“I am not here to hide from justice; I am here to reveal criminality,” NSA leaker Edward Snowden told the the South China Morning Post Wednesday morning, referring to the ongoing speculation over his move to Hong Kong from Hawaii after leaking extensive documents from his former employer, the NSA, revealing the extent of the top-secret and extensive phone and internet surveillance programs.
The Post published portions of its interview Wednesday morning, but said it would publish the entire interview “soon,” promising “more explosive details on US surveillance targets,” Snowden’s next plans, and the steps Snowden claims the US has taken since landing in Hong Kong.
“People who think I made a mistake in picking Hong Kong as a location misunderstand my intentions. I am not here to hide from justice; I am here to reveal criminality,” Snowden stated.
He also said he will fight any extradition attempt by the US government, saying: “My intention is to ask the courts and people of Hong Kong to decide my fate. I have been given no reason to doubt your system.’’
Snowden added: “I’m neither traitor nor hero. I’m an American.”
More to come very shortly.
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This article originally appeared on: Common Dreams