Justice Department spokesperson, on the self-unmasking of Edward Snowden:
The Department of Justice is in the initial stages of an investigation into the unauthorized disclosure of classified information by an individual with authorized access. Consistent with long standing Department policy and procedure and in order to protect the integrity of the investigation, we must decline further comment.
The spokesperson for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence released the following statement in response to the new reporting on NSA leaker/whistleblower Edward Snowden:
We have seen the latest report from The Guardian that identifies an individual claiming to have disclosed information about highly classified intelligence programs in recent days. Because the matter has been referred to the Department of Justice, we refer you to the Department of Justice for comment on any further specifics of the unauthorized disclosure of classified information by a person with authorized access. The Intelligence Community is currently reviewing the damage that has been done by these recent disclosures. Any person who has a security clearance knows that he or she has an obligation to protect classified information and abide by the law.
The Washington Post confirms that Edward Snowden was its source, too, for the Gellman/Poitras story this week on PRISM.
Having given some initial reactions to the Snowden revelation below, let me say a bit more about Snowden’s decision to go to Hong Kong. Read More
In case you haven’t seen it, there’s been a dramatic new turn in the NSA/PRISM disclosures story. Working with Glenn Greenwald and the Guardian the leaker has revealed himself, fully. Name, photographs, a lengthy interview and a video explaining his decisions.
Whatever you think of his actions and the equities involved, you should take a moment to watch the video. His name is Edward Snowden. He’s 29 years old and seems, for lack of a better word, like a pretty normal or average 29 year old American man, perhaps slightly more hipsterish than some would expect from someone so deep inside the NSA. He describes a series of jobs as a computer technician and systems administrator in various parts of the US Intelligence Community over almost a decade, first inside the government and later as an embedded contractor. Read More
