday morning and said he hoped to visit his son, who has not been seen in public since he was granted asylum in Russia in August. | |
| The former NSA contractor, who leaked information about US surveillance programmes to the Guardian, was given the right to remain in Russia for a year after spending five weeks in limbo at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport over the summer. | The former NSA contractor, who leaked information about US surveillance programmes to the Guardian, was given the right to remain in Russia for a year after spending five weeks in limbo at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport over the summer. |
| Lon Snowden arrived at the same airport early on Thursday morning and was escorted through the VIP terminal by Anatoly Kucherena, his son's lawyer. Kucherena has been the only channel to Snowden since the 30-year-old whistleblower left the airport, and has refused to give any details about his location, citing security concerns. Snowden is wanted in the US on espionage charges. | Lon Snowden arrived at the same airport early on Thursday morning and was escorted through the VIP terminal by Anatoly Kucherena, his son's lawyer. Kucherena has been the only channel to Snowden since the 30-year-old whistleblower left the airport, and has refused to give any details about his location, citing security concerns. Snowden is wanted in the US on espionage charges. |
| "I am his father, I love my son and ... I certainly hope I will have an opportunity to see my son," said Lon Snowden in brief remarks to Russian television crews at the airport. "I am not sure my son will be returning to the US again," he said. | "I am his father, I love my son and ... I certainly hope I will have an opportunity to see my son," said Lon Snowden in brief remarks to Russian television crews at the airport. "I am not sure my son will be returning to the US again," he said. |
| Edward Snowden arrived in Moscow on a flight from Hong Kong in June and apparently intended to board an onward flight bound for Latin America. However, US authorities cancelled his passport and he remained stuck at the airport for five weeks, before Russia granted him political asylum. | Edward Snowden arrived in Moscow on a flight from Hong Kong in June and apparently intended to board an onward flight bound for Latin America. However, US authorities cancelled his passport and he remained stuck at the airport for five weeks, before Russia granted him political asylum. |
| On Thursday, Lon Snowden spoke of his "extreme gratitude that my son is safe and secure and he's free", words that were run repeatedly during the morning on Russian news channels. | On Thursday, Lon Snowden spoke of his "extreme gratitude that my son is safe and secure and he's free", words that were run repeatedly during the morning on Russian news channels. |
| President Vladimir Putin, himself a former KGB spy, does not have much sympathy for whistleblowers and has described Snowden as "a strange guy", but said that Russia had no choice but to offer him asylum. | President Vladimir Putin, himself a former KGB spy, does not have much sympathy for whistleblowers and has described Snowden as "a strange guy", but said that Russia had no choice but to offer him asylum. |
| Before Snowden was given asylum, Putin said that Russia would offer it only on the condition that the whistleblower stopped his leaks. Lon Snowden said on Thursday he understood his son had not been involved in the publication of new information since his arrival in Russia and is "simply trying to remain healthy and safe". | Before Snowden was given asylum, Putin said that Russia would offer it only on the condition that the whistleblower stopped his leaks. Lon Snowden said on Thursday he understood his son had not been involved in the publication of new information since his arrival in Russia and is "simply trying to remain healthy and safe". |
| Some have suggested it is likely that Snowden is being held under guard of the FSB, Russia's security service, but the Russians have insisted that they have neither received, nor attempted to extract, any of Snowden's secrets. | Some have suggested it is likely that Snowden is being held under guard of the FSB, Russia's security service, but the Russians have insisted that they have neither received, nor attempted to extract, any of Snowden's secrets. |
| Kucherena has previously said that Snowden does have security, but declined to say whether it is provided by the Russian state or a private firm. He said that Snowden has been able to travel around Russia without being recognised and is busy reading books about the country's history and learning the language. | Kucherena has previously said that Snowden does have security, but declined to say whether it is provided by the Russian state or a private firm. He said that Snowden has been able to travel around Russia without being recognised and is busy reading books about the country's history and learning the language. |
| The website Life News, which has close links to the Russian security services, published what it claimed was the first photo of Edward Snowden in Russia earlier this week, which showed a man resembling the former NSA contractor wheeling a supermarket trolley piled with plastic bags of shopping. There has been no confirmation that the photograph is genuine. | The website Life News, which has close links to the Russian security services, published what it claimed was the first photo of Edward Snowden in Russia earlier this week, which showed a man resembling the former NSA contractor wheeling a supermarket trolley piled with plastic bags of shopping. There has been no confirmation that the photograph is genuine. |
| Kucherena said that Lon Snowden planned to hold a press conference "soon", and added that other members of the Snowden family plan to visit Moscow in the near future. | Kucherena said that Lon Snowden planned to hold a press conference "soon", and added that other members of the Snowden family plan to visit Moscow in the near future. |
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