NSA whistle-blower Edward Snowden has met with a Green politician from Germany, and may be invited to be a witness in a parliamentary investigation into NSA spying and overreach in Berlin.
Snowden, who is currently living in Moscow and has reportedly recently found work in the city, fled the US by way of Hong Kong after leaking information about NSA “dragnet” spying on US citizens and populations and companies around the world. Recent reports have claimed that the US spy agency had bugged the phone of German chancellor Angela Merkel, and possibly run its telecommunications espionage programme from within the US embassy in Berlin.
German politician Hans-Christian Ströbele was visiting Snowden in Moscow on Thursday to discuss the revelations, and reportedly found Snowden prepared to assist in the parliamentary enquiry.
Witnesses to such enquiries are generally provided financial support and the legal protection needed to travel to Germany, but Ströbele did warn Snowden on the difficulties this may pose with the US actively hunting him and pressuring other governments around the world to help bring him back to US soil for prosecution. Snowden may fly to Germany, but it is possible that he could take part in the enquiry with written testimony or by video-link if travel arrangements prove too difficult.
Snowden was granted political asylum in Russia, but many in Germany hope that he may also find support within Europe. Germany originally dismissed his application for asylum as people can only apply when on German soil, but if he is brought to Germany for this enquiry that may offer the opportunity to reapply. The revelations about the NSA hacking Merkel’s phone may have profoundly altered the political will in Berlin to stand up to the US, with some German commentators describing such a move as restoring the country’s “damaged sovereignty”.
The Bundestag will hold a special session to discuss NSA spying on 18 November.