No reply from US on hacking claims disappointing, says security minister

Hong Kong’s security minister on Wednesday repeated calls by the government for the United States to clarify claims made by Edward Snowden that it had been hacking into computers in the city.

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Secretary for Security Lai Tung-kwok says the government is still waiting for a reply from the US to questions about its alleged hacking activites in the city. Photo: Edward Wong

Published: 4:55pm, 26 Jun 2013Updated: 10:31pm, 26 Jun 2013

Hong Kong’s security minister on Wednesday repeated calls by the government for the United States to clarify claims made by Edward Snowden that it had been hacking into computers in the city.

Secretary for Security Lai Tung-kwok also said the Hong Kong government was disappointed by the lack of a response on the part the US to its request for verification of the hacking claims.

The city’s security bureau wrote to the US government on June 21 asking for verification.

We hope the US can give Hongkongers a comprehensive account as soon as possible

Lai Tung-kwok, security minister

“We hope that the US government can give Hongkongers a comprehensive account [on the matter] as soon as possible,” Lai said after a Legislative Council meeting.

The explosive claims were made by whistle-blower and former CIA contractor Edward Snowden during a June 13 interview with the while in Hong Kong.

In the interview, Snowden said the US had been hacking into computers in Hong Kong and China for years.

Snowden left the city on Sunday for Russia after the US laid charges against him and had requested that Hong Kong authorities arrest him. The 30-year-old is now in a transit area of a Moscow airport.