Edward Snowden - Full Documentary 2016

Summary

The video script details the dramatic story of Edward Snowden, a former NSA analyst who leaked classified information about mass surveillance programs. Snowden, portrayed as a whistleblower and a traitor, fled the US and became a fugitive. The narrative follows his journey from Hong Kong, where he met with journalists, to his time in Moscow's airport transit zone, where he was stuck for weeks. It highlights the global manhunt, diplomatic tensions, and the race to find asylum, culminating in Russia granting him temporary asylum. The script also touches on the implications for privacy, government surveillance, and the international response to Snowden's actions.

Takeaways

• 😷 Edward Snowden, a former NSA contractor, leaked details of a secret surveillance program and became a fugitive, seeking asylum from various countries.
• 🔍 Snowden disappeared in Hong Kong after revealing the extent of the NSA's mass surveillance programs, which collected phone records and internet data on an unprecedented scale.
• 📰 Journalists from The Guardian published the first stories based on Snowden's documents without revealing their source, keeping Snowden's identity a secret initially.
• 🕵️‍♂️ The US government launched a massive manhunt for Snowden, with high-level officials calling for his capture and trial for crimes such as espionage.
• 🛫 Snowden's escape from Hong Kong was facilitated by WikiLeaks and its legal adviser Sarah Harrison, who helped him navigate a complex path to safety.
• 📜 The US government's indictment against Snowden included serious charges like espionage, which could have resulted in the death penalty if he were caught.
• 🇭🇰 Hong Kong authorities did not immediately arrest Snowden, creating a window of opportunity for him to leave for Moscow despite US pressure.
• 🛂 A mistake in Snowden's extradition documents by the US State Department allowed him to leave Hong Kong, as the authorities needed time to correct the error.
• 🇷🇺 Russia eventually granted Snowden temporary asylum for one year, allowing him to leave the airport and live freely within the country's borders.
• 🌍 Snowden's case highlighted the strained relations between the US and other nations, as European countries denied his asylum requests under US pressure.
• 🛬 The incident with Bolivian President Evo Morales' plane being denied entry and forced to land due to rumors of Snowden being on board further complicated US-EU relations.

Q & A

Who is Edward Snowden and what is he known for?

Edward Snowden is a former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor who became internationally known for leaking thousands of classified documents to the public. His disclosures revealed extensive internet and telephone surveillance programs by the NSA and other signal intelligence agencies, sparking widespread debate over mass surveillance, privacy, and civil liberties.

Why did Snowden choose to leak the NSA documents?

Snowden leaked the documents because he was disturbed by the realization that the United States government was increasingly making decisions that departed from the rule of law. He believed that the public had a right to know about the mass surveillance programs and the potential violation of their privacy rights.

What was Snowden's initial concern about meeting journalists in Hong Kong?

Snowden was concerned about the potential risks of the meeting, including the possibility that the journalists could be agents or that the US authorities could have intercepted the communications. He was worried about falling into a trap set by the NSA.

What method did Snowden use to verify his identity to the journalists?

Snowden used a Rubik's Cube as a signaling device to verify his identity. This was a method he invented to ensure that the journalists were meeting the right person and not an agent or someone else.

What precautions did Snowden take to protect himself and the information he had?

Snowden took several precautions, such as piling pillows against the door jam to prevent anyone from entering the room unnoticed, using a big red hood to cover his head and computer when entering passwords, and being cautious about accessing his laptops to avoid being seen through the window or by hidden cameras.

Why did Snowden choose to reveal his identity after the initial publication of the NSA documents?

Snowden chose to reveal his identity to take ownership of his actions and to show that he was not working for any foreign government. He wanted to make it clear that he was acting on his own convictions and was providing the information to the public, not to any adversary of the United States.

How did the US government respond to Snowden's disclosures and his escape?

The US government responded by launching a massive manhunt for Snowden, pressuring foreign governments to detain and extradite him, and charging him with espionage, theft, and conversion of government property. They also attempted to pressure Hong Kong and other jurisdictions to cooperate in his arrest.

What role did WikiLeaks and Sarah Harrison play in Snowden's escape?

WikiLeaks and Sarah Harrison, a WikiLeaks journalist, played a crucial role in helping Snowden escape from Hong Kong. They provided legal advice, helped secure his travel to Moscow, and assisted him in applying for asylum in various countries. Harrison accompanied Snowden throughout his journey, providing support and protection.

Why did Snowden end up in Russia, and what challenges did he face there?

Snowden ended up in Russia because it was a transit point on his way to a country that could offer him asylum. However, he faced significant challenges, including the cancellation of his US passport by the American government, which left him stranded in the Moscow airport's transit zone.

What was the impact of Snowden's disclosures on public opinion and government policies?

Snowden's disclosures sparked a global debate about mass surveillance, privacy rights, and government transparency. They led to increased scrutiny of intelligence agencies, legal challenges against mass surveillance programs, and policy changes in some countries to better protect individual privacy.

Outlines

00:00

🕵️‍♂️ The Whistleblower's Escape: Snowden's Hong Kong Revelations

This segment details the story of Edward Snowden, a former NSA contractor who leaked classified information about mass surveillance programs in the USA. Snowden, characterized as a coward and traitor by some, fled to Hong Kong after releasing the documents. The video describes the tense situation as journalists from The Guardian met with Snowden in Hong Kong to receive top-secret NSA documents. Snowden took elaborate measures to avoid detection, such as using a Rubik's Cube as a signal and piling pillows against the door to muffle sounds. The journalists were cautious, unsure of Snowden's true identity and potential traps. Snowden's actions sparked a heated debate, with some calling for his extradition to the US for trial, while others viewed him as a hero exposing government overreach.

05:08

🔒 Snowden's Precautions and the Aftermath of His Leaks

The paragraph discusses the extreme measures Edward Snowden took to protect himself while accessing his laptop, such as using a red hood to shield his computer from potential surveillance. It highlights the gravity of the situation, describing it as 'the greatest loss of secrets in our nation's history.' The US government's reaction was intense, with efforts to retrieve Snowden and the leaked materials before further damage could be done. Snowden's emotional state is touched upon, with accounts of his edginess and nervousness, especially after the leaks became public. The possibility of the US government resorting to extreme measures, including the potential for lethal force, is considered. The narrative also includes Snowden's background, his family's military service, and his impressive career within the intelligence community, which granted him access to the nation's deepest secrets.

10:09

🌐 Snowden's Global Manhunt and the Role of General Michael Hayden

This section delves into the aftermath of Snowden's revelations and the subsequent manhunt led by the US government. It features an interview with General Michael Hayden, former director of the NSA and CIA, who provides insight into the motivations behind the NSA's surveillance programs. The narrative discusses the arrogance and moral righteousness that Snowden believed he possessed, which led him to leak the information. The paragraph also touches on the media frenzy that ensued following Snowden's public identification as the whistleblower, with the world's attention fixated on his whereabouts and the US government's efforts to apprehend him. The role of WikiLeaks and its founder, Julian Assange, is also mentioned, as they became involved in assisting Snowden after his revelations.

15:09

🛫 Snowden's Flight from Hong Kong and the Race for Asylum

The focus of this paragraph is on Snowden's urgent need to leave Hong Kong due to the mounting pressure from the US government. It details the scramble to find a safe destination for Snowden, the involvement of WikiLeaks and its legal adviser Sarah Harrison, and the complex operation to secure his escape. The narrative describes the tense moments at the airport, the risks of being captured, and the strategies employed to mislead the US authorities. The paragraph also highlights the global implications of Snowden's case, the diplomatic pressures exerted by the US, and the challenges faced by Snowden and his supporters in finding a country willing to offer him asylum.

20:10

🏢 Snowden's Struggle with the US Intelligence Community

This segment provides an in-depth look at the US government's pursuit of Snowden and the legal challenges he faced, including being charged with Espionage, theft, and conversion of government property. It discusses the political and diplomatic efforts made by the US to ensure Snowden's arrest and extradition, as well as the potential consequences he would face if returned to the US, such as the possibility of the death penalty. The narrative also touches on the Hong Kong authorities' reluctance to arrest Snowden immediately and their decision to wait for proper paperwork, which bought Snowden some time. The paragraph concludes with the mounting tension and uncertainty surrounding Snowden's situation as he remained in hiding, with his future hanging in the balance.

25:15

🛂 Snowden's Airport Ordeal and the Mistake in US Documentation

The paragraph recounts the dramatic events at the airport as Snowden attempted to leave Hong Kong. It describes the tense moments during passport control, the delay caused by a mistake in the US extradition request where Snowden's middle name was misspelled, and the subsequent race against time to board the flight to Moscow. The narrative also includes the reactions of US officials, the communication between the US and Hong Kong authorities, and the ultimate decision by Hong Kong to allow Snowden to depart. The paragraph concludes with Snowden's successful departure from Hong Kong, despite the US's efforts to prevent him from leaving.

30:15

🗺️ Snowden's Journey Through Russian Airspace and the Quest for Asylum

This section follows Snowden's flight over Russian airspace and the speculation about his final destination. It highlights the media's role in shaping the narrative of Snowden's escape and the efforts made by his legal team to counteract negative spins. The paragraph also discusses the US's attempts to pressure other countries to refuse Snowden entry or asylum, the cancellation of his passport by the US government, and the challenges this posed for Snowden's travel plans. The narrative concludes with Snowden's arrival in Moscow and the uncertainty of his next steps, as well as the US's continued pursuit to bring him back to face charges.

35:17

🛬 Snowden's Arrival in Moscow and the Failed Asylum Bid

The paragraph details Snowden's arrival in Moscow and the chaotic scene at the airport, where media frenzy and diplomatic efforts to secure his asylum were underway. It describes the challenges faced by an Ecuadorian diplomat attempting to assist Snowden, the failed attempt to board a flight to Cuba due to the cancellation of his passport, and the US's pressure on Russia to expel Snowden. The narrative also includes the US's perspective on Snowden's actions and their efforts to bring him back to face justice, as well as the personal experiences of those involved in assisting Snowden during this critical time.

40:18

🏛️ Snowden's Asylum in Russia and the Impact on US-Russia Relations

This segment discusses Snowden's successful application for temporary asylum in Russia, allowing him to leave the airport after weeks of living in the transit zone. It highlights the emotional impact of this development on Snowden and those close to him, as well as the diplomatic fallout between the US and Russia. The narrative includes reactions from US officials expressing disappointment and frustration with Russia's decision to grant asylum, and the broader implications this event had on US-Russia relations, which were already strained and dropped to their lowest level in years.

45:24

🌐 Snowden's Ongoing Struggle and the Global Impact of His Actions

The final paragraph reflects on Snowden's ongoing struggle and the global impact of his actions. It discusses the widespread support for Snowden in Western Europe, the US State Department's efforts to prevent him from receiving asylum, and the ultimate offers of asylum from countries like Venezuela and Bolivia. The narrative also touches on the incident where Bolivian President Evo Morales's plane was grounded due to rumors that Snowden was on board, highlighting the unprecedented nature of the event and the diplomatic tensions it caused. The paragraph concludes with a reflection on the lasting impact of Snowden's leaks and the challenges faced by whistleblowers who expose the secrets of powerful nations.

Keywords

💡Edward Snowden

Edward Snowden is the central figure in the video, a former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor who leaked thousands of classified documents to the public. Snowden's actions revealed extensive global surveillance programs, sparking debates on privacy, security, and civil liberties. His story is the narrative thread that the video follows, detailing his motivations, the implications of his leaks, and the subsequent manhunt led by the United States government.

💡Surveillance Program

The term 'surveillance program' refers to systematic monitoring or spying activities conducted by governments or other organizations. In the context of the video, it pertains to the secret telephone and internet surveillance programs in the USA that Snowden exposed. These programs collected massive amounts of data, raising concerns about individual privacy rights and the balance between national security and personal freedoms.

💡NSA

The National Security Agency (NSA) is a U.S. government agency responsible for global monitoring, collection, and processing of information and data for foreign intelligence and counterintelligence purposes. The video discusses the NSA's role in operating secret surveillance programs that Snowden revealed, which led to significant controversy and policy debates around the world.

💡Whistleblower

A 'whistleblower' is an individual who exposes secretive information or activity within a private or public organization that is deemed illegal, unethical, or not correct. Snowden is referred to as a whistleblower in the video, highlighting his decision to disclose classified information to the public in the interest of transparency and to spark a debate on government surveillance practices.

💡Hong Kong

Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China and serves as a significant international city for finance and trade. In the video, it is the location where Snowden fled to and where he initially revealed his identity as the source of the NSA leaks. The city becomes a focal point for international diplomacy and legal maneuvering as various governments react to Snowden's presence.

💡Asylum

Asylum refers to the protection granted by a sovereign state to someone who has left their home country as a political refugee. The video discusses Snowden's quest for asylum as he seeks a country that will offer him protection from the United States, which is seeking to extradite him on charges of espionage.

💡Espionage

Espionage is the act of obtaining secret or confidential information from a foreign government or competitor. In the video, Snowden is charged with espionage by the U.S. government for his actions in leaking classified information, a charge that carries severe legal consequences and is a central point of contention in the debate over his actions.

💡Wikileaks

Wikileaks is an international non-profit organization that publishes news leaks and classified media provided by anonymous sources. The video mentions Wikileaks in connection with Snowden, as the organization assists him in navigating his situation, providing legal advice, and helping to facilitate his travels and asylum requests.

💡Diplomatic Protection

Diplomatic protection refers to the legal protection offered by a sovereign state to its diplomats, citizens, or other individuals under certain circumstances. The video discusses an attempt to provide Snowden with diplomatic protection to facilitate his safe passage and asylum, illustrating the complex diplomatic efforts involved in his case.

💡Passport

A passport is an official government document that certifies the identity and nationality of its holder for international travel. The video highlights the cancellation of Snowden's U.S. passport by the American government, which significantly hindered his ability to travel and seek asylum, placing him in a state of legal limbo.

💡Asylum Applications

Asylum applications are formal requests made by individuals to a foreign government to be granted asylum. The video describes Snowden's efforts to file asylum applications to multiple Western European democracies, which were all denied, reflecting the high-stakes diplomatic pressure exerted by the United States.

💡Russia

Russia, or the Russian Federation, is the largest country in the world and one of the world's leading powers. In the video, Russia ultimately grants Snowden temporary asylum, allowing him to leave the Moscow airport after weeks of being in the transit zone. This decision further strained U.S.-Russian relations and placed Russia at the center of the Snowden affair.

Highlights

Edward Snowden is labeled a coward and a traitor for leaking details of a secret surveillance program.

Snowden disappears in Hong Kong, with calls for him to face justice in the United States.

Snowden, a former NSA analyst, meets journalists in Hong Kong with nearly a million top-secret documents.

Journalists traveled from New York to Hong Kong for a secret meeting with an unknown individual.

Snowden's documents were so sensitive that he faced the possibility of decades in prison.

Snowden used a Rubik's Cube as a sign to verify his identity to the journalists.

Guardian journalists published stories on the NSA surveillance program without initially naming Snowden.

NSA is suspected to have known Snowden's identity before he publicly self-identified.

Snowden took extreme measures to protect his laptop and the secrets it contained.

The US government's response to Snowden's leak is described as the greatest loss of secrets in history.

Snowden's family has a long history of military service, and he had a successful career in intelligence.

Snowden was disturbed by the NSA's departure from the rule of law and mass surveillance.

Snowden's leak revealed how the US collected information, not just what information was collected.

General Michael Hayden, former NSA and CIA director, criticizes Snowden's arrogance.

Snowden's actions sparked a global manhunt and media frenzy to find his whereabouts.

WikiLeaks and Sarah Harrison become instrumental in helping Snowden escape and seek asylum.

The US government charges Snowden with Espionage, theft, and conversion of government property.

Snowden's case puts pressure on Hong Kong authorities and raises concerns about his safety.

Snowden's escape from Hong Kong is facilitated by a mistake in the US extradition paperwork.

The US cancels Snowden's passport, complicating his travel and asylum requests.

Snowden is offered temporary asylum in Russia, leaving the airport after weeks in the transit zone.

The US government expresses disappointment over Russia's decision to grant asylum to Snowden.

Snowden's actions and the government's response raise questions about whistleblower protection and privacy rights.

Transcripts

[Music]

Edward sowen is a coward he is a traitor

and he has betray his

country the man who leaks details of a

secret telephone and internet

surveillance program in the USA has

disappeared in Hong

Kong if he wants to come home tomorrow

to face the music he can do

so 989 tax Hotel they should use every

legal Avenue we have to bring them back

to the United

[Music]

States I want to get him uh caught and

brought back for

trial I don't know how anybody can view

uh this person as anything other than a

criminal we've been telling him get out

get out get out get

out you're going along with someone's

life literally in your

hands either our plan had worked and we

would get on that flight or it

[Music]

[Music]

wouldn't just 3 weeks earlier Edward

Snowden a 29-year-old analyst for the

national Security Agency in the USA was

waiting for journalists he thought he

could

trust in his backpack he had nearly a

million top secret NSA

documents the journalists were traveling

across the world from New York to a

hotel in Hong Kong for a secret meeting

whose outcome they couldn't predict 105

North Avenue

52 because I knew that what was waiting

there was vitally important but because

we didn't know what really was going on

we thought there was even a chance I

mean every step of the way kind of had

all sorts of Hazards thank the question

mark that hung over us more than

anything else was the fact that we had

no idea who the person was that we were

about to meet so we were really just

kind of rushing into this huge

unknown the documents Snowden had with

him were so sensitive he could be in

prisoned for decades for moving

them for all he knew the US authorities

could have intercepted the

communications of the journalists and he

was about to fall into a

trap I'd crossed the Rubicon at that

point and actually you know I think uh I

don't think anybody can reach such a

clear turning point in their life

without thinking aliia yakta s to them

to thems you know the die is

cast I had to expect that the most

likely scenario was that I would be led

out in

handcuffs how would we know that we

weren't talking to some agent or

somebody else so the quite ingenious

method that he invented was to hold this

Rubik's Cube and that was the first

thing I looked

[Music]

for after getting top secret documents

from Snowden the two Guardian

journalists published their first

stories they did not name their

Source Edward snowden's identity

remained a

secret at the time I thought he was

paranoid once we were in the room He

piled pillows up against the door jam uh

up high along the sides and along the

bottom so if there was a somebody

passing in the hallway just e dropping

uh it would make it more difficult for

them the stories began to appear and

then there's a period of time before he

then self-identifies in that Gap there

it's my understanding that NSA had a

very good idea who that was what he had

done and then it's it's a simple step

from there to begin to use all the tools

available to the US government as to

where he might be

[Music]

when he wanted to access his laptops um

he had a big red hood

uh that he would put over his head and

over his uh computer so that when he was

put in these

passwords he who's scared that somebody

might be able to see him through the

window or maybe there's a hidden camera

in the

room it's the greatest loss of secrets

in our nation's history and so that

certainly was energizing the other parts

of the US government to do everything

they could to get him and especially the

materials back before there was any more

harm

how far was the US willing to go based

on your professional experience in the

intelligence Community for me it was a

question of could the government feel

every copy of this material could be

stopped at a single point and if that

point had presented itself uh I don't

know what they would have done that it

was even possible that they might try to

kill

me he was incredibly edgy he was nervous

and I remember

uh there's a fire alarm went off uh and

he wondered was this a tactic to get him

out of his

room always hovering above everything we

were over everything we were doing was

the possibility that at any given moment

there could be a knock on the door that

would put an end to our

[Music]

interaction the time it was extremely

tense um every day myself and Glenn

would see Snowden at the mirror we

didn't expect him to be to be there we

assumed that this guy there must be

hunting for him what would you do if you

were the director of the Central

Intelligence Agency the director of the

National Security Agency and you knew

there was an individual out there who

was about to expose evidence that you

had committed serious crimes and you had

the resources available to stop this

person even if it meant using lethal

Force what would you

do so I know for a fact that the US

government was uh very angry at Mr

Snowden

his his safety and also his life was uh

was put at risk but do you know that I

do

know the idea that he could

somehow um evade the US for very much

longer seemed inconceivable to us and

every time we interviewed him we thought

well that's the last time we'll see him

we've got to make the most of this

because we won't get a chance to speak

to him tomorrow he won't be

there

for many years Edward Snowden worked at

NSA headquarters near Washington DC just

miles from where he grew up I saw him in

the shadow of the National Security

Agency literally in the area of Fort me

uh he was there I picked him up we went

out to

dinner the Snowden family has a long

history of military service dating back

to Colonial

times

Edward Snowden had an impressive career

in America's intelligence Community by

the age of 27 he'd gained access to its

deepest

Secrets he just seemed almost depressed

and I was very concerned about him it

was not the Ed that I

knew what Snowden couldn't tell his

father during that dinner was that he

discovered NSA documents that Disturbed

him one of the key things that actually

motivated me was the growing realization

that we in the United States government

um were increasingly making decisions

that departed from the rule of

law I assumed that maybe there was

something going on between him and his

long-term partner uh Lindsey Mills which

really concerned me because I knew that

he loved her very

much and I gave him a hug and it was you

know I love your dad I love your

son what Snowden disclosed wasn't

information he disclosed how we

collected information in other words he

didn't reveal a bucket of water he

revealed the plumbing he revealed How We

Gather process and distribute water and

therefore that's going to have a a

really harmful effect on American

intelligence for a very long time Mr

President thank you for those kind words

and for the confidence that you and

Ambassador neg no one played a more

important role in creating the NSA we

know today than General Michael Hayden

he was given the job by George W bush

with a mandate to stop at nothing to

stop terrorism

when I returned from Korea in 1999 to

take the position at NSA Michael Hayden

former director of the NSA and CIA uh

ran a program called Stellar Wind where

the communications of anyone in America

uh could be collected on mass under the

pretext of preventing

terrorism if you're asking me to to

delve into my deepest emotions it it was

the arrogance of an individual who

looked upon the activity of the National

Security Agency and believed that his

legal and ethical judgment trumped the

Judgment of his co-workers his

leadership the American president the

American Congress and the American court

system I thought to myself what kind of

man is this how can someone justify the

violation of the rights of an entire

nation without even a law to lean on how

do we come back from a situ situation in

which the most senior officials in a

democracy are acting against the

interests of the public in

secret Snowden would have to have

believed his judgment trumped all of

those in order to create the kind of

moral righteousness that he claims

that's pretty

[Music]

arrogant my name is Ed Snowden I'm uh 29

years old I work for Booze Allen

Hamilton as an infrastructure analyst

for

NSA revealed massive NSA surveillance

programs that collect phone records and

internet data on a scale that many

people never imagined I don't I don't

welcome leaks journalists have been

searching far and wide across the

territory where is he it's almost

certain that he is still here in Hong

Kong hid from the US intelligence

services

[Music]

this is the most serious hemorrhaging of

legitimate American Secrets in the

history of my country we've never seen

anything like this

before in for us in Hong Kong it was

about 3:00 or 4: in the morning so we

was a couple hours sleep and then we

woke up and there was pandemonium where

in the world is Edward

snow so my boss called me she said

something urgent happened linia come to

the office

immediately as soon as Edward Snowden

revealed himself as The Whistleblower he

set off a Catch Me If You Can hunt by

the US government and a where is he now

guessing game for the media the whole

world now had a name in face to attach

to the revelations but so did the FBI

and I'm sure they're going to be uh very

busy for the next

week uh I've been in the interview

Snowden posted on the guardian website

there was a clue as to where he might be

staying a view out of a hotel window

from this video we can tell there were

two pylons of chi Bridge so from this

view this one is the the one on the left

is bigger than the one on the right so I

went to um Google Map and use the Google

Earth trying to figure

out from which perspective Can Chi

bridge look like

that the consequences of uh if if the

media had known where Mr Snowden was

from that time onward um it would have

been a a direct link for the NSA the US

government uh any any of the US

government agencies to identify where my

client was at the

time he was alarmed he was upset that

any time the CIA could come uh crashing

through that

door everyone was chasing after this

story everyone was so desperate everyone

was desperately hoping to find

Snowden I want to get him uh caught and

brought back for trial I think the chase

is on to leak that amount of material

that sensitive and then stand up in

front of the whole world and say this is

who I am and here's what I did is a

virtual

guarantee that you're going to end up in

in a cage for the next several decades

if not

longer you can't come forward against

the world's most powerful intelligence

agencies and uh be completely free from

risk because they're such powerful

adversaries that this was the biggest

media story on the planet at the time

there's a likelihood that media would

arrive there he needs to leave the hotel

immediately and just to leave everything

behind when I went to H I didn't intend

to get out of this safely you know this

wasn't about me I didn't care what

happened to me my part of the job was

finished the journalists were probably

going to be there in a matter of minutes

and they just occupied the lobby and

they were

hunting saying where was snen where was

snen a bit like a bright siren you know

declaring to everybody oh here's here's

the man uh of

Interest

[Music]

10,000 km away in London there was one

thing the US government might be happy

about wik leaks founder Julian Assange

was not involved in the Snowden

Revelations but I sitting my Des uh

certainly had the authorities to to

wiretap anyone from you or your Assange

has been confined to the Ecuadorian

Embassy in London since June

2012 the US government saw him as out of

commission let's look at the situation

for Edward Snowden 29-year-old young man

in a foreign jurisdiction that he had no

experience with the subject of the

largest intelligence man hunt the world

has ever seen and the realities were for

Edward Snowden knew he was going to be

smashed our other news today and the man

who leaked details of a secret telephone

and internet surveillance program in the

USA has disappeared in Hong

Kong Snowden had fled the hotel and was

now hiding in the apartment of local

supporters the whereabouts are now

unknown of Edward Snowden who was a

contract worker of the CIA he's not been

seen since he checked out and at that

moment he reached out and asked us for

help with Wikileaks snow hoped he had

found a team that was a match for the

NSA he knew the US was investigating

Wikileaks for Espionage and terrorism

years of surveillance had left Wikileaks

no option but to protect their

Communications through encryption

something Snowden considered

vital as Sange and his colleagues only

agreed to appear in this film on

condition Wikileaks lawyers be permitted

to vet their interviews Sarah Harrison a

journalist at Wikileaks was busy running

an election campaign in Australia when

she got a call from London I spoke to

people from work and they said have you

seen this thing about Snowden and I was

like what's wrong with the mountain in

Wales and then they're like look online

look online so I looked and yeah um he

he'd gone public uh at that stage uh

video had gone out on the guardian at

that moment when when I first heard his

name I didn't for a moment imagine I

would be spending four months with

him

although to the outside world it looked

like a hurricane with statements from

the White House and stories appearing in

the newspaper and a lot of interest

about what he was doing in Hong Kong I

knew that that actually this was the

calm moment um and the the real storm

was just about to come and he would be

sucked into this Vortex within 2 weeks

uh of imprisonment arrest I'd seen

Chelsea Manning go through a similar

experience after 3 years of solitary

confinement without trial the US

military's most famous whistleblower

private first class Bradley Manning

finally until Snowden Chelsea Manning's

leak of American government documents

had been the biggest loss of secrets in

American history Wikileaks had published

the documents but had to Stand By and

Watch as Manning was caught and held in

conditions characterized by the UN as

cruel inhuman and degrading the US tried

very hard to make Chelsea Manning a

general deterrent in it incredibly

abusive treatment of him psychological

torture in simply for communicating to

the

media I knew about Chelsea Manning you

know going into it there was there was

never any question about how that case

was going to be settled and you were

willing to put yourself in the same

position

that's tough to vocalize

um

1052 three days after snow and went

underground Sarah Harrison landed in

Hong Kong she took charge of what was to

become operation

Asylum mentioned that there was a person

by the name of Edward Snowden who had

checked in and out uh but it's still not

clear

whether what was particularly

extraordinary I think was while all of

these news organizations around the

world all of these Publishers were

trying to get a piece of the story there

was only one publisher that actually

said we want to help the source we want

to make sure he's okay we want to make

sure that no matter what happens you

know he has somebody on his side and

that was

Wikileaks if there was one one thing I

could change um it would have been

whether we could have done more for

Snowden I did have a discussion with the

editor Alan Roser and the US editor

Janine Gibson about what we could do for

Snowden whether we should be paying his

hotel bills and whether we should be

getting them legal advice I I wish we

thought it through and maybe if we did

more time we could have come up with

something

you know it was the US government versus

Wikileaks and not just in the grand jury

court but right there on the ground in

Hong Kong prot snow Snowden blew the

whistle on American efforts to spy on

innocent citizens today we all blow the

whistle protect snow

protect this privacy ofet the US

government has filed criminal charges

against Edward Snowden I think it was on

my

birthday when the presence I got from

the government was that they unsealed an

indictment against

me Edward Snowden has been charged with

Espionage theft and conversion of

government

property and what was extraordinary

about the indictment was the fact that

they included Espionage charges now they

knew that I wasn't working for any

foreign government that was clear from

the beginning uh they knew that I was

working with journalists uh and the

recipient of the information was the

public at

large Washington now wants help from

Hong Kong officials because snowden's

been hiding in the Chinese territory

since unleashing the revelations about

the National Security

Agency the charge of Espionage increased

the pressure on the Hong Kong

authorities to act and made snowden's

position even more

dangerous it meant that if Snowden was

caught he could face the death penalty

back home in the

US

Snowden took the risk of leaving his

Hideout and met his lawyer who warned

him sooner or later Hong Kong would hand

him over to the US where he could expect

the same treatment as private Manning in

terms of uh private Manning situation uh

clearly he'd been subjected to cruel and

inhuman degrading treatment or

punishment as such this

raised grave concerns about what would

happened to Mr Snowden if he was

returned to uh the United

States Snowden could not be sure if the

Hong Kong authorities would do as the US

was demanding and arrest him right

away Hong Kong citizens were on the

streets calling him a hero but the Hong

Kong authorities were in an

unpredictable

situation Snowden knew there was always

the possibility the central government

in Beijing would intervene and sacrifice

him in a deal with the

US the things that were told to us was

that the feeling within the government

was that they just wanted the Hong Kong

government was that they just wanted it

gone he was a hot potato they just

didn't want to have to deal with it they

were either going to upset the people of

Hong Kong or they were going to upset

Beijing and it was just too

problematic the Hong Kong government

decided to play for time rather than

arrest Snowden they decided to wait for

the proper paperwork to arrive but

Snowden was still in danger with the the

nature of the disclosures he made um

there was a a real an immediate risk

that uh he could be arrested in Hong

Kong one of the reasons Snowden was so

vulnerable was that a White House task

force was working the phones and putting

pressure on decision makers in Hong Kong

since we learned that Mr Snowden was in

Hong Kong us authorities have been in

continual contact with their Hong Kong

counterparts at the working and Senior

[Music]

levels the US was certain if the Hong

Kong government decided to arrest

Snowden they would not have problems

locating him look the Chinese have a

wonderful intelligence service I would

lose all respect for my Chinese

colleagues if they did not have very

good knowledge as to what was going

on Although our analysis was that it

would face serious consequences and

should immediately leave Hong Kong uh he

was reluctant to do that until uh it

seemed like there was no other choice

because he wanted to explore different

options and so on and this was driving

us

mad weix had been working out various

options of where he would be safe where

he could go different people's opinions

around the

world but I mean it was his decision

it's his

[Music]

life the border is open we got to

go now now's a chance the bord is open

could close you know at any

time then something happened that

narrowed the options for Snowden the

request for his extradition arrived from

the United States on a Friday night

would the Hong Kong Justice Ministry

wait until Monday to issue a warrant who

could know they would make a decision

and then they would act upon that

decision we needed to move time the the

Clock Was ticking very definitely then

you Mr Snowden um was in a difficult

position where he could be arrested at

any

time what Edward was concerned about is

knowing the exact status of the

border so he he agreed that he should

leave but as soon as he went to passport

control maybe he would be arrested so he

was very reluctant to actually leave

because that would cut short his his

last time his last hours of Freedom

Attorney General Eric Holder placed a

phone call stressing the importance of

the matter and urging Hong Kong to honor

our request for snowden's arrest

it was the end it's he couldn't wait to

continue to assess the situation he had

to make a

[Music]

decision that was the moment where it

all came together or it

didn't either our plan worked our

negotiations had worked and we would get

on that flight or it wouldn't we over

the weekend the United States uh has

been in touch via diplomatic and law

enforcement Channels with a number of

countries uh which Mr snow might transit

or that could serve as final

destinations this was the largest

intelligence man hunt the world has ever

seen so the US was throwing everything

all its resources at this thing uh so we

needed some way of splitting those

resources because we didn't want them

all focused on on his flight out

[Music]

well he bought a ticket to India as

cover was booked using his credit card

for 2 days

after the actual Asylum

flight in all Wikileaks bought more than

a dozen tickets in snowden's name on

flights leaving Hong

Kong they hoped the US wouldn't figure

out which flight he and Harrison were

aiming for I was worried about missing

the flight we were running late

basically due to the fact that I had

been printing all of our airline tickets

and there was an issue with the printer

and just sort of these stupid

things we're advising these governments

that Mr ston is wanted on serious felony

charges and as such he should not be

allowed to proceed in any further

international travel uh other than as

necessary I spoke to Edward Dave when I

told him that the the highest risk is in

the airport he was getting very

nervous and his lawyer kept

calling I think he worried too that the

whole thing would

collapse I don't think the US would

assassinate him in the airport I don't

think that would happen but that they

might kind of make a fuss um and lean on

Airport authorities to hold him and

detain him and then the state department

could bring all its assets to bear there

have been repeated engagements by the US

Department of State and US Consulate

General in Hong Kong there have been

repeated engagements by the FBI with

their law enforcement

[Music]

[Music]

counterpart you could also be racing to

getting captured right I mean you're

also yeah running towards them yeah

yeah yeah I mean I'm quite sure that

that airport was being watched

so ultimately as I walked up to the uh

the checkpoint counter

um the only thing I was thinking is that

I should remember to

[Music]

smile the guide

passports which is obviously the normal

thing to do so mine was sort of fine and

then snowden's one sort of took a while

and again reaching for the phone and um

little bit confused and the computer

made a funny sound and um so yeah so

again I'm not quite sure what was going

on there but I was getting very nervous

his lawyer did sort of start stepping

forward sort of see what was going

on on June 17th Hong Hong Kong

authorities acknowledged receipt of our

request despite repeated inquiries Hong

Kong authorities did not respond with

any requests for additional documents or

information stating only that the matter

was under review and refusing to

elaborate what was under review was that

there was a mistake in the American

paperwork in the rush to prevent him

from leaving Hong Kong the state

department got Edward snowden's middle

name wrong it is not Edward James

Snowden it is Edward Joseph Snowden

our people are meticulous in processing

legal documents they had to double check

the spelling make sure that um they are

catching the right person sought by the

US authorities I don't think our our

authorities deliberately held up uh the

arrest but um we need to take maybe a

few days but a few days was not good

enough for the US you

know and apparently Snowden made use of

the uh the the the the the few days

available to uh work out his

Escape as it happened we were rushing

our paperwork forward as snowden's

trying to leave Hong Kong to to fly onto

Russia we made it easier for the Chinese

and the people in Hong Kong to make the

decision they made because of the

delay cuz you know we've now done

everything you know you've checked in

you've got through security you've done

the bag check the passport check you

know you boarded onto the plane and then

then I was like you're still not okay I

knew the schedule of the flight was

meant to leave and I was just watching

the Hong Kong airport register to see

has the flight left has the flight left

has the flight left and it was late it

was 20 minutes late so I was quite

concerned well then the other thing that

made me very nervous was when we were um

waiting to take off uh we came from the

gate and then we go up a bit and then we

just stop and we're just waiting and

we're waiting and

[Music]

waiting and a straight to our breaking

news for you this hour Chinese sources

have alleged that NSA whistleblower

Edward Snowden is on route to Moscow

from Hong Kong if so the Whistleblower

would have departed hours after

Washington threatened the Chinese city

state with repercussions if it didn't

arrest

him Hong Kong author requested

additional information concerning the US

charges and evidence the US had been in

communication with Hong Kong and we were

in the process of responding when we

learned that Hong Kong had allowed The

Fugitive to

leave what is uh clear is that um at the

time he left the state department did

not cancel his passport maybe he should

have canceled they should have canceled

his passports they cancel his passport

after his departure then so when he left

Hong Kong he was holding

a valid US Passport it is very clear to

me that the Hong Kong authorities knew

the United States wanted to exrate

Snowden from Hong Kong to the United

States when Snowden is trying to leave

the country and on some madeup pretext

misspelling of his middle name or

something in the documents that we gave

to the Hong Kong police they allowed him

to leave and to fly on to

Russia is the administration embarrassed

now that you can't track him down that

he's this cat and mouse game that's

going on for all the world to see I

think we I've been very clear about uh

the actions we've

taken we have known where he is and uh

believe we know where he is now and and

uh there are ongoing conversations about

[Music]

that we both sort of just sat there like

we really didn't say much until that

moment where it actually we were out of

the airspace and there was a visible and

then that's when we first like sort of

had like any real

conversation and what did he he asked

what did he ask you or what what uh

pretty much his first question was why

did you do this why did you risk

everything just to help me

um I was sort of saying

um yeah but you were you were wanting

help or something and he said yeah I was

wanting help and advice I didn't think

that Wikileaks would send like a ninja

in to get me out um which was funny

enough but then about 2 minutes later

like a fly buzzers passed and I just

I've never done it before in my life and

I'll probably never do it again but I

just went oh that's annoying and

literally plucked it out of the air he

was like you really are a

ninja Sarah's probably the most

incredibly Brave woman I know

she's somebody who was there through the

hardest times

uh in a period of incredible r risk and

she put her life on the line for

somebody who was a complete stranger to

her there's a lot of information

floating around here organize it all for

us tell us what's exactly going on we're

led to believe that Edward Snowden has

safely left Hong Kong and is currently

in the sky Somewhere over the Russian

city of Omsk in an A330 he's due to

arrive here we are led to believe at

Sher airport later on Sunday that's uh

that's all rumoring his at the moment

but it's thought that his final

destination will not be Moscow

[Music]

at that moment there was a race for the

interpretation of what had happened uh

so had he left as a fugitive busted

through the Hong Kong airport or

whatever so you had a fugitive on an

airplane um that was one possible spin

that we would see from the media machine

uh and it was very important to counter

that spin because his whole flight path

would have been closed down because

countries and Airlines would go oh we

can't accept this fugitive on our flight

uh so we put out as soon as he was in

safe airspace to know he left Hong Kong

that he left Hong Kong legally uh that

he was accompanied by uh legal advisers

uh so this flight path wouldn't be

closed

down

airportal as you can see on this map the

flight that has reportedly has snow

abort has almost reached its destination

here in Moscow scheduled to land in the

Russian Capital within

minutes the plane believed to be

carrying Edward Snowden touching down in

Moscow he's on the run but where will he

end

up he's not thought to have permission

to stay the expectation is that tomorrow

he'll get on a plane to Latin America

the exact rout he'll take is

unclear

breaking news this hour Wikileaks claims

one of its legal advisers accompanying

Snowden after the whistleblowing

organization secured papers a safe exit

an asylum quote in an unnamed Democratic

State even if he does find a country

willing to offer him Asylum there's no

guarantee he'll actually arrive at his

desired

destination you know the first woman

she's just some normal check-in woman

you know she's like your passport

doesn't work sorry I can't issue your

boarding

pass we

managed to get him out of Hong Kong uh

but when he landed in the Moscow airport

the um American government had cancelled

his

passport and now they now the Americans

make a lot of pressure uh on other

countries to stop him you know it was

actually really surprising to me to

discover that the US canceled my

passport they tried to freeze me in

place um when I was in jurisdictions

which wouldn't be considered

particularly friendly to the United

States government that always puzzled

[Music]

me cancelling snowden's passport was the

first step in an FBI Plan B now they

would just need to pick him

up in a small Airfield in Manasses

Virginia far from prying eyes a former

CIA rendition plane prepared for

takeoff its mission to transport a

fugitive back to the United

[Music]

States but at Moscow airport snowden's

escape to Cuba still seemed possible the

gate had not yet

closed Julian Assange had asked a

diplomat from the equadorian embassy in

London to accompany Snowden on the

flight and protect him on route to

secure

Asylum the Diplomat just needed to find

Snowden at the gate and explained that

he now enjoyed diplomatic protection

from Ecuador the Ecuadorian Ambassador

visited the Sho airport on Sunday but at

Terminal F the presence of hundreds of

media people had created

Pandemonium the Diplomat couldn't find

Snowden Julian Assange began to play

switchboard he tried to bring Snowden

and Sarah Harrison together with the

Diplomat without alerting the

Press go to the uh information desk or

help desk and ask them to put out an

announcement uh asking that Sarah

Harrison uh come come to see

you though they finally managed to meet

the Diplomat could not help Edward

Snowden without valid passport he was

not allowed to board the

plane the flight to Cuba left without

[Music]

him um is that a positive sign as far as

the US government's concern that Mr

Stone did not get on has not gotten on

any any airplane we have communic ated

to the Russians um our hope that they

will look at all options available to

them to expel Mr Snowden back to the

United

States just a few hours after Edward

Snowden landed in Moscow the US Prisoner

Transportation plane landed in

Copenhagen waiting on

standby was its mission to transport

Edward Snowden back to America

uh almost as soon as he arrived in

Moscow the FBI contacted

me I chose to speak to them for for four

hours as a matter of one of the agents

was starting to dose uh I you know

nothing you know I I I shared everything

I I possibly could I wanted to

help back in terminal F the Russian

authorities offered Snowden a secret

deal he could leave the airport right

away on one condition that he agreed to

work with the FSB the Russian

intelligence

service they asked once they had

approached I mean it's kind of

unimaginable to think that they wouldn't

he didn't give anything to the Russians

at all and he certainly didn't cooperate

with them or give them anything in any

way whatsoever um how do you know I was

with him the whole time so I would stake

my entire life on the fact fact that he

did not give anything to

anybody Russian President Vladimir Putin

refused Snowden entry into

Russia he and Harrison would have defend

for themselves in the airport's Transit

[Music]

Zone and then we were in this room for a

month

she didn't have a

window or a

[Music]

shower uh this these were

representatives from the FBI from the DC

area who I I suspect were working very

closely at that point with the state

department and

uh uh you know they they just wanted to

talk and they said would you be

interested in uh would you consider

traveling to Moscow flying to Moscow to

meet with your son and I said

absolutely they had mentioned at one

point when we were talking about the

details and I'm not going to get into

too far into specifics uh they had

mentioned to me that well you you

understand that uh once we get there uh

we're going to need to check your son

out to make sure he's okay medically and

I laughed I said You' got to be kidding

it concerns me to hear the things that

I've heard about the activities of the

FBI at that time uh whether it was their

plan to get my father onto an airplane

at the Moscow airport and then use him

uh to sort of lure me onto the plane in

this wacky strategy and then sort of

Slam shut the door of the airplane and

you know fly back to

DC New Revelations based on snow

documents were appearing every

day throughout Western Europe there was

popular support for Edward Snowden and

the drama of his flight was on the

Nightly News I guess if you know the

answer this one you will be the subject

for many in Europe Snowden deserved

protection not a prison

cell hopeful that he could harness

public opinion and get out of Russia

Snowden filed Asylum applications to

Western European Democracies 21 of

them the state department was making the

phones ring in every government office

in every European government uh

agency um where they had a phone number

you know anywhere they had a business

card that was sitting in a Rolodex that

person got a call and they said this man

will not receive asylum in Europe but

you would not deny that there have been

um conversations and discussions about

Mr Snowden his whereabouts and the

consequences of of of posting him I

don't think we've at all denied that

we've been in contact through a range of

diplomatic channels I think Poland was

the first to deny followed by France uh

Italy said they weren't likely to

respond or simply didn't respond the

vast majority of European governments

did something which I think was

particularly

illustrative which is they took no

position at all all right but so but you

you would just object to the

characterization that it's bullying or

arm twisting is that that is correct yes

I think that's clear

[Music]

a glimmer of hope after living in limbo

for weeks Venezuela and Bolivia offered

the NSA leaker Asylum after European

countries rejected His official

request Venezuela came out very strongly

we couldn't actually get there because

all the Western countries were saying no

and not offering any help there was no

possibility for safe passage um or to

like physically get to land America

safely there were several plans to get

him out of Moscow we looked at private

jets we looked at presidential

Jets we had a tip off inside the US

Administration that they would be fairly

confident about taking down a private

jet they'd be a little bit less

confident in relation to commercial

airliners and they were not very

confident at all in relation to a

presidential

jet with Snowden still stuck in the

transit Zone he watched on Russian TV as

one of the few presidents of the world

prepared to offer him Asylum landed in

Moscow president AAL Morales of Bolivia

had arrived for an international Summit

of gas exporting

countries just before leaving Moscow

evil Morales left no doubt that his

country would welcome

Snowden if Snowden asks for political

Asylum will you give it to

him yes why

not given what president Morales had

said there is a strong suspicion in

within my government that there was at

least a possibility that Morales would

be happy to take Snowden with

him

[Music]

when President Morales left for the

airport the FBI thought Snowden might be

with him they believe Snowden was

escaping on the presidential

[Music]

jet according to the Vienna convention a

presidential plane enjoys a special

diplomatic

status

it's like a flying piece of territory

from the Home

Country Bolivian officials said France

and Portugal wouldn't let the Bolivian

president's plane land and Refuel on

their territories because of rumors that

Snowden could have been on board that

[Music]

plane government to government express

your concern express your belief why you

think this man may be on that plane uh

express that to a friend how serious you

view the situation and then you ask a

friend to take a course of action and

apparently they

did

67 well they they said that you don't

have permission to enter a French a

space and we tell the control and this

is the Diplomatic clear cleanest number

and they said well yeah that one was

cancelled my government went to other

European governments and because of

their control over airspace forced the

president's playing to

land now again this is absolutely

unprecedented I was in my room I was

looking at my laptop and I was reading

the news and at first I didn't believe

it his gent was ultimately forced to

land and underwent a sge over rumors

whistleblower Edward Snowden or was

aboard uh I couldn't

believe that the United States

government would go so

far as to ground The Diplomatic jet

carrying a head of state to search it

for for somebody like me Latin America

United with their condemnation social

media erupted with claims the US was

behind the move and Europe a

puppet and that was something that was

so physical and so obvious it was like

the tide going out on the power

relations between Western Europe and the

United States you could see the

underlying power structure the rocks on

this Shore that represented the true

nature of the relationship because you

could see that actually Western Europe

wasn't going into B for him at all in

fact Western Europe was playing uh on

the other on the other

[Music]

side

[Music]

[Music]

we consciously laid false trails in

relation to the Morales flight sometimes

there would be you know there would be

calls to ambassadors on telephone lines

for example including from this Embassy

you know we're trying to split up the

surveillance

resources Force the United States to

consider the Morales

flight do you think that one could

imagine

disinformation that's that's that's an

in that's an interesting question and I

must admit I hadn't considered it before

but it's always always a possibility

[Music]

sure I didn't know that that diversion

would end up in such a extraordinary

outcome the whole Morales flight also

kind of helped the Russian giving him

Asylum and it did and it it reinforced

the U the image of Snowden as

victim Snowden as the pursued

yeah

so if you were sitting on the other side

of the

fence to trap the Americans would that

have been a wise move I again I hadn't

thought of it until you raised it but

it's incredibly clever

yeah

yeah it was I think a crystallizing

moment where for everybody even those

people like myself who are inclined to

believe that the United States

government is a fundamentally good Force

but when we saw that happen I think

everybody went is this the kind of

action that good guys take

it ended up to be a huge

embarrassment

yes not as big as the original

embarrassment losing all the secrets but

[Music]

yes Federal migration service has

confirmed publicly that they have issued

Mr Snowden temporary Asylum for one year

and allowed him to leave the airport we

are extremely the light physically hurt

my eyes and I remember actually standing

and staring out of the window there and

being

like um almost tearful to see the sky

you

know and it

seemed sort of suddenly extraordinarily

amazing and beautiful to see all of the

sky

we are extremely disappointed that the

Russian government would take this step

despite our very clear and lawful

requests in public and in private to

have Mr Snowden expelled to the United

States to face the charges against him

Mr Snowden is not a

whistleblower Russian and American

relations already strained dropped to

their lowest level in years the lack of

cooperation between the two great Powers

haunts the world until

today so many people like me would not

contemplate amnesty or plea bargaining

or anything else to bring Snowden

back there are 100,000 people in the

American intelligence Community who

didn't violate their oath of office if

my government participates in any kind

of Welcome Home for Mr snow that even

even smells of that kind of

approach it would alienate this body of

people on whom both the safety and the

liberty of my nation

depends that's not a good

[Music]

idea anybody who's ever embarrassed a

great power is never going to be safe I

mean as long as people feel a sense of

retaliation as long as people feel like

they have to send messages and set

examples not to mess with us um denters

are going to be at

[Music]

risk to be leaving the airport under

those circumstances to have seen

everything that had transpired in those

two months uh and then just to be struck

with what was a completely perfect warm

and bright day you know a seasonable day

normal life outside you know you you

hear uh the birds you know simple things

like that um insects

traffic it's like stepping into a a

larger

[Music]

world I want to get him uh caught and

brought back for

[Music]

trial

[Music]

[Music]

[Music]

[Music]