Edward Snowden has more secrets to share, father says after Russia visit

The father of Edward Snowden said on Wednesday that the former US spy agency contractor has more secrets to share and should stay in Russia “to make sure the true story is told.”

Father Lon Snowden spoke at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York shortly after returning to the United States from a week-long visit with his son in Moscow. It was the first time they saw one another since Edward Snowden, an ex-National Security Agency contractor, was given temporary asylum in Russia earlier this year after leaking sensitive data on US security agencies’ operations.

Asked what he told his son during the visit, Snowden told reporters: “To stay, but that’s my advice. It’s not necessarily what my son will do. He’s comfortable. He’s happy. And he’s absolutely committed to what he has done.”

The younger Snowden’s revelations about the reach and methods of the NSA, including the monitoring of vast volumes of internet traffic and phone records, have upset US allies from Germany to Brazil. Admirers call him a human rights champion and critics denounce him as a traitor.

“There’s much more to be shared,” Lon Snowden said.

Staying in Russia, Snowden said, allows his son “to continue to push these issues forward, to make sure the true story is told.”