Edward Snowden sabotages British security

Don Snowden

Edward Snowden is directly responsible for harming British vital covert operations, including the surveillance of terror groups and criminal networks.  And so is The Guardian newspaper.  He stole 58,000 top secret British security documents that are now in the hands of Moscow and Beijing.

Sir David Omand, former head of Government Communications HQ and Homeland Security Adviser to David Cameron said "It's the most catastrophic loss to British intelligence ever, much worse than Burgess and Maclean in the 1950s."  And if you are old enough to remember that episode, you know that this situation is very serious.

Andrew Parker, Director General of MI5 said the behaviour of The Guardian was irresponsible and had done enormous damage to Britain's ability to thwart al-Qa'da and put the lives of security agents at risk by sending family and personal information across borders.

David Cameron sent the Cabinet Secretary and senior officials to The Guardian to discuss destroying computer hardware but the result of that meeting is not known.

When Don Snowden arrived in Russia recently, he looked tired. Although he still considers his son a "whistleblower" rather than a criminal, the gravity of the situation is etched on his face. He's already met with Edward and it was an undercover, secret affair - hiding around corners is something this US Coast Guard veteran from Pennyslvania isn't used to.

But it seems that Edward is doing just fine, surviving on donations from support groups like WikiLeaks.  Earlier this week, a group of four retired US ex-intelligence workers and activists handed Snowden an award called the Sam Adams Award - a symbolic candlestick.

WikiLeaks published the photo and so did The Guardian, said to be the first authenticated image of Snowden since he arrived in Russia. Snowden is seen holding the award for integrity in intelligence, with former US government officials Coleen Rowley and Thomas Drake, ex-US officials Jesselyn Raddack and Ray McGovern and (second right) UK WikiLeaks journalist Sarah Harrison, a British citizen who has been with Snowden ever since he arrived in Russia.

Snowden has received many job offers but hasn't yet decided on what direction he will take.

His father said he wasn't sure if his son would ever return to the US and it's hard not to feel sorry for him, he is another victim of Edward's righteous indignation.  I wonder if he thinks it was worth it.