HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_019580.jpg
1.47 MB
Extraction Summary
6
People
3
Organizations
1
Locations
3
Events
3
Relationships
3
Quotes
Document Information
Type:
Book page / proof (from 'how america lost its secrets' by edward jay epstein)
File Size:
1.47 MB
Summary
This document is page 92 from the book 'How America Lost Its Secrets' by Edward Jay Epstein (indicated by the ISBN in the footer filename). The text details Edward Snowden's security paranoia in a hotel room, specifically his use of a 'magical cloak of power' (a red blanket) to hide his passwords. It describes the filming of the documentary 'Citizenfour' by Laura Poitras and a specific introduction between Snowden and journalist Ewen MacAskill, who had been sent by an editor named Gibson to verify Snowden's identity.
People (6)
| Name | Role | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Edward Snowden | Subject / Whistleblower |
Performing security rituals, being interviewed, introducing himself to MacAskill.
|
| Glenn Greenwald | Journalist |
Present in the room, conducting the interview.
|
| Laura Poitras | Filmmaker / Journalist |
Filming NSA data on Snowden's screen, director of Citizenfour.
|
| Ewen MacAskill | Journalist |
Joined the meeting the next day, questioned Snowden.
|
| Gibson | Editor/Supervisor (implied) |
Sent MacAskill to verify the source's bona fides.
|
| Edward Jay Epstein | Author |
Implied by filename 'Epst' and book title 'How America Lost Its Secrets'.
|
Organizations (3)
| Name | Type | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Booz Allen |
Employer where alarm bells were set off.
|
|
| NSA |
National Security Agency, organization Snowden leaked data from.
|
|
| Academy Award |
Award won by the documentary Citizenfour.
|
Timeline (3 events)
Contextually June 2013
Filming of the interview that became Citizenfour.
Snowden's hotel room
The next day (relative to filming)
Ewen MacAskill joins the group to verify Snowden's identity.
Snowden's hotel room
Locations (1)
| Location | Context |
|---|---|
|
Hotel room where the interview and security rituals took place.
|
Relationships (3)
MacAskill was sent by Gibson to the event
Interview with Greenwald
Poitras had not wanted Greenwald to bring MacAskill
Full Extracted Text
Complete text extracted from the document (2,167 characters)
92 | HOW AMERICA LOST ITS SECRETS
evidently set off alarm bells at Booz Allen and the NSA. Snowden
expressed anger to the journalists in the room at the NSA’s intru-
sions on the privacy of his girlfriend.
Snowden also performed his security procedures on camera,
including stuffing bed pillows under the door to block any eaves-
droppers and throwing a red blanket over his head, which he called
jokingly his “magical cloak of power.” He explained to Greenwald
that he donned his “cloak” when he turned on his laptop to prevent
any hidden cameras in the room from spotting his password. He also
checked the hotel phone for bugs. It was not without irony that he
went through these security rituals to protect his data as he allowed
Poitras to film NSA data on his computer screen. Because he planned
to use these journalists as his outlets to go public in a few days, the
security measures he performed while on camera would only serve
a temporary purpose.
The centerpiece of the planned video would take the form of an
interview with Greenwald. Snowden himself provided the talking
points. The filming would eventually provide Poitras with a feature-
length documentary, Citizenfour, which would be commercially
released in October 2014 and win an Academy Award for her.
The next day, Ewen MacAskill, whom Poitras had not wanted
Greenwald to bring to the initial meeting, joined Poitras and Green-
wald in Snowden’s room. Snowden insisted that MacAskill also go
through the ritual of stowing his cell phone in the minibar refrigera-
tor. Not without irony, Snowden’s own phone can be seen on his bed
recharging. Although MacAskill was sent by Gibson to the event to
verify the source’s bona fides, he had apparently hardly been briefed.
The questioning went as follows:
expressed anger to the journalists in the room at the NSA’s intru-
sions on the privacy of his girlfriend.
Snowden also performed his security procedures on camera,
including stuffing bed pillows under the door to block any eaves-
droppers and throwing a red blanket over his head, which he called
jokingly his “magical cloak of power.” He explained to Greenwald
that he donned his “cloak” when he turned on his laptop to prevent
any hidden cameras in the room from spotting his password. He also
checked the hotel phone for bugs. It was not without irony that he
went through these security rituals to protect his data as he allowed
Poitras to film NSA data on his computer screen. Because he planned
to use these journalists as his outlets to go public in a few days, the
security measures he performed while on camera would only serve
a temporary purpose.
The centerpiece of the planned video would take the form of an
interview with Greenwald. Snowden himself provided the talking
points. The filming would eventually provide Poitras with a feature-
length documentary, Citizenfour, which would be commercially
released in October 2014 and win an Academy Award for her.
The next day, Ewen MacAskill, whom Poitras had not wanted
Greenwald to bring to the initial meeting, joined Poitras and Green-
wald in Snowden’s room. Snowden insisted that MacAskill also go
through the ritual of stowing his cell phone in the minibar refrigera-
tor. Not without irony, Snowden’s own phone can be seen on his bed
recharging. Although MacAskill was sent by Gibson to the event to
verify the source’s bona fides, he had apparently hardly been briefed.
The questioning went as follows:
MACASKILL: Sorry, I don’t know anything about you.
SNOWDEN: OK, I work for—
MACASKILL: Sorry, I don’t know even your name.
SNOWDEN: Oh, sorry, my name is Edward Snowden. I go by Ed.
SNOWDEN: OK, I work for—
MACASKILL: Sorry, I don’t know even your name.
SNOWDEN: Oh, sorry, my name is Edward Snowden. I go by Ed.
MacAskill went on to ask him to enumerate the various positions
he held during his career in intelligence. Snowden was not entirely
he held during his career in intelligence. Snowden was not entirely
Epst_9780451494566_2p_all_r1.z.indd 92 9/29/16 5:51 PM
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_019580
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_019580
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