Snowden applies for political asylum in Russia

US whistleblower Edward Snowden is reported to have applied for political asylum in Russia.

The New York Times on Monday quoted a Russian official as saying Snowden had applied for asylum in Russia, as well as 14 other countries that he did not name.

A Russian immigration official, who didn’t want to be named, told Reuters news agency that a Wikileaks activist who is traveling with Snowden handed his application to a Russian consulate in the transit area at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport late on Sunday.

It came hours after President Vladimir Putin said Moscow did not intend to hand him to US authorities, but said he must stop leaking information if he wished to remain in Russia.

He said Moscow had never extradited anyone before and “has no intention to do so”, adding Mr Snowden was free to go if granted asylum elsewhere.

“Russia never hands over anybody anywhere and has no intention to do so,” Putin told a news conference in Moscow.

“If he (Snowden) wants to remain here there is one condition – he should stop his work aimed at inflicting damage on our American partners no matter how strange this may sound coming from me.”

The Russian president also stressed Snowden “is not our agent and does not co-operate with us”, and Russian secret services “never worked with him and are not working with him now”.

Edward Snowden, 30, is believed to be holed up in a Moscow airport hotel.

Putin said Snowden should choose his final destination and go there.

Putin was speaking at the same time President Obama confirmed to reporters that Washington had held “high level” discussions with Russia about Snowden.

“We don’t have an extradition treaty with Russia,” he told reporters while on a visit to Tanzania.

“On the other hand, Snowden, we understand, has travelled there without a valid passport and legal papers. And we are hopeful the Russian government makes decisions based on the normal procedures regarding international travel and the normal interactions law enforcement have.”

A senior Russian security official has said President Putin and US President Barack Obama had told FSB and the FBI, the security agencies of their respective countries, to seek a solution on the Snowden case, Russian RIA news agency reported.

Source: The Times Of Earth / Agencies