Elizabeth HagedornMore than six months after he first leaked NSA secrets, whistleblower Edward Snowden has declared mission accomplished.
In an interview published Monday night, Snowden told The Washington Post: "For me, in terms of personal satisfaction, the mission's already accomplished. I already won.”
His leaks — including revelations the NSA had collected the communication records of millions of Americans and eavesdropped on many world leaders — led many to label him a traitor. But Snowden insisted he’s not trying to compromise the national security of his country. (Via CBS, The Guardian)
Telling the Post: “I am not trying to bring down the NSA, I am working to improve the NSA. I am still working for the NSA right now. They are the only ones who don’t realize it.”
While Snowden remains in Russia on one-year temporary asylum, back in the U.S. there's at least some indication his leaks may lead to a change in American surveillance tactics.
President Obama suggested Friday he might consider some of the recommended changes given to him by a panel he convened to review NSA’s surveillance practices. (Via The White House)
That came about a week after a U.S. district judge ruled the agency’s mass collection of phone records was likely unconstitutional. (Via Politico)
Now, this probably isn’t the last we’ll hear from Snowden. NSA Director Gen. Keith Alexander says he probably stole as many as 200,000 classified documents when he left the agency. (Via Fox News)
Snowden also said in the interview he brought his concerns about the NSA's surveillance of U.S. citizens to several of his superiors, and more than a dozen colleagues. The NSA told The Washington Post that never happened.
