U.S. urges Russia to expel Snowden, Washington is urging Moscow to send Edward Snowden back to the United States instead of letting him fly to Ecuador for asylum.
Snowden, a computer contractor who exposed details of secret U.S. surveillance programs, is a man on the run.
After being holed up in Hong Kong for weeks, he took a flight to Moscow on Sunday, with help from the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks.
His next destination is believed to be Ecuador.
"We expect the Russian government to look at all options available to expel Mr. Snowden back to the U.S. to face justice for the crimes with which he is charged," U.S. National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said early Monday.
She cited "intensified cooperation" between Washington and Moscow after the Boston Marathon bombings and "our history of working with Russia on law enforcement matters -- including returning numerous high level criminals back to Russia at the request of the Russian government."
Snowden left Hong Kong after Washington sought his extradition on espionage charges, according to WikiLeaks, which facilitates the publication of classified information.
"He is bound for the Republic of Ecuador via a safe route for the purposes of asylum and is being escorted by diplomats and legal advisers from WikiLeaks," the group said.
Ecuador's foreign ministry said it had received a request for asylum from Snowden, and a CNN crew saw a car with diplomatic plates and an Ecuadorian flag at Moscow's international airport.
The Ecuadorian government is "analyzing" the request "with a lot of responsibility," Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino said Monday.
"It has to do with the freedom of expression, with the security of citizens around the world, and therefore we have to analyze it deeply," Patino told reporters in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Ecuador has already given WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange refuge in its embassy in London for a year after he unsuccessfully fought extradition to Sweden in British courts.
Washington has registered "strong objections" to Hong Kong and Chinese authorities over the decision to let Snowden leave Hong Kong for Moscow, Hayden said Monday.
Monday, June 24, 2013
U.S. urges Russia to expel Snowden
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