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UPDATE: Monday, June 10, 2013

National Security Agency (NSA) whistleblower Edward Snowden has checked out of his Hong Kong hiding place.

The Mira Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui, a waterfront area popular with tourists, said that an American named Edward Snowden had checked into the hotel on June 1 and stayed for more than a week before checking out Monday afternoon. The hotel is a luxury property that, according to its web site, promises “matchless indulgence for the young-at-heart modern traveler,” where room rates can go for more than $300 a night. […]

A man reached at the Mira Hotel in a room under Mr. Snowden’s name said he wasn’t the person reporters were looking for and then hung up the phone. On dialing the hotel again, the reception said Mr. Snowden’s room was no longer taking phone calls. A few minutes after that, the hotel said Mr. Snowden had checked out.

He was quoted as saying that he knows he’ll never be able to come home.

It is speculated that he will apply for asylum to stay in the country.

The Global Post’s Ben Carlson suggests that Snowden could lengthen his stay by applying for asylum—taking advantage of a legal loophole that allows asylum-seekers to stay in the city indefinitely while the Hong Kong government enacts a new procedure for processing asylum applications. “Should Snowden apply for asylum,” Carlson writes, “then even if the US made a valid extradition request and Hong Kong was willing to comply he could not be deported until the government figured out a new way to review asylum cases—a potentially lengthy process.”

We’ll keep you updated on the latest.

—–

It has just been discovered that the man behind the most significant leak in US political history is 29-year-old Edward Snowden.

The “whistleblower” has been hiding out in Hong Kong for the past three weeks and we just discovered even more fascinating things about the entire process of him leaking the super confidential info! 

Check the 10 things we now know about Edward Snowden below.

1. He Has Been Working for the NSA, Was A High School Drop-Out And Was In The Army For a Second.

Edward was a former technical assistant for the CIA and currently works for the defense contractor Booz Allen Hamilton. Snowden has been working at the National Security Agency for the last four years as an employee of various outside contractors, including Booz Allen and Dell. In 2003, Edwards joined the Army and was training for the Special Forces.  He left the army after an injury. He was brought up in North Carolina, later moving to Maryland. He never graduated from high school and later got his GED.

2. Edward Ain’t Never Scared!

According to the Guardian, Edward was determined not to hide his identity. He even said:

 “I have no intention of hiding who I am because I know I have done nothing wrong,”

3. Seriously… He Ain’t Scared

In a note accompanying the first set of documents he provided, he wrote: 

“I understand that I will be made to suffer for my actions,” but “I will be satisfied if the federation of secret law, unequal pardon and irresistible executive powers that rule the world that I love are revealed even for an instant.”

4. This Guy Has Made History!

After handing over the most sacred information from one of the nation’s most secretive organizations, the NSA, Snowden is believed to go down as one of the most renowned whistleblowers in history along with Daniel Ellsberg (Pentagon Papers) and Bradley Manning (Wikileaks).

5. Edward Did It For The People!

The “whistleblower” revealed:

“I really want the focus to be on these documents and the debate which I hope this will trigger among citizens around the globe about what kind of world we want to live in. My sole motive is to inform the public as to that which is done in their name and that which is done against them.”

6. Not Even For The Money… Because Ed Lives Comfortably

According to the Guardian this guy lived “a very comfortable life” that included a salary of roughly $200,000, a girlfriend with whom he shared a home in Hawaii, a stable career, and a loving family. The 29 year old says:

 “I’m willing to sacrifice all of that because I can’t in good conscience allow the US government to destroy privacy, internet freedom and basic liberties for people around the world with this massive surveillance machine they’re secretly building.”

7. Snowden Made His Last Preparations For The Leak 3 Weeks Ago & Gave An Excuse To His Boss

Just three weeks ago, while in the NSA office in Hawaii where he was working, Edward copied the last set of documents he intended to disclose. He then advised his NSA supervisor that he need to be out of work for “a couple of weeks” in order to receive treatment for epilepsy, a condition he learned he suffers from after a series of seizures last year. 

8. Edward Then Made A Run For It

Telling his girl he’ll be gone for a weeks, he soon after, on May 20th hopped on a flight to Hong Kong where he has remained ever since. On the excuse he gave his boo, he says:

“That is not an uncommon occurrence for someone who has spent the last decade working in the intelligence world.”

9. Hiding Out Ain’t Easy And… It’s Expensive!

This guy says he’s left his room a total of 3 times during his entire stay. The Guardian reports it is a plush hotel and with eating meals in his room too, he has run up big bills.

10. Ed Fears The Streets Is Watching!

With good reasoning, Edward is in serious fear that he is being spied on. The Guardian reports:

He lines the door of his hotel room with pillows to prevent eavesdropping. He puts a large red hood over his head and laptop when entering his passwords to prevent any hidden cameras from detecting them.

Snowden knows that the biggest and most secretive surveillance organization in America, the NSA, along with the most powerful government on the planet, is looking for him and that can’t be good.

Click here for more on Edward’s whistle blowing process.

SOURCE: The Guardian