The father of American whistleblower Edward Snowden says that US President Barack Obama is intentionally misleading the American people.
Å“The president made the statement that Edward — that the president had enacted whistleblower laws that protected contractors like my son Edward that is absolutely untrue. Either the president is being misled by his advisers or he is intentionally misleading the American people,” Lon Snowden told ABC on Sunday.
During a press conference on Friday, Obama said, “I signed an executive order all before Mr. Snowden leaked this information that provided whistleblower protection to the intelligent committee or the first time, so there were other avenues available for somebody whose conscience was stirred and felt they needed to question government actions.”
Edwardâ„¢s father also noted that his son, who is charged with espionage for leaking the US governmentâ„¢s spying programs, would not receive a fair trial in the United States.
Å“At this point, what I would like is for this to be vetted in open court for the American people to have all the facts. What I’ve seen is much political theater,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lon Snowdenâ„¢s attorney, Bruce Fein, said on Sunday that the father of Edward obtained a Russian visa and plans to visit his son in Moscow.
Å“We now have a date for visiting Moscow. We have visas, we have a date which we wonâ„¢t disclose right now because of the frenzy,” Fein said. Å“Itâ„¢s very soon.”
The National Security Agency leaker received temporary asylum in Russia on August 1.
The whistleblower first fled from the US to Hong Kong and then went to Russia. He was holed up in the transit zone of a Moscow airport for more than a month before Russia granted him a one-year asylum.
AGB/ISH
Republished from: Press TV