Snowden's father tells Russian television his son has no plans to return to U.S. to face charges
The Associated Press
Posted: Oct 10, 2013 2:45 AM ET|
Last Updated: Oct 10, 2013 2:21 PM ET


Four former U.S. security officials who met with Edward Snowden said the former National Security Agency analyst is adjusting to life in Russia and had no regrets about leaking highly classified information.

Separately, Snowden's father arrived in Moscow on Thursday for a visit.

The Americans, who once worked for the CIA, FBI, Justice Department and NSA, had criticized the U.S. government and in some cases exposed what they believed was wrongdoing in the security agencies. All supporters of Snowden, the four are the first Americans known to have met with him since he was granted asylum in Russia in August.

In interviews with The Associated Press, they described spending Wednesday evening with Snowden and said he was "safe and free." During their meeting, the four Americans presented Snowden with the Sam Adams Award, which is given annually by a group of retired CIA officers.

The winner of the award in 2010 was WikiLeaks and its founder, Julian Assange.

"He spoke about going out, and about getting to understand Russia and its culture and the people," said Thomas Drake, a former NSA executive who gave inside information to a newspaper about an electronic espionage program he saw as invasive.

"This is where he lives now, and where you live is your home," Drake said.

Snowden's father, Lon, did not say when or where he would meet his 30-year-old son, but expressed optimism about his situation.

"You know, I have heard so many things through the media, and my assumption is certainly, given the circumstances, he's doing as well as could be expected," Lon Snowden told The Associated Press shortly after he arrived. "He's safe and he's free, and that's a good thing."

The elder Snowden said he doubts his son will return to the United States, where he is charged with violating the Espionage Act for disclosing the NSA's surveillance of phone and internet usage around the world.

The four former U.S. officials refused to say where they met with Snowden or where he is living.

"For his own safety it's best that no one else knows where he actually lives," Drake said. "But I believe he is making the best of his circumstances and is living as normally as possible."

Snowden wins anti-secrecy award

Like Snowden, Drake was indicted under the Espionage Act, but the felony charges were dropped before trial and he was convicted on a lesser charge and sentenced to one year of probation and community service.

Drake and the other Americans – Raymond McGovern, Jesselyn Radack and Coleen Rowley – said Snowden was in good spirits and still believes he did the right thing in disclosing the NSA surveillance program.


All but McGovern are past recipients of the Sam Adams Award, named for a CIA analyst during the Vietnam War who accused the U.S. military of underestimating the strength of the enemy for political purposes. The award is given annually by the Sam Adams Associates for Integrity in Intelligence.

McGovern, a retired CIA officer, said the anti-secrecy group had facilitated their trip to Moscow and that WikiLeaks staffer Sarah Harrison, who had arrived with Snowden from Hong Kong in June, remained by his side.

The Americans said they saw no evidence that Snowden was under the control of Russian security services, as many in the U.S. government believe.

"He spoke very openly about a whole range of things, a number of which I won't get into here, but it certainly didn't involve any kind of manipulation by the Russian government or anyone else for that matter," said Radack, a former Justice Department adviser now with the Government Accountability Project. "He definitely is his own person and makes his own decisions and says and does what he wants to."

Edward Snowden was stuck at a Moscow airport for more than a month after his arrival from Hong Kong on June 23. He was granted asylum in Russia in August.

Snowden's asylum status has strained the already tense relationship between the U.S. and Russia.

© The Associated Press, 2013

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