Fugitive Snowden urges Obama to pardon him

London, Sep 13 (AFP) US intelligence whistleblower EdwardSnowden called on President Barack Obama to pardon him, sayingin comments published today it had been morally "necessary" toshine a light on mass surveillance. The former intelligence contractor has spent three yearsin exile in Russia after initiating the largest data leaks inUS history, fuelling a firestorm over the issue of masssurveillance. "If not for these disclosures, if not for theserevelations, we would be worse off," he told Britain’sGuardian newspaper in a video-link interview from Moscowyesterday. "Yes, there are laws on the books that say one thing, butthat is perhaps why the pardon power exists — for theexceptions, for the things that may seem unlawful in letterson a page but when we look at them morally, when we look atthem ethically, when we look at the results, it seems thesewere necessary things," he said. The 33-year-old insisted he had widespread support,saying the "public by and large cares more about these issuesfar more than I anticipated." Snowden, whose residency permit in Russia runs out nextyear, explained he was prepared to spend time in jail in theUS, adding he was "willing to make a lot of sacrifices for mycountry". US anti-establishment director Oliver Stone called forObama to pardon Snowden while unveiling his espionage thrillerbiopic about the whistleblower at the Toronto film festivalearlier this month. Last year, the White House rejected a petition signed byover 150,000 urging a pardon for Snowden, saying he should be"judged by a jury of his peers". (AFP)AJR