Edward Snowden has not entered Russia - Sergei Lavrov

[mystery-ak]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-23045790

 25 June 2013 Last updated at 06:53 ET


Edward Snowden has not entered Russia - Sergei Lavrov

Russia says it has had no involvement in the travel plans of fugitive US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden.

The exact whereabouts of Mr Snowden, who flew to Moscow from Hong Kong on Sunday, are unclear.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov insisted he had not crossed the Russian border.

He criticised what he termed US attempts to blame Russia for his disappearance, saying they were "groundless and unacceptable".

Correspondents say Mr Lavrov's comments suggest that Mr Snowden remained air-side after landing at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport, and so has technically never entered Russian territory.

"We are in no way involved with either Mr Snowden, his relations with US justice, nor to his movements around the world," Mr Lavrov said.

"He chose his itinerary on his own. We learnt about it... from the media. He has not crossed the Russian border.

continued at link

[mountaineer]

 :Odance:
I don't have a clue! Let's dance!

[Rapunzel]

He wanted to go to Iceland....... how hard would that have been from Moscow?

[happyg]

He wanted to go to Iceland....... how hard would that have been from Moscow?

I thought NSA could find anyone? Is it possible the CIA doesn't want this guy back home? After all, Obama has tried to throw them under the bus a time or two, and it's possible they think they are under NSA surveillance themselves.

[Right_in_Virginia]

I thought NSA could find anyone? Is it possible the CIA doesn't want this guy back home? After all, Obama has tried to throw them under the bus a time or two, and it's possible they think they are under NSA surveillance themselves.

The last person Obama wants under oath in front of cameras is Edward Snowden.  Sparky doesn't want him back.

[DCPatriot]

Is that like, ".......these are NOT the droids you're looking for!"  ??

[Oceander]

Actually, he hasn't entered Russian territory because, as far as I know, he's sitting in the in-transit part of a Russian airport.  That area is technically not part of Russia, which is why people can transit through there on their travels from one country to another country without needing a Russian visa.

This is, of course, a splitting of hairs by the Russians.

[Carling]

Actually, he hasn't entered Russian territory because, as far as I know, he's sitting in the in-transit part of a Russian airport.  That area is technically not part of Russia, which is why people can transit through there on their travels from one country to another country without needing a Russian visa.

This is, of course, a splitting of hairs by the Russians.

It's not really splitting hairs, unless you believe that every passenger should be checked on a layover overseas to see if they are fugitives.

[Cincinnatus]

"The Terminal" starring  Edward Snowden.

Edward Snowden is not booked to fly out of Moscow over the next three days, and with no valid passport, the NSA whistleblower might be stuck in airport limbo indefinitely.

The hot pursuit of Snowden has ground to a halt four days after the former CIA technician, wanted in the US on espionage charges, flew into Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport from Hong Kong.

 Washington, which wants Snowden for leaking details of the National Security Agency’s (NSA) dragnet telephone and Internet surveillance programs, charges that there is a clear legal basis for Moscow to hand him over.

 Russian President Vladimir Putin, who confirmed that Snowden had arrived in Moscow as a transit passenger despite speculation to the contrary, rebuffed US demands on Tuesday.

“We can only extradite any foreign citizens to such countries with which we have signed the appropriate international agreements on criminal extradition,” Putin said, adding that as Snowden had committed no crime on Russian soil, he is free to travel at will.

 "Snowden is a free person. The sooner he chooses his final destination, the better it is for him and Russia," Putin continued.

However, the former NSA contractor appears to be staying put, as neither him nor his WikiLeaks-affiliated legal adviser Sarah Harrison have made travel plans over the coming days.

"They are not flying today and not over the next three days," an Aeroflot representative at the transfer desk at Sheremetyevo told Reuters.

"They are not in the system."

 Snowden’s stopover in the transit zone at Sheremetyevo could be prolonged indefinitely, as his passport, which was annulled by the US on Saturday, leaves him without the necessary documentation with which to travel, a source reportedly connected with Snowden told Interfax.

“Snowden’s American passport is void and he is not in possession of any other document with which he can prove his identity. For this reason, he has to stay in Sheremetyevo’s transit zone and cannot leave Russia nor buy a ticket,” the source said.

http://rt.com/news/snowden-terminal-passport-stuck-265/

[Ford289HiPo]

 Snowden’s stopover in the transit zone at Sheremetyevo could be prolonged indefinitely, as his passport, which was annulled by the US on Saturday, leaves him without the necessary documentation with which to travel, a source reportedly connected with Snowden told Interfax.

Yeah, well........those darn passports. At one time, travel was really free. Of course, Russia could just put him on a plane for a "friendly" destination.

“Snowden’s American passport is void and he is not in possession of any other document with which he can prove his identity. For this reason, he has to stay in Sheremetyevo’s transit zone and cannot leave Russia nor buy a ticket,” the source said. [/i]

http://rt.com/news/snowden-terminal-passport-stuck-265/

Uh...yeah. That US drivers license will provide sufficient proof.

Either way, he will have to leave the transit zone at some time.