LONDON: Britain has asked airlines worldwide to block American Edward Snowden, who leaked details of US government telephone and Internet surveillance programmes, from boarding any plane headed for the United Kingdom, the Associated Press reported yesterday.
The Associated Press, in a report out of Bangkok, said British officials confirmed a travel alert from its Home Office issued on Monday telling airlines to deny Snowden from boarding because “the individual is highly likely to be refused entry to the UK”.
Snowden, a former US National Security Agency (NSA) contractor who travelled to Hong Kong before the programmes were made public, revealed on Sunday that he was behind leaked information describing the American government’s surveillance efforts.
Various airlines in Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore confirmed the alert, according to the AP, which said it learned of the British letter to airlines from a photograph of the request seen at an airport in Thailand.
A spokeswoman for the Hong Kong Airport Authority said it has not received any notice from British authorities requesting that airlines block Snowden.
Snowden has said he plans to stay in Hong Kong to fight any effort to bring him back to the United States to face charges.
A spokesman for Britain’s Home Office declined to comment on the AP report as did a spokesman for British Prime Minister David Cameron. US officials could not be immediately reached for comment.
Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd declined to confirm the British request or the AP report, saying it was “inappropriate” to discuss government communications. Other airlines could not be immediately reached or had no immediate comment.
The British alert was issued by the UK Border Agency’s Risk and Liaison Overseas Network, the AP report said.
Meanwhile, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said Britain has apparently barred Snowden from entering the country because it does not want “another Assange” on its hands.
Assange is approaching the one-year anniversary of his taking refuge in the Ecuadoran embassy in London, which he did to extradition to Sweden where prosecutors want to question him over allegations of rape.
“The British government refused entry to this country to Edward Snowden preventively. Why? Presumably because it doesn’t want to end up with another Assange,” the Australian told AFP and other agencies in an interview at the embassy. “Snowden is a hero, his revelations are important to nearly everybody in the world.
“The British government should be offering Snowden asylum, not excluding him. The rule of law has gone astray in the UK — this is another example. Assange added: “The UK doesn’t want to say no to the US in any circumstances — not in my case and not in the case of Edward Snowden.” Assange and WikiLeaks insist that Britain’s real aim in seeking to deport him to Sweden is to send him to the United States.
US Attorney General Eric Holder said yesterday that Snowden was responsible for “extremely damaging” leaks and Washington was confident it will bring him to justice.
Reuters/Afp
