German lawmakers to quiz Snowden

Edward Snowden is seen on the computer screen of a journalist on the internet site of the Council of Europe. Picture: Vincent Kessler

Edward Snowden is seen on the computer screen of a journalist on the internet site of the Council of Europe. Picture: Vincent Kessler

Published May 8, 2014

Share

 Berlin - German lawmakers decided on Thursday they want to question former US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden as part of a parliamentary inquiry into the mass surveillance of German citizens, which he exposed.

“A majority of the committee has decided that we want to hear Mr Snowden,” said Roderich Kiesewetter, the conservative head of the committee set up to investigate the activities in Germany of the US National Security Agency (NSA).

It has not yet been decided whether Snowden, who was granted asylum in Russia, should be invited to testify in person about the NSA surveillance that has soured ties between Washington and Berlin. Snowden risks being arrested and extradited if he sets foot in any US-allied country.

He was charged last year in the United States with theft of government property, unauthorised communication of national defence information and wilful communication of classified intelligence to an unauthorised person.

An option would be for him to testify from abroad but the German opposition argues that Snowden would only be able to express himself freely if he were in Germany.

Angela Merkel's conservatives have so far rejected this, fearing that bringing Snowden to Berlin could further damage relations with Washington which have suffered from revelations that US spies had tapped the German chancellor's own phone.

The centre-left Social Democrats (SPD), who share power with Merkel's conservatives in a 'grand coalition', have said they are open to questioning Snowden in Germany or Russia. - Reuters

Related Topics: