by Michael Yoakum
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

WASHINGTON, D.C., United States – Former NSA contractor Edward Snowden claims that the US intelligence agency engages in industrial espionage according to a German public television broadcaster. ARD released a statement prior to a television interview Sunday in which Snowden is quoted as saying that if German engineering company Siemans had something information beneficial to the US, the NSA would take it.

Snowden alleged that the NSA would take information from private industries even if the information had no connection to US national security needs. Snowden went on to tell the German broadcaster that he no longer has possession of any documents or information on NSA activities, adding that he has turned over all available information to selected journalists.

At present Snowden faces felony charges for the information he has incrementally released to journalists since last June when he offered information to The Guardian about NSA surveillance of American cell phone data.

A legal adviser for Snowden is quoted as saying Snowden would be open to entering talks with US Attorney General Eric Holder to negotiate his return to the US. However, that willingness to negotiate was premised on a guarantee of amnesty for crimes related to releasing classified information.

Jesselyn Radack, Snowden’s legal adviser, said she was glad to hear last week that the Attorney General was open to negotiating Snowden’s return, but expressed disappointment about the US government’s stance on amnesty.

“It’s a little disheartening that [Holder] seemed to take clemency and amnesty off the table, which are two of the negotiating points,” said Radack in an interview on “Meet the Press.”

Holder said in an MSNBC interview that the US government would not provide amnesty in some kind of “no harm, no foul” deal.

Snowden made a statement Thursday expressing his wish to return home and bring resolution to his conflict with the US government.

“Returning to the U.S., I think, is the best resolution for the government, the public, and myself, but it’s unfortunately not possible in the face of current whistleblower protection laws, which through a failure in law did not cover national security contractors like myself,” Snowden wrote on the website “Free Snowden.”

For more information, please see:

Fox News – German TV: Snowden says NSA also practices industrial espionage – 26 January 2014

MSNBC – Snowden says NSA engages in industrial espionage: German TV – 26 January 2014

Reuters – Snowden won’t return to U.S. without amnesty, says legal adviser – 26 January 2014

The Guardian – German TV: Edward Snowden says NSA is involved in industrial sabotage – 26 January 2014

CNN – NSA leaker Edward Snowden says U.S. return ‘not possible’ given current laws – 24 January 2014