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Surya Gayatri

(15,445 posts)
Mon Jun 10, 2013, 08:37 PM Jun 2013

US spy leaker Edward Snowden 'missing' in Hong Kong

Source: BBC News

An ex-CIA employee who leaked details of US top-secret phone and internet surveillance has disappeared from his hotel in Hong Kong.

Edward Snowden, 29, checked out from his hotel on Monday. His whereabouts are unknown, but he is believed to be still in Hong Kong.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22850901



Apparently, he's done a runner. Still in Hong Kong or has he been Shanghied? Wait and see, I guess...
30 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
US spy leaker Edward Snowden 'missing' in Hong Kong (Original Post) Surya Gayatri Jun 2013 OP
Is he real? Rosa Luxemburg Jun 2013 #1
I want to see a birth certificate. n/t CincyDem Jun 2013 #3
^^^This^^^! Surya Gayatri Jun 2013 #4
Long form, not a Certificate of Live Birth, raised seal, etc....nt msanthrope Jun 2013 #11
Of course long form. CincyDem Jun 2013 #12
An obvious paid actor Dash87 Jun 2013 #22
Oh really Georgi Dimitrov Jun 2013 #29
I was only joking. Dash87 Jun 2013 #30
Rendition, I suspect. NoodleyAppendage Jun 2013 #2
up next Bradley Manning's new cell mate azurnoir Jun 2013 #6
Wow, Agent Steve and his covert buds must be pretty damn Surya Gayatri Jun 2013 #9
or maybe he is running out of cash and had to check out Mosby Jun 2013 #13
Must not have had time to set up a Wikileaks donation site: freshwest Jun 2013 #18
I thought he lived comfortable on 200k...... Historic NY Jun 2013 #21
Him being in China is what gives me mixed feelings about the case. iandhr Jun 2013 #5
Yeah, question upon question, and he's just Surya Gayatri Jun 2013 #7
Yes, first question is: existentialist Jun 2013 #8
My guess is, he being hosted quite comfortably in Beijing as I type. My guess... eom Purveyor Jun 2013 #10
On almost any theory of his behavior, it would be surprising if he kept everybody posted struggle4progress Jun 2013 #14
A Nut Case. cynzke Jun 2013 #17
Iceland has lovely relations with USA. MADem Jun 2013 #19
He's probably dead itsrobert Jun 2013 #15
Well If Prism can't find him..... Grassy Knoll Jun 2013 #16
No doubt. He would have to be traveling a'la Jason Bourne, so unless he is highly trained, and very silvershadow Jun 2013 #20
He doesn't appear to have done much serious advanced Surya Gayatri Jun 2013 #25
That's what it's supposedly designed to do...TRACK! Surya Gayatri Jun 2013 #24
Best thing is to keep moving Franker65 Jun 2013 #23
Why the hell he bolted to one of the most oppressive Surya Gayatri Jun 2013 #27
Maybe he is living the life of Agent Bourne liberal N proud Jun 2013 #26
Agent Bourne is a Hollywood storyboard invention ripped from the imagination of R. Ludlum... Surya Gayatri Jun 2013 #28

CincyDem

(6,281 posts)
12. Of course long form.
Mon Jun 10, 2013, 09:15 PM
Jun 2013

Look. In today's day and age, you can't tell a person's heritage just by looking at them. For god's sake, he could be a Kenyan for all we know. And then what would we have.

Georgi Dimitrov

(2 posts)
29. Oh really
Tue Jun 11, 2013, 01:18 PM
Jun 2013

I'm trying to figure out what's to gain from this for the Empire. I've read all the Willie Loman posts but it still doesn't make any sense unless it's merely a distraction?

Dash87

(3,220 posts)
30. I was only joking.
Tue Jun 11, 2013, 01:25 PM
Jun 2013

It was mostly from the fact that the "paid actor" accusation comes out in every news story that happens now. It's become hilariously cliche at this point

 

Surya Gayatri

(15,445 posts)
9. Wow, Agent Steve and his covert buds must be pretty damn
Mon Jun 10, 2013, 08:53 PM
Jun 2013

smooth to be able to abduct Eddie right under China's nose on Chinese territory.

freshwest

(53,661 posts)
18. Must not have had time to set up a Wikileaks donation site:
Mon Jun 10, 2013, 11:02 PM
Jun 2013
WikiLeaks Blames U.S. Lawmakers for Visa/MasterCard Blockade

by Brian Browdie NOV 27, 2012

WikiLeaks' founder accused two members of Congress of pressuring MasterCard (MA) and Visa (V) to block payments to his group after it published thousands of confidential messages about U.S. diplomacy and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Julian Assange charged Tuesday that Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut and Rep. Peter King from New York influenced the moves by both companies in December 2010 to halt the payments.

Assange, speaking to reporters from the Ecuadorean embassy in London, where he claimed asylum in June to avoid extradition to Sweden to face charges of sexual assault, said the blockade had eliminated 95% of WikiLeaks' revenue and cost the group roughly $50 million in donations...


http://www.americanbanker.com/issues/177_227/wikileaks-blames-u-s-lawmakers-for-visa-mastercard-blockade-1054655-1.html

Over $50 million was coming in then. They likely still have money coming. Although I can't find newer links than this one:

http://www.thelocal.de/sci-tech/20101223-31975.html

Snowden will be taken care of by Assange. And the Chinese government might like to have him there for their own reasons.
 

Surya Gayatri

(15,445 posts)
7. Yeah, question upon question, and he's just
Mon Jun 10, 2013, 08:47 PM
Jun 2013

done a flyer. Conveniently UNAVAILABLE FOR COMMENT...

struggle4progress

(118,032 posts)
14. On almost any theory of his behavior, it would be surprising if he kept everybody posted
Mon Jun 10, 2013, 09:34 PM
Jun 2013

about his whereabouts


Edward Snowden says he seeks safe harbor in Iceland
Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY 4:11 p.m. EDT June 10, 2013
Iceland says the self-outed leaker must apply for asylum in person
... "The main stipulation for seeking asylum in Iceland would be that the person must be in Iceland to start the process," said Johannes Tomasson, the chief spokesman for Iceland's Ministry of Interior in Reykjavik ...

MADem

(135,425 posts)
19. Iceland has lovely relations with USA.
Mon Jun 10, 2013, 11:06 PM
Jun 2013

They've improved greatly post - Bush. Would they want to strain them yet again?


Pressed on whether there could ever be a scenario where Snowden could walk into an Icelandic embassy in Hong Kong or elsewhere and receive a degree of protection while applying for asylum, Tomasson conceded that advice or consultation could be sought that fell outside the asylum-application process.

But he wouldn't comment on the legal status of the person seeking such advice or consultation. In other words, he couldn't say whether Snowden would be on base while trying to get to base.

"The main rule is that the application starts when the person is in Iceland, " Tomasson said. "Anything beyond that would just be speculation."


http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/06/10/iceland-snowden/2407737/
 

silvershadow

(10,336 posts)
20. No doubt. He would have to be traveling a'la Jason Bourne, so unless he is highly trained, and very
Mon Jun 10, 2013, 11:27 PM
Jun 2013

very fortunate, I would say he is toast. I mean, how could one navigate one's way? I would think it impossible.

 

Surya Gayatri

(15,445 posts)
25. He doesn't appear to have done much serious advanced
Tue Jun 11, 2013, 06:53 AM
Jun 2013

planning--already out of cash and not a friend in sight, except Glen 'In-This-For-the-Glory' Greenwald.

Don't know about you, but I wouldn't want to have to rely on that egomaniac for my safe passage.

 

Surya Gayatri

(15,445 posts)
24. That's what it's supposedly designed to do...TRACK!
Tue Jun 11, 2013, 06:47 AM
Jun 2013

Maybe the people on his trail are just giving him a bit more metaphorical rope, letting him "hang" himself (in public opinion, of course).

Franker65

(299 posts)
23. Best thing is to keep moving
Tue Jun 11, 2013, 02:55 AM
Jun 2013

Hopefully someone who supports his cause has provided a private jet and flown him to Beijing or Iceland.

 

Surya Gayatri

(15,445 posts)
27. Why the hell he bolted to one of the most oppressive
Tue Jun 11, 2013, 07:01 AM
Jun 2013

and secretive regimes on the planet to seek safe haven, is one of the key mysteries in this saga.

That he opted for the PRC as his best bet to receive fair treatment and possible asylum raises some serious questions about his mental stability, IMHO.

liberal N proud

(60,298 posts)
26. Maybe he is living the life of Agent Bourne
Tue Jun 11, 2013, 06:59 AM
Jun 2013

with operatives always on his tail. Maybe one of those operatives succeeded where they could not in the movies.

We all thought 1984 was far fetched, but now not so much.

 

Surya Gayatri

(15,445 posts)
28. Agent Bourne is a Hollywood storyboard invention ripped from the imagination of R. Ludlum...
Tue Jun 11, 2013, 07:11 AM
Jun 2013

In the real world, you need friends, or at least safe contacts, to survive on the run.

So far, his spycraft and modus operandi make him look pretty amateurish.

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