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Snowden, who once worked not only for the NSA but also for the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), leaked thousands of confidential documents to the press in 2013, revealing the enormous scale of private data tracing after the attacks. September 11 attacks in the United States. Since then he has lived abroad.
The 37-year-old has said he would like to return to the United States.
Snowden’s lawyer, Anatoly Kučerena, told AFP on Thursday that his residence permit had been extended and is now valid indefinitely. This possibility is provided for in the recently amended Russian immigration legislation.
Kučerena said the request was made in April, but the process dragged on due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The information leaked by E. Snowden sparked a diplomatic scandal, when it became clear that the NSA was secretly eavesdropping on the phone conversations of 35 foreign heads of state, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
In his homeland, E. Snowden was charged with espionage and looting of state property.
When asked if E. Snowden plans to apply for Russian citizenship, A. Kucerena said that his client would make that decision himself.
The attorney said it was “natural” for Snowden to want to return to the United States, but would only do so if the case against him was dropped.
US President Donald Trump said earlier this year that he would “look” out of favor with Snowden, but has not spoken further on the matter.
Under Trump’s predecessor, Barack Obama, there was a failed attempt to seek the mercy of E. Snowden.
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