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Snowden and NSA leaks

Former US Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano opposes idea of clemency for Snowden

The revelatory documents, leaked by Snowden to the media, gave rise to a squall of criticism leveled at the National Security Agency (NSA) on the part of American humn rights advocates

© EPA/SHAWN THEW

LOS ANGELES, January 06, 8:45 /ITAR-TASS/. Janet Napolitano, former US Homeland Security Secretary, and President of the University of California, is confident that former intelligence contractor Edward Snowden does not deserve clemency. She expressed this opinion in an interview with the NBC television network on Sunday.

Appearing on NBC's Meet the Press, Napolitano said "Snowen has exacted quite a bit of damage and did it in a way that violated the law. I think he has committed crimes and I think that the damage we'll see now and we'll see it for years to come. I would not put clemency on the table at all."

The revelatory documents, leaked by Snowden to the media, gave rise to a squall of criticism leveled at the National Security Agency (NSA) on the part of American humn rights advocates who stated a violation by security services of the right to the inviolability of private life.

This forced the administration of President Barack Obama to set about a revision of programs for the gathering of data by electronic means and to suggest that a group of independent experts prepare a study on the subject. Their recommendations were referred to the White House and President Obama is planning to announce certain changes in the NSA's work soon.

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