Washington: A US House committee issued a scathing report on Thursday accusing National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden of lying about his background, feuding with co-workers and leaking secrets that "caused tremendous damage" to US security.
The House of Representatives Intelligence Committee report declared that Snowden was "not a whistleblower" as he has claimed in interviews and that most of the material he stole from NSA outposts was about intelligence and defence programs of great interest to US foreign adversaries.
The committee only released a four-page summary of what it said was a 36-page investigative report by committee staff that remains highly classified. But the summary contained strong words about Snowden's actions and background.
The committee said that while the "full scope" of damage caused by Snowden's disclosures remains unknown, a review of materials he allegedly compromised "makes clear that he handed over secrets that protect American troops overseas and secrets that provide vital defences against terrorists and nation-states."
The House Committee's release of the report coincides with the release of "Snowden," a Hollywood movie directed by Oliver Stone, which portrays the former intelligence contractor as a whistleblower and hero.
On Wednesday, prominent human rights advocates publicly urged President Barack Obama to issue a pardon for Snowden before he leaves office - a suggestion Snowden himself made to the Guardian newspaper earlier in the week.
US officials have said that Obama is not considering a pardon for Snowden, who is facing US criminal charges for providing classified information to unauthorized persons, and that there is no discussion of such a pardon inside the Justice Department.
The House of Representatives Intelligence Committee report declared that Snowden was "not a whistleblower" as he has claimed in interviews and that most of the material he stole from NSA outposts was about intelligence and defence programs of great interest to US foreign adversaries.
The committee only released a four-page summary of what it said was a 36-page investigative report by committee staff that remains highly classified. But the summary contained strong words about Snowden's actions and background.
The House Committee's release of the report coincides with the release of "Snowden," a Hollywood movie directed by Oliver Stone, which portrays the former intelligence contractor as a whistleblower and hero.
Advertisement
US officials have said that Obama is not considering a pardon for Snowden, who is facing US criminal charges for providing classified information to unauthorized persons, and that there is no discussion of such a pardon inside the Justice Department.
© Thomson Reuters 2016
Advertisement
COMMENTS
Advertisement
US Teenager, Rejected By 16 Colleges, Hired By Google "Not A Tennis Match": SOS By US House Panel Probing China Ruling Party Edward Snowden Questions Elon Musk After Twitter Bans Wife's Pic With Baby: ''Does This...'' Karnataka's 100% Quota Bill For Kannadigas In Private Firms For These Posts Is Earth Orbiting Sun Or A Point In Space? Read This Fascinating Analysis Why IAS Officer Puja Khedkar's Training Has Been Put On Hold 4 Top Leaders Quit Ajit Pawar's Party In Major Setback After Poll Drubbing Trump Shooting Conspiracy Theories Viewed 215 Million Times On X: Report Days After Rally Scare, Man With AK-47 Arrested Near Trump's Party Event Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.