The newspaper published an excerpt of the interview with Snowden on Wednesday night Hong Kong time. He told Post reporter Lana Lam, "I'm neither traitor nor hero. I'm an American."
He also explained why he chose to go to Hong Kong. “People who think I made a mistake in picking HK as a location misunderstand my intentions," Snowden told the Post. "I am not here to hide from justice; I am here to reveal criminality.”
To that end, Snowden also claimed that he has even more material exposing what he considers wrongdoing by the NSA, and will release it in due course.
The full report would be available in the newspaper later this week.
Apparently, contrary to rampant speculation, Snowden is still in Hong Kong.
Neither Snowden nor the Post would reveal how he was contacted nor his current location in Hong Kong. Snowden himself said in the interview that he talked to Lam from a "secret location in Hong Kong."
Lam has been a reporter for the Post for nearly three years.
Snowden has been on the lam (no pun intended, but I just couldn't resist) since the NSA story exploded into the public conscious. He then fled to Hong Kong from Hawaii on May 20, according to Politico.
According to the Huffington Post, the fact that Snowden is in Hong Kong sparked a still ongoing journalistic feeding frenzy, of sorts. His presence there sent journalists in Hong Kong scrambling to find him.
However, the Guardian's Ewen MacAskill reported that Snowden checked out of Hong Kong's Mira Hotel on Monday. MacAskill reported that Snowden did so because he was afraid – and rightfully so – that he would be found. "It is thought he is now in a safe house," MacAskill said Tuesday.
At this writing, Snowden has not made any formal requests for political asylum to any country. He did tell the Post's Lam, however, that his intention is to fight, to resist any attempts at extradition by the United States. If caught by the US, he will use the Hong Kong court system to remain free.
Interestingly, the HuffPost reports that Russia – so far – is the only government which has specifically addressed Snowden's plight. It has reportedly said that it would consider granting Snowden asylum if he requested it.
Opinion
Well, let's hope Snowden has a good lawyer.
This nation-state's government is growing more and more feverish with each passing day in its zeal to get its hands on Snowden, the bespectacled "leaker.".
Federal agents are fanning out across the country interrogating anyone and everyone who has ever had even the slightest contact with this young man – relatives, friends, teachers, employers, landlords, merchants, and former girlfriends.
In terms of his being extradited from Hong Kong (or anywhere else, for that matter), we must remember that the misnamed Patriot Act authorizes, legalizes and legitimizes the odious acts of US government agents in actually kidnapping anyone -- or as it is euphemistically known: “rendition.” That means that Snowden (or anyone else this nation-state targets) can and will be swept off the streets or from his or her home, blindfolded, bound and shackled, gagged, and forcibly transported to anywhere on this earth that the US government deems appropriate. A person so "rendered" has no access or right to acces an attorney or anyone else. He or she is thus held incommunicado, and may be held indefinitely without charge or trial. All of this may be done at the sole direction of the president.
For now, however, "rendition" does not seem to be in the offing. At this writing, it is being reported by RT-TV that the US Justice Department is preparing a long list of charges to bring against Snowden. The principle charge, however, will be violation of the Sedition Act of 1917 – treason. That is one of the few federal laws punishable by death.
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