WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has denied speculation that US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden was interrogated by Russian authorities, telling Australian media they had “behaved well”.
Snowden, who is wanted by Washington on espionage charges linked to his disclosures about the secret details of US surveillance programmes, was granted asylum by Russia on August 1 after spending some five weeks at Moscow airport.
Assange, who is standing for election in Australia’s upcoming national polls, said WikiLeaks personnel had been with Snowden since he left Hong Kong and arrived in Sheremetyevo airport’s transit zone on June 23.
“Since Hong Kong we have had someone physically by his side the entire time,” he said in an interview with Australia’s Fairfax Media published online on Friday.
My interpretation is that this is a political and diplomatic matter that long ago rose above being just an intelligence matter
“We have had someone with him for 54 days.”
Asked whether Snowden had been interviewed by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) or any other Russian intelligence agency, Assange said: “No, he has not.”