US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden said he took no secret documents with him to Russia when he fled there, ensuring that Moscow had no access to the files.
US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden said he took no secret documents with him to Russia when he fled there, ensuring that Moscow had no access to the files.
In an interview with The New York Times published Thursday, Snowden said he gave all the classified papers he had obt
ained to reporters he met in Hong Kong before flying to Moscow, where he later secured asylum.
The former National Security Agency contractor did not take the documents with him "because it wouldn't serve the public interest," Snowden told the Times.
"What would be the unique value of personally carrying another copy of the materials onward?"
Snowden also insisted he was able to protect the documents from China's spy services because he was familiar with that country's intelligence capabilities through his work as an NSA contractor.
"There's a zero percent chance the Russians or Chinese have received any documents," he said.
The interview took place last week over several days through encrypted online communications.
US officials and critics of Snowden have expressed concern that the documents in his possession could have fallen into the hands of Russian, Chinese or other foreign intelligence agencies.
