Wednesday, 26 June 2013

Edward Snowden's Ecuador asylum bid 'may take weeks' - BBC News

Ecuador could take weeks to rule on an asylum bid by fugitive US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden, officials say.

Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino said it had taken Ecuador two months to grant asylum to Julian Assange, the founder of whistleblowing website Wikileaks.

The website has been lending legal support to Mr Snowden, who is in a transit zone at a Moscow airport.

A Wikileaks Tweet said the American was "well" and being accompanied by one of its legal advisers "at all times".

The website has not further elaborated on Mr Snowden's whereabouts.

Both Wikileaks and Russia have denied reports that the Russian secret police have questioned the American.

Mr Snowden first fled to Hong Kong before flying to Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport on Sunday.

"Start Quote

It took us more than two months to make a decision in the case of Assange, so do not expect us to make a decision sooner this time"

End Quote Ricardo Patino Ecuadorean Foreign Minister

He was expected to board a flight to the Venezuelan capital Caracas on Monday but his seat remained vacant.

The 30-year-old IT expert has had his US passport revoked and applied for Ecuadorean asylum.

'Rights obligations'

On Wednesday, Mr Patino compared the case to that of Mr Assange, who has been living inside the Ecuadorean embassy in London for more than a year.

Mr Assange walked into the embassy when his appeal against extradition to Sweden for questioning on accusations of sex crimes was turned down last June.

"It took us more than two months to make a decision in the case of Assange, so do not expect us to make a decision sooner this time," Mr Patino told reporters.

He said Ecuador had not yet decided whether to offer protection to Mr Snowden in the meantime.

Mystery surrounds Edward Snowden's exact whereabouts at Moscow airport

"If he goes to an embassy, then we will make a decision," the foreign minister said.

Ecuador said it would consider the American's application "responsibly" and would weigh "human rights obligations".

It added that the US would have to submit its position in writing regarding Mr Snowden.

Venezuela has also said it will consider an asylum application from Mr Snowden.

Mr Snowden's case has caused a diplomatic spat, with the US accusing Russia and China of assisting the fugitive. Both nations have rejected the charges.

'Groundless' accusations

Russia earlier confirmed that Mr Snowden was still in a transit zone at the Moscow airport.

Although the country has no extradition treaty with the US, Washington said it wanted Moscow to extradite Mr Snowden without delay.

But Russia said that the American was technically not yet under its jurisdiction because he had not passed through immigration.

Meanwhile China described accusations that it allowed Mr Snowden to leave Hong Kong despite an arrest warrant as "groundless and unacceptable".

The Chinese government has expressed deep concern about the leaker's allegations that the US had hacked into networks in China.

Mr Snowden is wanted by the US for leaking highly sensitive information to the media about a secret government surveillance programme, which he obtained while working as a contractor for the National Security Agency (NSA).

He is charged with theft of government property, unauthorised communication of national defence information and wilful communication of classified communications intelligence.

His leaks have led to revelations that the US is systematically seizing vast amounts of phone and web data under an NSA programme known as Prism.

US officials have defended the practice of gathering telephone and internet data from private users around the world.

They say Prism cannot be used to target intentionally any Americans or anyone in the US, and stress that it is supervised by judges.

Hawaii

20 May: Snowden flies from Hawaii to Hong Kong.

Hong Kong

5 June: From Hong Kong, Snowden discloses details of what he describes as a vast US phone and internet surveillance programme to the UK's Guardian newspaper.

Moscow

23 June: Snowden leaves Hong Kong on a flight to Moscow. He is currently thought to remain airside at Sheremetyevo airport.

Cuba

From Moscow, Snowden could fly to Cuba, en route to Ecuador, which has said it is "analysing" whether to grant him asylum.

Venezuela

Venezuela had also been considered a possible destination for Snowden, however it is thought he would only pass through on his way to Ecuador.

Ecuador

Snowden is reported to have requested asylum in Ecuador, which previously granted haven to Wikileaks founder Julian Assange in its London embassy.

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