Whistleblower Snowden Leaves Hong Kong

The whistleblower Edward Snowden, who leaked details about snooping carried out by the US government, has left Hong Kong for Russia.

His departure was revealed on the website of Hong Kong newspaper the South China Morning Post, which said that Russia was not thought to be his intended final destination.

The 30-year-old fugitive's departure was later confirmed by the Hong Kong government.

The whistleblowing website WikiLeaks, which says it is now representing Snowden said he "is bound for a democratic nation via a safe route for the purposes of asylum, and is being escorted by diplomats and legal advisors from WikiLeaks."

"Mr Snowden requested that WikiLeaks use its legal expertise and experience to secure his safety. Once Mr Snowden arrives at his final destination his request will be formally processed."

Spanish Judge Mr Baltasar Garzon, legal director of Wikileaks and lawyer for Julian Assange added: "The WikiLeaks legal team and I are interested in preserving Mr Snowden's rights and protecting him as a person.

"What is being done to Mr Snowden and to Mr Julian Assange - for making or facilitating disclosures in the public interest - is an assault against the people".

Russia's Itar-Tass news agency says he may be heading to Cuba and then on to Venezuela.

Itar-Tass said there is a flight ticket in his name from Moscow to Cuba and that he will then fly on to Caracas. It said that his flight to Havana from Moscow, would take place on Monday.

Interfax said a source had told them that as Snowden has no Russian visa, he will be forced to wait for his next flight airside, in the airport terminal.

Snowden's route since leaving Hawaii and his possible next destinations

If he attempts to leave the airport, he could face arrest, according to local police quoted by the news agency.

The Morning Post said Snowden's flight left Hong Kong around 11am local time (4am UK time) and he was due to arrive in Moscow around 5.15pm local time (2.15pm UK time). The flight is believed to be currently in the air.

A source working for Aeroflot was quoted by Russian media as saying Snowden was flying together with Sarah Harrison -- a WikiLeaks employee.

There has been speculation he may be eventually heading for Ecuador as he is being helped by WikiLeaks, whose founder Julian Assange has also been granted asylum in the South American country.

Assange is currently in the Ecuador embassy in London. He is unable to leave without being arrested as he is wanted for questioning by Sweden over alleged sexual offences.

Assange confirmed his organisation's involvement to an Australian newspaper the Sydney Morning Herald.

He said: "Mr Snowden is flying in an Aeroflot aircraft over Russian airspace, accompanied by WikiLeaks legal advisers.

"He is expected to land in Moscow at 5pm, local time and will be met by diplomats from the country that will be his ultimate destination. Diplomats from that country will accompany him on a further flight to his destination."

A still picture of Sarah Harrison taken from a video put out by WikiLeaks

Assange declined to name the country in question in advance of a formal announcement, but described it as a "democratic country" and said that Mr Snowden would be able to travel "by a safe route" and that papers had been issued to ensure his safe passage.

Snowden left Hong Kong after The White House asked the autonomous Chinese territory to extradite him. He had earlier been charged in the US with espionage.

The Hong Kong government has said that although the US had sought his extradition, the request did not fully comply with requirements. It said that as a result, he was free to leave.

Snowden was revealed earlier this month to have been the man who leaked to the Guardian and Washington Post newspapers information about monitoring by America's National Security Agency.

Snowden claimed the NSA has been keeping details of millions of phone calls by Americans and monitoring the use by foreigners of internet sites including Google, Facebook and Yahoo.

Russian analyst Andrei Piontkovsky said Snowden's travelling via Russia was a coup for Vladimir Putin.

He said: "Having Mr Snowden on Russian soil and helping him will be a great pleasure for Putin . . . a chance to humiliate America."

The South China Morning Post reported that Snowden's departure was a relief to the Hong Kong government, which had been making all legal preparation to deal with new developments regarding the case.

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