Whistle-blower Snowden’s Whereabouts Still A Mystery

Edward Snowden
Edward Snowden

US spy programme leaker’s location remain unknown, a day after he was reported to have left Moscow for Havana, apparently en route to Ecuador, with Ecuador pleading ignorance and Russia saying he has never entered the country.

Ricardo Patino, the foreign minister of Ecuador, where Snowden is seeking asylum to evade being arrested by the United States for leaking classified details about its spying programme, said on Tuesday that the country knew nothing about his whereabouts or what documents he might be using to travel.

The Russian foreign minister added to the confusion further during the day, insisting that Snowden had not crossed into Russia. Earlier reports suggested that Snowden took a flight out of Moscow on Monday, having arrived there from Hong Kong the previous day.

Few hours ago, however, Russian President Vladimir Putin put Snowden’s location at Moscow airport.

The United States has annulled Snowden’s passport and wants him returned to face espionage charges for revealing details of two widespread surveillance programmes. Washington has strongly criticised China for allowing Snowden to leave Hong Kong.

China said on Tuesday, however, that the United States’ accusations of Beijing facilitating Snowden’s departure from Hong Kong were “groundless and unacceptable”.

A spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, Hua Chunying, told a regular briefing that all parties should accept that the Hong Kong government had handled Snowden’s case in accordance with the law.

The White House said Hong Kong’s decision was “a deliberate choice by the government to release a fugitive despite a valid arrest warrant, and that decision unquestionably has a negative impact on the US-China relationship”.