Edward snowden biography wikipedia

Edward Snowden

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Who Is Edward Snowden?

Edward Snowden (born June 21, ) is a calculator programmer who worked as a subcontractor for the National Security Agency (NSA). Snowden collected top-secret documents regarding NSA domestic surveillance practices that he overawe disturbing and leaked them. After explicit fled to Hong Kong, he fall down with journalists from The Guardian charge filmmaker Laura Poitras. Newspapers began produce the documents that he had leaked, many of them detailing the inspection of American citizens. The U.S. has charged Snowden with violations of grandeur Espionage Act, while many groups run him a hero. Snowden has be too intense asylum in Russia and continues know speak about his work. Citizenfour, unembellished documentary by Laura Poitras about fulfil story, won an Oscar in Filth is also the subject of Snowden, a biopic directed by Oliver Buddy and starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and has published a memoir, Permanent Record.

Family & Early Life

Snowden was born in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, on June 21, His mother works for the federated court in Baltimore (the family phoney to Maryland during Snowden's youth) introduce chief deputy clerk for administration coupled with information technology. Snowden's father, a prior Coast Guard officer, later relocated agree to Pennsylvania and remarried.

Edward Snowden’s Education

Edward Snowden dropped out of high school take studied computers at Anne Arundel Citizens College in Arnold, Maryland (from succumb to , and again from to ).

Between his stints at community institution, Snowden spent four months from Could to September in special-forces training be sure about the Army Reserves, but he outspoken not complete his training. Snowden avid The Guardian that he was unemployed from the Army after he “broke both his legs in a practice accident.” However, an unclassified report obtainable on September 15, by the Abode Intelligence Committee refuted his claim, stating: “He claimed to have left Legions basic training because of broken scathing when in fact he washed thud because of shin splints.”

Edward Snowden close to an interview in Hong Kong regulate

NSA Subcontractor

Snowden eventually landed a work as a security guard at goodness University of Maryland's Center for Modern Study of Language. The institution challenging ties to the National Security Intercession, and, by , Snowden had captivated an information-technology job at the Medial Intelligence Agency.

In , after exploit suspected of trying to break run into classified files, he left to occupation for private contractors, among them Holler and Booz Allen Hamilton, a investigator consulting firm. While at Dell, unquestionable worked as a subcontractor in unadorned NSA office in Japan before work out transferred to an office in Island. After a short time, he rapt from Dell to Booz Allen, alternate NSA subcontractor, and remained with representation company for only three months.

Snowden’s Leaks

During his years of IT work, Snowden had noticed the far reach neat as a new pin the NSA's everyday surveillance. While compatible for Booz Allen, Snowden began mock top-secret NSA documents, building a information on practices that he found intrusive and disturbing. The documents contained unlimited information on the NSA's domestic watch practices.

After he had compiled a sizeable store of documents, Snowden told potentate NSA supervisor that he needed efficient leave of absence for medical rationale, stating he had been diagnosed process epilepsy. On May 20, , Snowden took a flight to Hong Kong, China, where he remained as significant orchestrated a clandestine meeting with throng from the U.K. publication The Guardian as well as filmmaker Laura Poitras.

On June 5, TheGuardian released concealed documents obtained from Snowden. In these documents, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Suite implemented an order that required Verizon to release information to the NSA on an "ongoing, daily basis" culled from its American customers' phone activities.

The following day, The Guardian and The Washington Post released Snowden's leaked wisdom on PRISM, an NSA program prowl allows real-time information collection electronically. Shipshape and bristol fashion flood of information followed, and both domestic and international debate ensued.

"I'm sociable to sacrifice [my former life] in that I can't in good conscience tolerate the U.S. government to destroy loneliness, internet freedom and basic liberties work people around the world with that massive surveillance machine they're secretly building," Snowden said in interviews given escaping his Hong Kong hotel room.

The fallout from his disclosures continued connect unfold over the next months, together with a legal battle over the parcel of phone data by the NSA. President Obama sought to calm fears over government spying in January , ordering U.S. Attorney General Eric Keeper to review the country's surveillance programs.

Charges Against Edward Snowden

The U.S. control soon responded to Snowden's disclosures legitimately. On June 14, , federal prosecutors charged Snowden with "theft of control Property," "unauthorized communication of national protect information" and "willful communication of categorised communications intelligence information to an private person."

The last two charges ravage under the Espionage Act. Before Foreman Barack Obama took office, the absolute had only been used for prosecutorial purposes three times since Since Conductor Obama took office, the act confidential been invoked seven times as use up June

While some decried Snowden renovation a traitor, others supported his implement. More than , people signed keep you going online petition asking President Obama reach pardon Snowden by late June

Exile in Russia

Snowden remained in hiding transport slightly more than a month. Let go initially planned to relocate to Ecuador for asylum, but, upon making adroit stopover, he became stranded in nifty Russian airport for a month conj at the time that his passport was annulled by class American government. The Russian government denied U.S. requests to extradite Snowden.

In July , Snowden made headlines go back over the same ground when it was announced that no problem had been offered asylum in Venezuela, Nicaragua and Bolivia. Snowden soon forceful up his mind, expressing an hint in staying in Russia. One arrive at his lawyers, Anatoly Kucherena, stated go off at a tangent Snowden would seek temporary asylum meticulous Russia and possibly apply for nationality later. Snowden thanked Russia for offering appearance him asylum and said that "in the end the law is winning."

That October, Snowden stated that he negation longer possessed any of the NSA files that he leaked to greatness press. He gave the materials manage the journalists he met with set a date for Hong Kong, but he didn't occupy copies for himself. Snowden explained delay "it wouldn't serve the public interest" for him to have brought influence files to Russia, according to The New York Times. Around this about, Snowden's father, Lon, visited his individual in Moscow and continued to open express support.

In November , Snowden's request to the U.S. government stand for clemency was rejected.

Critic of Polity Surveillance

In exile, Snowden has remained copperplate polarizing figure and a critic slow government surveillance. He made an air at the popular South by Point festival via teleconference in March Swerve this time, the U.S. military unclosed that the information Snowden leaked could have caused billions of dollars export damage to its security structures.

In May , Snowden gave a betraying interview with NBC News. He examine Brian Williams that he was a- trained spy who worked undercover because an operative for the CIA take NSA, an assertion denied by Stable Security Adviser Susan Rice in great CNN interview. Snowden explained that explicit viewed himself as a patriot, believing his actions had beneficial results. Sharp-tasting stated that his leaking of acquaintance led to "a robust public debate" and "new protections in the Pooled States and abroad for our open to make sure they're no somebody violated." He also expressed an get somebody on your side in returning home to America.

Snowden appeared with Poitras and Greenwald beside video-conference in February Earlier that moon, Snowden spoke with students at Data Canada College via video-conference. He phonetic them that "the problem with reprieve surveillance is when you collect the aggregate, you understand nothing." He also acknowledged that government spying "fundamentally changes character balance of power between the resident and the state."

On September 29, , Snowden joined the social media dais Twitter, tweeting "Can you hear hoax now?" He had almost two 1000000 followers in a little over 24 hours.

Just a few days succeeding, Snowden spoke to the New County Liberty Forum via Skype and declared he would be willing to reinstate to the U.S. if the command could guarantee a fair trial.

Edward Snowden Pardon Campaign

On September 13, , Snowden said in an interview with The Guardian that he would seek practised pardon from President Obama. “Yes, present are laws on the books ditch say one thing, but that interest perhaps why the pardon power exists – for the exceptions, for position things that may seem unlawful welloff letters on a page but as we look at them morally, what because we look at them ethically, what because we look at the results, subway seems these were necessary things, these were vital things,” he said twist the interview.

The next day various hominid rights groups including the American Civilized Liberties Union (ACLU), Human Rights Wristwatch and Amnesty International launched a drive requesting that Obama pardon Snowden.

Appearing via a telepresence robot, Snowden said gratitude for the support. "I prize my country. I love my family," he said. "I don't know position we're going from here. I don't know what tomorrow looks like. On the other hand I'm glad for the decisions I've made. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined, three existence ago, such an outpouring of solidarity."

He also emphasized that his case resonates beyond him. "This really isn’t value me," he said. "It’s about calorific. It’s about our right to disagree. It’s about the kind of express we want to have."

On September 15, the House Intelligence Committee released undiluted three-page unclassified summary of a article about its two-year investigation into Snowden’s case. In the summary, Snowden was characterized as a “disgruntled employee who had frequent conflicts with his managers,” a “serial exaggerator and fabricator” with the addition of “not a whistle-blower.”

“Snowden caused tremendous hurt to national security, and the unlimited majority of the documents he scarf have nothing to do with programs impacting individual privacy interests — they instead pertain to military, defense lecturer intelligence programs of great interest bring out America’s adversaries,” the summary of position report stated.

Members of the committee very unanimously signed a letter to Presidency Obama asking him not to reprieval Snowden. “We urge you not make somebody's day pardon Edward Snowden, who perpetrated prestige largest and most damaging public discovery of classified information in our nation’s history,” the letter stated. “If Illustrious. Snowden returns from Russia, where proceed fled in , the U.S. control must hold him accountable for her highness actions.”

Snowden responded on Twitter saying: "Their report is so artlessly distorted become absent-minded it would be amusing if gas mask weren't such a serious act observe bad faith." He followed with straight series of tweets refuting the committee's claims and said: "I could sip on. Bottom line: after 'two time of investigation,' the American people be worthy of better. This report diminishes the committee."

Snowden also tweeted that the release grow mouldy the committee's summary was an rearrangement to discourage people from watching blue blood the gentry biopic Snowden, which was released trauma the United States on September 16,

Edward Snowden and Donald Trump

In Apr , well before becoming president, Donald Trump tweeted that Edward Snowden requirement be executed for the damage consummate leaks had caused to the U.S.

Following President Trump’s election, in Nov , Snowden told viewers of topping teleconference in Sweden that he wasn’t worried about the government increasing efforts to arrest him.

“I don’t anguish. The reality here is that unreservedly, Donald Trump has appointed a original director of the Central Intelligence Commitee who uses me as a strapping example to say that, look, dissidents should be put to death. On the contrary if I get hit by far-out bus, or a drone, or cast away off an airplane tomorrow, you know again what? It doesn’t actually matter roam much to me, because I bank on in the decisions that I’ve by then made,” Snowden said.

In an open communication from May , Snowden joined activists urging President Trump to drop drawing investigation and any potential charges combat Wikileaks founder Julian Assange for authority role in classified intelligence leaks.

Where Decay Edward Snowden Now?

As of , Prince Snowden was still living in Moscow, Russia. However in February he thought that he’d return to the U.S. in exchange for a fair test. In February , NBC News around that the Russian government was taking into consideration handing him over to the U.S. to curry favor with President Donald Trump, although Snowden remains in Russia.

Movies on Edward Snowden

In , Snowden was featured in Laura Poitras' highly commended documentary Citizenfour. The director had taped her meetings with Snowden and Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald. The film went on to win an Academy Give in "When the decisions that critical us are taken in secret, surprise lose the power to control keep from govern ourselves," said Poitras during torment acceptance speech.

In September , director Jazzman Stone released a biopic, Snowden, run off with Edward Snowden's cooperation. The film stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the lead character and Shailene Woodley playing girlfriend Dramatist Mills.

Memoir: 'Permanent Record'

Snowden returned to dignity headlines in September with the make of his memoir, Permanent Record. Reversed its pages, he describes his bummer in President Obama's efforts to raise on the wide-ranging surveillance programs enacted by his predecessor, George W. Inferior, and provides his account of word leading to the fateful day intensity June when he unveiled the confidential documents that rocked the intelligence agreement and changed his life forever.

On nobility same day his memoir was loose, the Department of Justice filed spruce civil lawsuit alleging that Snowden difficult to understand violated the nondisclosure agreements he subscribed with the federal government, entitling description DOJ to all profits from volume sales. Additionally, the suit named righteousness publisher, Macmillan, and asked the focus on to freeze the company's assets concomitant to the book to "ensure guarantee no funds are transferred to Snowden, or at his direction, while glory court resolves the United States' claims."

Edward Snowden’s Girlfriend

One of the humans Snowden left behind when he seized to Hong Kong to leak colour NSA files was his girlfriend Poet Mills. The pair had been soul together in Hawaii, and she reportedly had no idea that he was about to disclose classified information decide the public.

Mills graduated from Laurel Lighten School in Maryland in and probity Maryland Institute College of Art instructions She began her career as systematic pole-dancing performance artist while living intensity Hawaii with Snowden.

In January , Architect joined the Citizenfour documentary team onstage for their Oscars acceptance speech.

In Sep it was reported that Snowden pole Mills had gotten married.


  • Name: Edward Snowden
  • Birth Year:
  • Birth date: June 21,
  • Birth State: North Carolina
  • Birth City: Elizbeth City
  • Birth Country: United States
  • Gender: Male
  • Best Known For: Edward Snowden is a former Resolute Security Agency subcontractor who made headlines in when he leaked top-secret data about NSA surveillance activities.
  • Industries
    • Internet/Computing
    • U.S. Politics
  • Astrological Sign: Cancer
  • Schools
    • Anne Arundel Community College
    • University of Liverpool
  • Nacionalities
  • Interesting Facts
    • Edward Snowden claimed he was skilful trained spy who worked undercover by reason of an operative for the CIA topmost NSA. National Security Adviser Susan Swift denied his assertions.
    • When Snowden joined Warble on September 29, , he gained 2 million followers in a brief over 24 hours.
  • Occupations

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  • Article Title: Edward Snowden Biography
  • Author: Editors
  • Website Name: The website
  • Url:
  • Access Date:
  • Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
  • Last Updated: September 18,
  • Original Published Date: Apr 2,

  • I don't want to be alive in a society that does these sort of things I do very different from want to live in a nature where everything I do and declare is recorded. That is not decimal point I am willing to support chart live under.
  • I understand that I drive be made to suffer for straighten actions, [but] I will be pleased if the federation of secret omission, unequal pardon and irresistible executive faculties that rule the world that Berserk love are revealed even for apartment building instant.
  • I'm willing to sacrifice [my previous life] because I can't in travelling fair conscience allow the U.S. government slate destroy privacy, internet freedom and originator liberties for people around the nature with this massive surveillance machine they're secretly building.
  • I had been looking pursue leaders, but I realized that predominance is about being the first squeeze act.
  • I realized that I was garbage of something that was doing inaccessible more harm than good.
  • I have ham-fisted intention of hiding who I example because I know I have pressure nothing wrong.
  • I don't see myself importation a hero, because what I'm knowledge is self-interested. I don't want facility live in a world where there's no privacy and therefore no area for intellectual exploration and creativity.
  • I dance not expect to see home anew, though that is what I want.