Assange: Snowden Would Have Been Kidnapped or Killed in Latin America

Edward Snowden fled to Russia rather than Latin America, says fellow whistleblower Julian Assange, because he warned the National Security Agency leaker that he would be kidnapped or likely killed there.

"Snowden was well aware of the spin that would be put on it if he took asylum in Russia," the WikiLeaks  editor-in-chief, who is sheltered at the Ecuadorian embassy in London, told The Times in London. 

"He preferred Latin America, but my advice was that he should take asylum in Russia despite the negative PR consequences, because my assessment is that he had a significant risk he could be kidnapped from Latin America on CIA orders. Kidnapped or possibly killed."

Assange also told the Times he fears he'll be killed if he ever leaves his shelter at the Ecuadorian embassy, where he has been since 2012, after seeking asylum to avoid extradition.

After Snowden leaked an extensive cache of intelligence documents to British journalist Glenn Greenwald two years ago. WikiLeaks became involved in helping him evade U.S. authorities. One of Assange's most senior staff members, Sarah Harrison, was sent to Hong Kong to be with Snowden and to help him flee to Russia.

Snowden's story differs with reports from the time, which called for bringing Snowden out of Russia and sending him to Ecuador. However, Ecuador President Rafael Correa said a temporary travel document that was issued in London in collaboration with Assange was invalid after other diplomats said they feared Assange would be perceived as being in charge.

Assange told the Times that he also fears being targeted, and he's had bomb and assassination threats and fears he'll be kidnapped by the CIA.

"I'm a white guy," Assange said. "Unless I convert to Islam it's not that likely that I'll be droned, but we have seen things creeping towards that."

Assange also fears extradition to the United States and to Sweden. He faces investigation in the U.S. for his WikiLeaks work and until this month faced sexual assault charges in Sweden. He remained under round-the-clock guard.

Meanwhile, the United States has asked Norway repeatedly to detain and deport Snowden if he tries to enter its territory, Norwegian media has revealed, according to RT.com.

Washington sent the first demand letter to Norway's ministry of Foreign Affairs just after Snowden arrived in Russia and was stranded in Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport after his U.S. passport was revoked, RT.com reported on Friday.

That same day, the FBI followed up with a letter to authorities in Norway, Sweden, and Finland that called Snowden a criminal fugitive and urged them to contact the U.S. if he booked a flight to any of the countries from Moscow.

The order also said that if Snowden had any electronic devices, they should be seized as well.

Snowden's lawyer, Ben Wizner, told Norway's NRK that the extradition orders would have been carried out before the whistleblower could "raise his humanitarian rights under international law."

Norway has invited Snowden to the country to accept the Bjørnson Prize by the Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson Academy for freedom of expression, for "work protecting privacy and for shining a critical light on U.S. surveillance of its citizens and others." It is not clear, though, if Snowden would be arrested if he tried to collect his award.

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