NSA spying: Snowden offers help to Germany
2 Nov 2013 5:46 AM IST
US intelligence whistleblower Edward Snowden has offered help to Germany to probe the National Security Agency’s (NSA) alleged spying on chancellor Angela Merkel and other covert surveillance operations.
Snowden, a former NSA contractor had told a top German opposition politician, who held a secret meeting with him in Moscow that he is willing to provide details about the intelligence agency’s activities including the alleged surveillance of Merkel’s mobile phone.
Hans-Christian Stroebele, the Green party’s member of the parliamentary control committee on intelligence services, said after a three-hour meeting with Snowden on Thursday that the former CIA contractor is ‘prepared in principle’ to testify before a parliamentary inquiry committee or to answer questions from prosecutors if he gets an assurance that he will not be extradited to the US. Stroebele said their talks centred on under what conditions Snowden could visit Germany.
Meanwhile, Germany’s interior minister Hans-Peter Friedrich on Friday said that he will try and find a way for Snowden to speak to German officials if the former National Security Agency contractor is willing to provide details about the NSA’s activities including the alleged surveillance of Merkel’s cellphone.
‘If the message is that Mr. Snowden wants to give us information, then we will be glad to accept that,’ Friedrich said, according to the newspaper Die Zeit.
Snowden, a former NSA contractor had told a top German opposition politician, who held a secret meeting with him in Moscow that he is willing to provide details about the intelligence agency’s activities including the alleged surveillance of Merkel’s mobile phone.
Hans-Christian Stroebele, the Green party’s member of the parliamentary control committee on intelligence services, said after a three-hour meeting with Snowden on Thursday that the former CIA contractor is ‘prepared in principle’ to testify before a parliamentary inquiry committee or to answer questions from prosecutors if he gets an assurance that he will not be extradited to the US. Stroebele said their talks centred on under what conditions Snowden could visit Germany.
Meanwhile, Germany’s interior minister Hans-Peter Friedrich on Friday said that he will try and find a way for Snowden to speak to German officials if the former National Security Agency contractor is willing to provide details about the NSA’s activities including the alleged surveillance of Merkel’s cellphone.
‘If the message is that Mr. Snowden wants to give us information, then we will be glad to accept that,’ Friedrich said, according to the newspaper Die Zeit.
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