Russia considering Snowden asylum

Russia is considering whether to grant asylum to fugitive US leaker Edward Snowden after the former  National Security Agency (NSA) contractor seeks temporary asylum in the in the country.

Russia is in dilemma for taking risk which may further straining its ties with Washington. The diplomatic ties between this two countries have already strained over human rights issue and the crisis in Syria. Russia also rejected US demand of extradite Snoden.

The 30-year-old former NSA computer specialist, Edward Snowden revealed a massive US surveillance program 2 weeks back through WikiLeaks and do not wish to return US as he fears unfair trail.

On Friday Snowden met dozens of activists including members of Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and top Moscow lawyers at the transit zone of Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport where he has been holding for the last three weeks.

“I ask for your assistance in requesting guarantees of safe passage… in securing my travel to Latin America, as well as requesting asylum in Russia until such time as… my legal travel is permitted,” Snowden told the activists at the meeting.

“That moral decision to tell the public about spying that affects all of us has been costly, but it was the right thing to do and I have no regrets,” Snowden told activists.

“I did not seek to enrich myself. I did not seek to sell U.S. secrets. I did not partner with any foreign government to guarantee my safety. Instead, I took what I knew to the public, so what affects all of us can be discussed by all of us in the light of day, and I asked the world for justice,” Snowden added.

Meanwhile the White House urged Russia not to grant asylum to Snowden.

“We would urge the Russian government to afford human rights organisations the ability to do their work in Russia throughout Russia, not just at the Moscow transit lounge,” White House spokesman Jay Carney said.

US President Barack Obama spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday over Snowden issue.

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