Wikileaks spokesman Kristinn Hrafnsson said many of the countries NSA leaker Edward Snowden has requested asylum from did not respond with “an outright ‘No'” and suggested Snowden may be able to find asylum if he is able to reach those nations.
“The reaction by various nations to his request for asylum has been reported in the media. Some media are reporting a quailfied answer of an outright ‘No’ in worst cases and there has been a reference to formalities, simply the fact that, according to the laws of the countries that have given answers the other person needs to be physicially on the territory before an application for asylum can be processed,” Hrafnsson told TPM. “Of course, it should not be viewed as an outright no if we are in a situation which would occur that Mr. Snowden could travel to these countries.”
Snowden has submitted requests for asylum to 21 countries, all of which have either declined his request, not publicly commented, or said Snowden must be on their soil to make a request. Snowden was last known to be in the transit area of the Moscow airport. Hrafnsson declined to comment on Snowden’s current whereabouts. However, Hrafnsson said Wikileaks is still in communication with him. Though he said he is not personally “directly in contact” with Snowden, Hrafnsson said his “colleagues” are communicating directly with him.
“We are acting as messengers on Mr. Snowden’s behalf,” said Hrafnsson.
