29-year-old Edward Snowden, a former technical assistant for the Central Intelligence Agency, provided information to journalists about the secret U.S. electronic surveillance program.
He revealed his identity voluntarily in a video interview on the U.K. Guardian‘s website. Snowden is currently residing in a hotel in Hong Kong. It remains to be seen whether or not he will be sent back to the U.S. Though Hong Kong and the U.S. have an extradition treaty, which states that each will surrender people wanted for prosecution or imposition of a sentence, it may be up to China whether or not that treaty is honored in that case. Since China has sovereignty over Hong Kong, they have the power to refuse the transfer if it relates to their defense and foreign affairs. Even if the extradition happens, it could take months or years to go through all the necessary legal processes. It is incomprehensible that basic Constitutional guarantees and elementary civil rights are being violated on an unheard of and unrestricted basis in the name of curbing terrorism.
