MOSCOW: Former US National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden has denied media reports that he gave US secret documents to Russia and China.
“I never gave any information to either government, and they never took anything from my laptops,” said Edward Snowden in a new interview.
US mainstream media reports indicated that Snowden is a spy who has given out at least some sensitive information to Russia and China to buy his protection.
The US government has also been trying to build a public case against Snowden through unverifiable media reports on how his leaks have threatened national security.
Despite the efforts by administration officials to portray Snowden’s as someone who is not loyal to his country, a recent opinion poll shows a majority of Americans consider him as a whistleblower rather than a traitor.
Fifty five percent of registered voters surveyed by Quinnipiac said Snowden is a whistleblower.
“The massive swing in public opinion about civil liberties and governmental anti-terrorism efforts, and the public view that Edward Snowden is more whistle-blower than traitor, are the public reaction and apparent shock at the extent to which the government has gone in trying to prevent future terrorist incidents,” said Peter Brown, assistant director of Quinnipiac’s polling institute.
