Edward Snowden says he is a trained CIA and NSA spy

[Justin Kahn]

Former NSA contractor Edward Snowden has been labeled many things since he leaked a massive cache of top secret NSA documents. He claims that the NSA's description of his role with US government agencies is actually quite misleading and that he is not just a low-level analyst, but rather a traditionally trained spy who has conducted several international and undercover espionage operations.

In a recent interview with NBC, Snowden says he has been "trained as a spy in sort of the traditional sense of the word" and has conducted operations for both the CIA and the NSA overseas. He pointed out that he is a technical expert and that he has "lived and worked undercover overseas -- pretending to work in a job that I'm not -- and even being assigned a name that was not mine." Snowden claims to have even lectured at a counterintelligence training academy for the Defense Intelligence Agency.

"I am a technical specialist, I am a technical expert,” Snowden said in the interview. “I don’t work with people, I don’t recruit agents, what I do is I put systems to work for the United States. And I’ve done that at all levels from, from the bottom on the ground all the way to the top.”

The government is trying to focus on just a small portion of his career to distract from the reality of his experience, according to Snowden. "So when they say that I'm a low-level systems administrator, that I don't know what I'm talking about, I'd say it's somewhat misleading."

The full interview will be airing tonight on NBC but you can catch a brief preview of what to expect below.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/56907-edward-snowden-says-he-is-a-trained-cia-and-nsa-spy.html

 

[MilwaukeeMike]

He's a CIA spy now, huh? I guess this is proof he felt his 15 minutes were beginning to run out.

 

[davislane1]

He's a CIA spy now, huh? I guess this is proof he felt his 15 minutes were beginning to run out.

I'll give him the benefit of the doubt on plausibility. I do agree on the fame angle, though. It's been interesting to watch how well paced he's been in revealing information about himself and the NSA. He spouts out some information, goes silent just long enough to fade from the public's attention and then pops his head up with further revelation. He'd make for an effective celebrity... Oh, wait...

 

[Guest]

He's a CIA spy now, huh? I guess this is proof he felt his 15 minutes were beginning to run out.

Your 15 minutes of privacy...

 

[Sniped_Ash]

I'd think that the NSA downplaying his role in the agency would be a benefit. "Spy" is not the word you want to use to describe yourself when accused of espionage by your own government and it pretty much ruins the narrative that you're just a whistle-blowing systems admin.

 

[Guest]

So many people make so many dumb comments. I highly doubt that the NSA just has system admins. I think and assume that the most basic positions are trained in self defense and extra ordinary weapons training. I don't think that an organization that is in charge of national defense just has systems admins. That is the stupidest idea ever. I believe that he may have been a spy. Also you have to realize that he is testing hot waters when he reveals stuff. For he is just asking to be assassinated.

 

[TomSEA]

This guy really is a legend in his own mind.

 

[Darth Shiv]

Seriously how can you guys still defend your Govt after all the crap they've pulled?

Snowden has much bigger balls than anyone on this planet. He isn't rich and doesn't run a nuclear armed nation and he's done something the CIA & other agencies would do anything to stop. Literally anything.

Talking about his role and what he did isn't exactly grandstanding is it?

 

[Greg S]

I have three theories. One, the guy is full of crap and is getting amazing publicity. Two, what he says is entirely true. Three, he said something that was true and is now trying to cover it over with ton of other stuff.

If the US wanted the guy out of the picture, he would have disappeared already I think.

 

[Lionvibez]

I have three theories. One, the guy is full of crap and is getting amazing publicity. Two, what he says is entirely true. Three, he said something that was true and is now trying to cover it over with ton of other stuff.

If the US wanted the guy out of the picture, he would have disappeared already I think.

And how would they kill him on russian soil without causing a major incident or another war?

 

[wastedkill]

I have three theories. One, the guy is full of crap and is getting amazing publicity. Two, what he says is entirely true. Three, he said something that was true and is now trying to cover it over with ton of other stuff.

If the US wanted the guy out of the picture, he would have disappeared already I think.

If he did disappear then other countries would be on red alert with the US at the most wanted list, specially as he hasnt released everything yet....

Plus he could be a spy like he says for all we know, the NSA went top secret for years no one really knew what they were doing until snowdens leak so ye I think take this with a bag of salt bigger than a grain but smaller then a full blown confession.

 

[davislane1]

Seriously how can you guys still defend your Govt after all the crap they've pulled?

I've read over the comments twice. Where has anyone mounted a defense of the U.S. government? One of the most inept and scheming governing bodies in the world?

Snowden has much bigger balls than anyone on this planet.

Elevating Edward Snowden to the status of Balls of Balls is more than a bit of a stretch. I can think of at least a dozen people with bigger balls than Snowden. Admittedly, half of them are cartel drug lords, but occupation isn't relevant. He's ballsy; I'll even give him brave. But, Lord Testicus Maximus? Not a chance. He's more of a Darth Scrotum, seeing as he does have (1) balls and (2) a lot of sensitive information....

So many people make so many dumb comments. I highly doubt that the NSA just has system admins. I think and assume that the most basic positions are trained in self defense and extra ordinary weapons training. I don't think that an organization that is in charge of national defense just has systems admins. That is the stupidest idea ever. I believe that he may have been a spy. Also you have to realize that he is testing hot waters when he reveals stuff. For he is just asking to be assassinated.

I think you've seen one too many spy flicks.

 

[Guest]

By making it look like an accident or suicide! besides that russia is not a threat to anyone but themselves

 

[cliffordcooley]

besides that russia is not a threat to anyone but themselves

And now you have discredited your whole comment. Even the smallest of countries can be a threat, the question is whether they are deemed to be.

 

[je29836]

Hooray for the dude he's got ballz of steel

 

[GeforcerFX]

I have three theories. One, the guy is full of crap and is getting amazing publicity. Two, what he says is entirely true. Three, he said something that was true and is now trying to cover it over with ton of other stuff.

If the US wanted the guy out of the picture, he would have disappeared already I think.

And how would they kill him on russian soil without causing a major incident or another war?

really how would we kill someone in Russia and not let anyone notice, ask anyone who worked for the CIA during the cold war, sure they would have plenty of ideas.

 

[Lionvibez]

really how would we kill someone in Russia and not let anyone notice, ask anyone who worked for the CIA during the cold war, sure they would have plenty of ideas.

I'm talking about today in 2014.

This isn't 1980 anymore.

 

[Guest]

I seen to many spy flicks. Yeah ok. In spy flicks they show you that they have ***** maintenance man not trained in arts of war at spy facility come out on top against trained spy's and that would so cause me to believe in admins. Are you trying to cover something up internet troll?

 

[Guest]

""Spy" is not the word you want to use to describe yourself when accused of espionage by your own government and it pretty much ruins the narrative that you're just a whistle-blowing systems admin."



Actually, had this been average whitsle-blowing situation I would agree with you. But not entirely in this case. The NSA made that little whistle-blowing systems admin quite powerful. Without the NSA, specifically, Snowden was just a systems admin. With the NSA, however, he could have had the power to make even you or even me an effective "spy" with the information in its databases.

I don't believe he could be a real "spy" that actually knows what he's doing. I believe he released what was going on because he understood the scale of what the NSA was doing. Maybe deep down in Snowden's heart he purely wanted to do what was right and did not know how... but this vid makes me think he just wanted to ride the wave of this huge uncovering for more selfish reasons. The POINT is, though, he understood what was happening and exposed it. FFS just let him fantasize he's a spy and leave it at that.

 

[treetops]

You know what's interesting I was watching something talking about how he knows some REALLY deep stuff and it is the only thing keeping him alive. He sent this information to 20 different unknown sources to be revealed upon his disappearance or death.

Someone make him disappear I wanna know lol.

 

[cliffordcooley]

Someone make him disappear I wanna know lol.

That is quite funny! People want him dead for what he has uncovered and the same people want him dead to know what he hasn't uncovered. What difference does it make why you want him dead? If you want him dead just say so. But then that would mean you want to do him more harm than he wants to do to you. So who would be more deserving of death afterward?

 

[Guest]

I might be a trained CIA and NSA spy, doing you lot right now.(I suppose if I told you though, then I wouldn’t be anymore.)

Anyways, I recon I did a computer game where they kept telling me I was one (or something). How I would I know? Someone would have to tell me, or give me a certificate (or something).

* Share the profit *

From DW.UK

 

[Darth Shiv]

I've read over the comments twice. Where has anyone mounted a defense of the U.S. government? One of the most inept and scheming governing bodies in the world?

It's the implication with everyone jumping straight to criticise the guy - and all he did this time was say what his roles at the NSA were and letting everyone know the NSA was lying or being deceitful - *again* - about something else.

Drug lords have millions or billions of dollars - resources that in poor countries can get a lot of favours from a lot of people. Snowden does not have any of that. Russia owes him no favours or protection. He can't pay for an army to protect him. He has the richest economy in the world with the richest people in the world offside with the best spies, assassins, drones, military, air force, navy and so on. He has taken off with the largest collection of compromised intelligence secrets in NSA history - and *as an individual* - which paints as big a target on his back as you are likely to ever see.

If I were him, I'd be expecting to be living on borrowed time - there's no way the administration is just going to let this guy off for what he's revealed. I'd say that justifies my claim until someone else can cite a better example of someone more ballsy.

 

[Guest]

He probably believes the he took "the lesser of two evils". If he does, then from my point of view, there are times when it looks like he is correct.

John Kerry may say that he has betrayed the American people. There are times when it looks like the American government has betrayed the American people.

From DW.UK

 

[Guest]

BTW, we are all living on borrowed time. It is just a case as to what we do next. What we do next; depends on what options we have available. This depends on the pattern of insulators and conductors which are layed out before us, as well as its architecture integrity (our minds and bodies included), along with the disposition that has contaminated it. A mans gotta do what a mans gotta do.

* Everything in existence follows the path of least resistance available *

From DW.UK