Germany Wants to Speak with Snowden About U.S. Surveillance
By:   //  News Briefs, World News

Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich, Germany’s top security official, is interested in speaking with NSA leaker, Edward Snowden, about alleged surveillance of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cell phone. The possibility that the U.S. has been listening in on Merkel’s private line came to light several weeks ago when the German leader called President Obama to find out the truth.

Snowden is living in Russia now, having requested and received asylum. He faces espionage charges from the U.S. government. So far, it doesn’t appear that Germany will be able to speak with the former NSA worker. In a letter released by Friedrich Friday, Snowden said he would not speak with German officials as long as he is being prosecuted by the United States.

“Though the outcome of my efforts has been demonstrably positive, my government continues to treat dissent as defection, and seeks to criminalize political speech with felony charges that provide no defense…I am confident that with the support of the international community, the government of the United States will abandon this harmful behavior.”

For now, it seems Germany will have to wait to see what sort of information Snowden might have regarding U.S. spying on its chancellor. (Derek Dowell – VNN) (Image: Flickr | digbyrose)

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