3 ms·

However, espionage != theft.

• eli 13y ago
  My understanding is that he took laptops belonging to the government.
  • bobwaycott 13y ago
    Source? I haven't heard that charge till now.
  • fnordfnordfnord 13y ago
    Who cares? We're talking about widespread malfeasance and lawbreaking by the gov't against every citizen, and the world, vs a few crappy laptops.
    • krapp 13y ago
      It possibly matters a great deal in regards to his defense. I know i'll probably just be accused of being a pedant for pointing this out, but theft is still a crime, and theft of laptops containing classified material is really a crime, and at the very least (assuming the government didn't just make this charge up whole cloth), stealing laptops full of classified material and running off to China with them after spilling your guts to the Guardian might not tilt a jury in his favor.
      • rooshdi 13y ago
        True, but sometimes crimes against authority are necessary to counter crimes against humanity.
        • krapp 13y ago
          I agree. Nevertheless it's the kind of concrete detail I think a case can hinge on. Public opinion, too.
    • eli 13y ago
      The parent comment seemed to be questioning why he was charged with theft of government property.
      • fnordfnordfnord 13y ago
        The theft charge is just a ruse to get the HK authorities to extradite him. If they only charged him with espionage, then there's no problem for Snowden's atty's to make the case for political persecution. The HK courts will see this for the ruse that it is. http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/snowden-not-yet-arrested-despite-us-request/2013/06/22/ab944ca4-db23-11e2-a9f2-42ee3912ae0e_story.html?tid=rssfeed http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/snowden-not...