WikiLeaks Says Russia’s Security Service Never Tried to Recruit Snowden

MOSCOW, January 12 (Sputnik), Daria Chernyshova — The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) has never tried to recruit former NSA contractor Edward Snowden although the FSB approached him in the transit area of Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport in 2013, WikiLeaks spokesperson told Sputnik news agency Monday.

Earlier on Monday, Associated Press quoted WikiLeaks staffer Sarah Harrison as saying that Russia’s FSB attempted to recruit the former NSA contractor, but he did not accept the offer.

“I talked to Sarah [Harrison] and she wants to reiterate that she simply said that we confirm that [Snowden] was approached by the Russian Security Service while at the airport. As he actually indeed confirmed himself in his testimony to the EU parliament in January last year,” WikiLeaks spokesperson Kristinn Hrafnsson told Sputnik.

“She [Harrison] never used the word ‘to recruit’ and neither did [Snowden],” Hrafnsson said.

Meanwhile, FSB refused to comment to RIA Novosti on the allegations.

Hrafnsson reminded Sputnik that Snowden said that he had never cooperated with the FSB, “did not bring any documents, so there was nothing to negotiate on.”

Edward Snowden, a former National Security Agency contractor, disclosed surveillance practices conducted by US Intelligence during a meeting with journalists in June 2013. Following the documents’ disclosure in summer 2013, Snowden was stuck without a visa in the transit area of Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport, before he was granted asylum and later a three-year residency permit by Russia.