Edward Snowden: Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino

Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino: Snowden, also a former CIA technician, fled Hong Kong on Sunday to dodge U.S. efforts to extradite him on espionage charges. Ecuador's Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino said his government had received an asylum request, adding Monday that the decision "has to do with freedom of expression and with the security of citizens around the world." The anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks also said it would help Snowden, according to Huffington Post. Snowden gave documents to The Guardian and The Washington Post newspapers disclosing U.S. surveillance programs that collect vast amounts of phone records and online data in the name of foreign intelligence, often sweeping up information on American citizens. Officials have the ability to collect phone and Internet information broadly but need a warrant to examine specific cases where they believe terrorism is involved and WASHINGTON - Former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden an admitted leaker of state secrets was expected to fly from Moscow to Cuba and Venezuela en route to possible asylum in Ecuador. Ecuador has rejected the United States' previous efforts at co-operation, and has been helping WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, avoid prosecution by allowing him to stay at its embassy in London. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.