HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_019776.jpg
1.64 MB
Extraction Summary
5
People
9
Organizations
3
Locations
2
Events
2
Relationships
5
Quotes
Document Information
Type:
Book excerpt / government evidence production
File Size:
1.64 MB
Summary
This document is page 288 from the book 'How America Lost Its Secrets' by Edward Jay Epstein (indicated by the filename and header). The text discusses Edward Snowden's motivations, rejecting the idea that he destroyed data before going to Russia, and analyzing his transition from whistleblower to espionage suspect. It details his work at Booz Allen Hamilton in Hawaii and his contact with journalists Greenwald, Poitras, and Gellman. The document bears a 'HOUSE_OVERSIGHT' Bates stamp, indicating it was produced as evidence in a Congressional investigation.
People (5)
| Name | Role | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Edward Snowden | Subject |
Former contractor accused of espionage and theft of NSA documents.
|
| Laura Poitras | Journalist |
Contacted by Snowden to publish leaked information.
|
| Glenn Greenwald | Journalist |
Contacted by Snowden to publish leaked information.
|
| Barton Gellman | Journalist |
Contacted by Snowden to publish leaked information.
|
| Edward Jay Epstein | Author (Implied) |
Author of the book 'How America Lost Its Secrets' (inferred from header/filename).
|
Organizations (9)
| Name | Type | Context |
|---|---|---|
| NSA |
National Security Agency, organization Snowden stole documents from.
|
|
| FSB |
Russian intelligence agency.
|
|
| ACLU |
Organization making efforts to get clemency for Snowden.
|
|
| Booz Allen Hamilton |
Contractor company where Snowden was employed.
|
|
| National Threat Operations Center |
Facility in Hawaii where Snowden worked.
|
|
| Der Spiegel |
Publication that published Snowden's leaks.
|
|
| The Guardian |
Publication that published Snowden's leaks.
|
|
| The Washington Post |
Publication that published Snowden's leaks.
|
|
| House Oversight Committee |
Government body indicated by the Bates stamp.
|
Timeline (2 events)
Five week period (Historical context)
Prior to departing for Russia
Locations (3)
| Location | Context |
|---|---|
|
Country Snowden departed for.
|
|
|
Location of the National Threat Operations Center.
|
|
|
Referenced as U.S. intelligence.
|
Relationships (2)
worked... as a contract employee of Booz Allen Hamilton
he contacted Laura Poitras... who published the scoops
Key Quotes (5)
"It still needs to fog over the extent of its coup, as said earlier, to prolong the value of the espionage."Source
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_019776.jpg
Quote #1
"I see no reason to doubt his explanation that he stole NSA documents to expose its surveillance because he believed that it was an illicit intrusion into the privacy of individuals."Source
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_019776.jpg
Quote #2
"In that sense, I fully accept that he began as a whistle-blower, not as a spy."Source
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_019776.jpg
Quote #3
"Snowden's penetration went beyond whistle-blowing, however."Source
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_019776.jpg
Quote #4
"Snowden could not have acted entirely alone."Source
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_019776.jpg
Quote #5
Full Extracted Text
Complete text extracted from the document (2,469 characters)
288 | HOW AMERICA LOST ITS SECRETS
state secrets. It still needs to fog over the extent of its coup, as said
earlier, to prolong the value of the espionage. Hence it is likely that
the story that Snowden had thoroughly destroyed all the stolen
data in the month prior to departing for Russia, as well as the story
that he had turned down all requests to be questioned by the FSB
and other Russian intelligence officials, was part of the legend con-
structed for him. The repetitions of these uncorroborated claims in
his press interviews might also have enhanced his public image for
the ACLU effort to get clemency for him. Even so, in view of the
importance of such communications intelligence to Russia, it would
be the height of naïveté for U.S. or British intelligence to accept such
claims as anything more than camouflage.
earlier, to prolong the value of the espionage. Hence it is likely that
the story that Snowden had thoroughly destroyed all the stolen
data in the month prior to departing for Russia, as well as the story
that he had turned down all requests to be questioned by the FSB
and other Russian intelligence officials, was part of the legend con-
structed for him. The repetitions of these uncorroborated claims in
his press interviews might also have enhanced his public image for
the ACLU effort to get clemency for him. Even so, in view of the
importance of such communications intelligence to Russia, it would
be the height of naïveté for U.S. or British intelligence to accept such
claims as anything more than camouflage.
As for Snowden's motive, I see no reason to doubt his explana-
tion that he stole NSA documents to expose its surveillance because
he believed that it was an illicit intrusion into the privacy of indi-
viduals. Such disaffection is not a unique situation in the intelligence
business. Many of Russia's worldwide espionage sources before
Snowden were also dissatisfied employees who had access to classi-
fied secrets. Like some of them, Snowden used his privileged access
to reveal what he considered the improper activities of the organiza-
tion for which he worked. In that sense, I fully accept that he began
as a whistle-blower, not as a spy. It was also as a whistle-blower that
he contacted Laura Poitras, Glenn Greenwald, and Barton Gellman,
who published the scoops he provided in Der Spiegel, The Guardian,
and The Washington Post.
tion that he stole NSA documents to expose its surveillance because
he believed that it was an illicit intrusion into the privacy of indi-
viduals. Such disaffection is not a unique situation in the intelligence
business. Many of Russia's worldwide espionage sources before
Snowden were also dissatisfied employees who had access to classi-
fied secrets. Like some of them, Snowden used his privileged access
to reveal what he considered the improper activities of the organiza-
tion for which he worked. In that sense, I fully accept that he began
as a whistle-blower, not as a spy. It was also as a whistle-blower that
he contacted Laura Poitras, Glenn Greenwald, and Barton Gellman,
who published the scoops he provided in Der Spiegel, The Guardian,
and The Washington Post.
Snowden's penetration went beyond whistle-blowing, however.
In the vast number of files he copied were documents that contained
the NSA's most sensitive sources and methods that had little if any-
thing to do with domestic surveillance or whistle-blowing.
In the vast number of files he copied were documents that contained
the NSA's most sensitive sources and methods that had little if any-
thing to do with domestic surveillance or whistle-blowing.
Snowden could not have acted entirely alone. It will be recalled
that the deepest part of his penetration was during the five weeks
he worked at the National Threat Operations Center in Hawaii as
a contract employee of Booz Allen Hamilton. It was there that he
copied Level 3 files, including the so-called road map to the gaps
in American intelligence. During this period, Snowden had neither
the passwords nor the system administrator's privileges that would
that the deepest part of his penetration was during the five weeks
he worked at the National Threat Operations Center in Hawaii as
a contract employee of Booz Allen Hamilton. It was there that he
copied Level 3 files, including the so-called road map to the gaps
in American intelligence. During this period, Snowden had neither
the passwords nor the system administrator's privileges that would
Epst_9780451494566_2p_all_r1.indd 288
9/30/16 8:13 AM
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_019776
9/30/16 8:13 AM
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_019776
Discussion 0
No comments yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this epstein document