Snowden's Law-Breaking: Secrets And Lies

Edward Snowden is a former NSA intelligence contractor and whistleblower who, in 2013, leaked highly classified information about the existence of global surveillance programs. Snowden's actions sparked debates about mass surveillance, government secrecy, and the balance between national security and individual privacy.

Snowden was charged with violating the Espionage Act of 1917, which identifies the leak of state secrets as an act of treason. He was also charged with theft of government property. Snowden's actions were deemed by many to have violated the law, although there is debate about whether his actions were ethically justifiable.

Snowden currently resides in Russia, where he has been granted citizenship and permanent residency. He has stated that he would like to return to the US to face charges but that his attempts to move to other countries have been thwarted by the US government.

Snowden leaked classified information

In 2013, Edward Snowden, a former CIA systems administrator and NSA intelligence contractor, leaked highly classified information to journalists, revealing the existence of global surveillance programs. Snowden's disclosures included thousands of classified NSA documents, exposing numerous global surveillance programs run by the NSA and the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, in cooperation with telecommunication companies and European governments.

Snowden's actions violated the Espionage Act of 1917, which identifies the leak of state secrets as an act of treason. He was indicted for espionage and theft of government property, with the Department of Justice unsealing charges against him in June 2013.

Snowden's decision to leak the documents was motivated by his ethical concerns about the programs. He believed that the government's violation of privacy had to be exposed, regardless of the legality of his actions. Snowden has defended his conduct as an effort "to inform the public as to that which is done in their name and that which is done against them".

The consequences of Snowden's actions were far-reaching. They sparked intense debates about national security, individual privacy, and the balance between the two. Snowden's revelations also prompted a shift towards encryption and greater public awareness of how governments and private companies collect personal data.

While some have labelled Snowden a traitor, others have praised him as a whistleblower and a hero. Despite facing criminal charges and living in exile, Snowden stands by his actions, believing that he had a moral obligation to act.

He was charged with violating the Espionage Act of 1917

Edward Snowden was charged with violating the Espionage Act of 1917, a United States federal law enacted on June 15, 1917, shortly after the country entered World War I. The Espionage Act was intended to prohibit interference with military operations or recruitment, prevent insubordination in the military, and prevent support of enemies of the United States during wartime.

Snowden was charged with two counts of violating the Espionage Act of 1917: "unauthorized communication of national defense information" and "willful communication of classified communications intelligence information to an unauthorized person". He was also charged with theft of government property.

The Espionage Act of 1917 was based on the Defense Secrets Act of 1911, particularly the idea of obtaining or delivering information related to "national defense" to someone not "entitled to have it". The Espionage Act imposed much harsher penalties than the 1911 law, including the death penalty.

The Espionage Act of 1917 has been amended numerous times and remains in effect today. It is now found under Title 18 (Crime & Criminal Procedure): 18 U.S.C. ch. 37 (18 U.S.C. § 792 et seq.).

Snowden's actions in leaking classified documents and exposing the NSA's PRISM Surveillance Program are what led to the charges against him. He chose to inform citizens of the United States and the world about the government's surveillance programs, rather than selling the information or passing it to a foreign government. Snowden's actions sparked debates about national security, individual privacy, and the limits of government surveillance.

While Snowden's actions may have broken the law, he argued that he had a moral obligation to act as a whistleblower. He believed that the government's violation of privacy needed to be exposed, regardless of legality. Many legal experts and journalists have debated the ethical implications of Snowden's actions, with some defending them as ethical and others condemning them as criminal.

Snowden fled the US and sought asylum in Russia

In 2013, Edward Snowden, a former CIA systems administrator and NSA contractor, leaked confidential government documents to the press, revealing the existence of the US government's domestic and international surveillance programs. According to legal experts and the US government, Snowden's actions violated the Espionage Act of 1917, which identifies the leak of state secrets as treason. Facing criminal charges and potential extradition, Snowden fled the US and sought asylum in Russia.

Snowden's decision to flee the US and seek asylum in Russia was driven by his desire to avoid prosecution for his actions. He believed that Russia, a country without an extradition treaty with the US, offered him the best chance of evading US authorities. In 2013, Snowden arrived in Russia and was granted asylum, allowing him to reside in the country and avoid extradition to the US. This decision by Russia caused significant tension between the two nations, with the US condemning the move and demanding Snowden's return.

During his time in Russia, Snowden has kept a relatively low profile. He has occasionally posted on social media, sharing photographs of his family in Moscow and expressing his willingness to return to the US if guaranteed a fair trial. In 2020, facing the prospect of being separated from his family due to pandemic-related border closures, Snowden and his wife, Lindsay Mills, applied for Russian citizenship. They emphasised their desire to remain connected to their parents and future son, demonstrating how personal factors influenced Snowden's continued presence in Russia.

While Snowden has expressed a desire to return to the US and be reunited with his extended family, he also values stability for his immediate family. In 2020, Russia granted him permanent residency, a vital step towards obtaining Russian citizenship. Snowden's lawyer, Anatoly Kucherena, stated that Snowden could not be drafted into the Russian army due to his lack of prior military service. Snowden has praised Russia's natural beauty and the warmth of its people while also occasionally criticising government policies on social media.

Snowden's actions in leaking confidential information sparked a global debate about government surveillance and the ethical boundaries of national security. His decision to flee to Russia and seek asylum there further complicated diplomatic relations and highlighted the complexities of international law and extradition. Snowden's case continues to be a topic of discussion, with some considering him a whistleblower and others viewing him as a criminal who broke the law.

He smuggled files out of the NSA in a Rubik's Cube

Edward Snowden broke US laws and was charged with a political crime. However, he is currently in exile in Russia and has not been extradited to face legal charges.

Snowden, a former employee of the CIA and contractor for the NSA, revealed confidential government documents to the press about the existence of government surveillance programs. According to legal experts and the US government, his actions violated the Espionage Act of 1917, which identifies the leak of state secrets as an act of treason.

In the 2016 film *Snowden*, directed by Oliver Stone, Snowden is shown to hide a jump drive containing secret files inside a Rubik's Cube. He then talks his way past security to let the cube pass through the detectors without notice. Stone has stated that this scene was a suggestion from Snowden himself.

In reality, Snowden smuggled files out of the NSA by transferring them to micro and mini SD cards. He switched to the night shift to have more time to transfer files off the computers to the cards. He then hid the cards in various places on his body, including inside a Rubik's Cube, in his sock, in his cheek, and in his pocket. Snowden was able to collect any information he wanted as the manager of Heartbeat, so his access to files was not suspicious.

Snowden was charged with a political crime

Edward Snowden, a former NSA intelligence contractor and whistleblower, was charged with a political crime—a crime against the state instead of against a person—under the Espionage Act. He was also charged with two counts of violating the Espionage Act of 1917 and theft of government property. Snowden's indictment followed his leak of highly classified information from the National Security Agency (NSA) in 2013.

Snowden's leak revealed the existence of global surveillance programs, many of which were run by the NSA and the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, in cooperation with telecommunication companies and European governments. The disclosures prompted a cultural discussion about national security and individual privacy.

Snowden's actions constituted a violation of the Espionage Act of 1917, which identifies the leak of state secrets as an act of treason. However, Snowden argued that he had a moral obligation to act as a whistleblower, stating that he had a duty to inform the public of what was being done in their name and against them.

Despite facing criminal charges, Snowden has received support from various individuals and organisations who view him as a hero and a whistleblower. Jesselyn Radack of the Government Accountability Project defended his actions as ethical, arguing that Snowden acted for the public good. Additionally, Snowden has been granted asylum and citizenship in Russia, where he currently resides.

While Snowden's actions may have broken the law, they have also sparked a global debate about government surveillance and individual privacy. His disclosures have led to changes in laws and an increased use of encryption to protect personal data.

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