WASHINGTON, October 14 (RIA Novosti) – The US government is ready to grant National Security Agency (NSA) whistleblower Edward Snowden full due process and protections, if the whistleblower returns to the United States to face his charges, Department of Justice's National Security Division spokesman Marc Raimondi told RIA Novosti on Tuesday.
"This is an ongoing case so the most I can say is this: it remains our position that Mr. Snowden should return to the United States and face the charges filed against him. If he does, he will be accorded full due process and protections," Raimondi said.
The spokesman was responding to statements made by Snowden during a virtual interview with The New Yorker on October 11, in which the fugitive indicated he had not received guarantees of an open trial from US authorities.
In June 2013, Snowden leaked classified information from the NSA about extensive electronic surveillance programs that the US government carried out globally, including eavesdropping on US citizens and foreign leaders.
The United States has charged Snowden with espionage and revoked his passport. The whistleblower received temporary asylum in Russia for one year on August 1, 2013. In August 2014, Russian authorities extended the temporary asylum for Snowden for three years.
