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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsSnowden spy row grows as US is accused of hacking China
Whistleblower charged with espionage claims that US authorities accessed millions of private text messages in China
Toby Helm, Daniel Boffey and Nick Hopkins
Edward Snowden, the former CIA technician who blew the whistle on global surveillance operations, has opened a new front against the US authorities, claiming they hacked into Chinese mobile phone companies to access millions of private text messages.
<...>
Within hours of news breaking that the US had filed charges against Snowden, the South China Morning Post reported that the whistleblower had handed over a series of documents to the paper detailing how the US had targeted Chinese phone companies as part of a widespread attempt to get its hands on a mass of data.
Text messaging is the most popular form of communication in mainland China where more than 900bn SMS messages were exchanged in 2012.
Snowden reportedly told the paper: "The NSA does all kinds of things like hack Chinese cellphone companies to steal all of your SMS data."
- more -
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/22/edward-snowden-us-china
I guess he's going to work hard to earn his prosecution. He may even add traitor to the mix soon.
Snowden Is Using 'Specific' Evidence of the U.S. Hacking China to Stay Out of Jail
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023015740
NSA veteran: "So he is transitioning from whistle-blower to a traitor."
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023035550
Snowden is going to be prosecuted.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023068663
flamingdem
(39,321 posts)But note that he may in fact want to be a "traitor" because Hong Kong will not extradite him to the US in that case.
That carries the death penalty in the USA and is a non starter for Hong Kong.
That's just one speculation about why he's revealing this now. More likely he's gaining favor with the Chinese so that Hong Kong can keep him or allow passage to Iceland.
FarCenter
(19,429 posts)(f)Whoever, being entrusted with or having lawful possession or control of any document, writing, code book, signal book, sketch, photograph, photographic negative, blueprint, plan, map, model, instrument, appliance, note, or information, relating to the national defense,
(1) through gross negligence permits the same to be removed from its proper place of custody or delivered to anyone in violation of his trust, or to be lost, stolen, abstracted, or destroyed, or
(2) having knowledge that the same has been illegally removed from its proper place of custody or delivered to anyone in violation of its trust, or lost, or stolen, abstracted, or destroyed, and fails to make prompt report of such loss, theft, abstraction, or destruction to his superior officer
Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/793
flamingdem
(39,321 posts)As opposed to espionage
FarCenter
(19,429 posts)18 USC 641 Theft of Government Property
18 USC 793 (d) Unauthorized Communication of National Defense Information and
18 USC 798 (a)(3) Willful communication of classified communications intelligence information to an unauthorized person
Each of these carries a 10 year maximum prison sentence. Of course, there could be additional charges brought, and probably numerous counts of each.
flamingdem
(39,321 posts)For a minute I forgot what the term Capitol Offense really means!
CoffeeCat
(24,411 posts)If our government is spying on China or our own citizens--and accessing data that they shouldn't be accessing--that we damn well deserve to know about it.
These government officials work for "We The People." We never signed up for this. We never wanted this.
How anyone can suggest that Snowden is a traitor--is beyond me.
He is revealing to us what our government is doing behind our backs--without our permission--in OUR NAME.
Quit whining and complaining and thank this man for being courageous and brave.
NO government should be doing these things, in secret, unless that government is a dictatorship.
railsback
(1,881 posts)who have no intention of offering up a reach-around.
Katashi_itto
(10,175 posts)No offense, it's just an observation. There is so much certainty in your posts.
"Never be certain of anything. It's a sign of weakness"
-Dr Who
railsback
(1,881 posts)Cultist. So much certainty in the uncertainties.
Katashi_itto
(10,175 posts)Keep deluding yourself.
I'm sure pre-WWII lots of Germans lied to themselves too, about their real situation.
As for cult, I am not the one worshiping the power of the govt.
railsback
(1,881 posts)I'm not daft enough to believe we live in a crime free society.
Katashi_itto
(10,175 posts)CoffeeCat
(24,411 posts)Quit clouding the issue!
He's a hero. Just like Bradley Manning is a hero.
If you want to live in a dictatorial crazy land where our elected officials--and branches of our government--can spy on us without our knowledge and our consent---fine. You find a nice ruthless dictatorship and build a nest there.
The rest of us are sick of it.
If you can't understand that revealing government abuse of power--is a good thing--then that's your problem.
railsback
(1,881 posts)Now they will stop.
Katashi_itto
(10,175 posts)treestar
(82,383 posts)cali
(114,904 posts)you seem enthusiastic about extraditing or kidnapping him.
gad.
"lol and you accuse me of making it up when I note that you seem enthusiastic about extraditing or kidnapping him. "
I said you were making up a weird straw man. Who the hell said anything about "kidnapping him"?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=3068751
Friggin bizarre.
cali
(114,904 posts)you can keep parroting "bizarre", but that hardly makes it so.
If HK refuses to extradite, would you support the U.S. kidnapping him to bring him back to face "justice".
Try and actually answer. A yes or no would suffice nicely.
Try and actually answer. A yes or no would suffice nicely.
Didn't you just insist I would?
No, your friggin weird made up shit is just that: bizarre.
Weird.
cali
(114,904 posts)would you support the U.S. kidnapping Snowden if HK doesn't extradite?
Yes?
No?
Choose one.
would you support the U.S. kidnapping Snowden if HK doesn't extradite?
Yes?
No?
Choose one.
...I think the problem is that you're having a problem .
You went from insisting that I supported something bizarre, to now asking if I support your bizarre, made-up crap.
So let me repeat (and this time separate it into multiple sentences to prevent the continued traumatic episode you apparently are having).
No, I don't support "kidnapping" of anyone. No. No. No.
That is your friggin weird made-up shit and it's just that: bizarre.
The problem isn't me, it's you: http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=profile&uid=152034&sub=trans
Weird.
cali
(114,904 posts)Because with your absolute and uncritical support for the administration, it's a reasonable question to ask.
Just for you:
ProSense
(116,464 posts)"Because with your absolute and uncritical support for the administration, it's a reasonable question to ask."
...it's a bizarre question, but par for the course with you.
Major Hogwash
(17,656 posts)Happy birthday, dickhead!!
flamingdem
(39,321 posts)Spider Jerusalem
(21,786 posts)and if these latest revelations are true? China may not extradite, so...good luck with that prosecution.
As far as treason? No. US Constitution, Article III, Section 3.
In all of American history only sixteen people have been convicted of treason: two participants in the Whiskey Rebellion who were pardoned by George Washington; Thomas Dorr, of Rhode Island; John Brown, and Aaron Stevens, who took part in Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry; a William Mumford, convicted of treason for hauling down a US flag, in New Orleans, in 1862 (the notoriously corrupt Union general Benjamin Butler decided to make an example of him); four conspirators in the Lincoln assassination; three American citizens who broadcast propaganda for the Axis during WWII ("Tokyo Rose", "Axis Sally", and Robert Best); Herbert Haupt, US/German dual national, convicted of treason and executed for espionage on behalf of Nazi Germany; Martin Monti, a USAAF pilot who defected to the Germans; and Tomoya Kawakita, a dual US/Japanese citizen convicted of treason for torturing American prisoners of war. That's it. Legally, there are no grounds whatever for Snowden being tried on a charge of treason. Espionage, yes, but not treason. (If treason were an appropriate charge? Jonathan Pollard would have been tried for it.)
ProSense
(116,464 posts)cali
(114,904 posts)article after article indicates that extradition will be difficult. are you privy to information that the rest of us don't have?
with your penchant for links, surely you can provide some evidence for your claim.
A former U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) contractor charged with spying by the United States and in hiding in Hong Kong is expected to be the subject of a formal extradition request at any time in what could drag into a legal battle lasting years.
<snip>
Simon Young, a law professor at the University of Hong Kong, said that while the first charge involving theft might readily find equivalence in Hong Kong, the latter two spying offences will likely attract "litigation and dispute" in the courts.
The timeframe for such proceedings remains unclear, but Hectar Pun, a lawyer with human rights expertise, was quoted as saying such an extradition could take three to five years.
<snip>
http://news.yahoo.com/hong-kong-silent-snowdens-fate-u-files-charges-041830621.html
trumad
(41,692 posts)Bank on it
cali
(114,904 posts)so how will he be in the U.S. by the end of June- a week away?
AtomicKitten
(46,585 posts)cali
(114,904 posts)allin99
(894 posts)"the South China Morning Post reported that the whistleblower had handed over a series of documents to the paper detailing how the US had targeted Chinese phone companies as part of a widespread attempt to get its hands on a mass of data."
"The paper said Snowden had also passed on information detailing NSA attacks on China's prestigious Tsinghua University, the hub of a major digital network from which data on millions of Chinese citizens could be harvested."
that is treason.