Edward Snowden Case: The US has accused Vikas Yadav, an Indian government employee, of being involved in an alleged failed conspiracy to murder Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. Federal prosecutors claimed in an indictment filed in a US court in New York that Vikas Yadav (39) was working in the Cabinet Secretariat where India's foreign intelligence service 'Research and Analysis Wing' (RAW) is headquartered. The Indian government has denied its involvement in any such conspiracy to assassinate any American citizen on American soil. This entire matter is being investigated by America's powerful Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). No matter how much the FBI has been exaggerated in Hollywood films, the truth is that a contractor had shaken the entire American system and caused a lot of panic. We are talking about Edward Snowden.
As soon as the name of Edward Snowden comes up, one of the world's biggest leak scandals comes to mind, which shook the image of America's intelligence agencies. In 2013, Snowden revealed the US National Security Agency's (NSA) spying activities and plans to monitor citizens' private information. The case became a turning point in American history, and sparked a major debate around the world regarding Snowden.
Who is Edward Snowden?
Edward Snowden was an American computer professional and former employee of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). He was working as a contractor for the NSA when he exposed several secret surveillance schemes of the US government. Snowden told the world through the media how the NSA monitored phone calls, internet data and private communications of citizens without their consent. His leak shocked countries around the world and raised serious questions on the secret spying plans of the US government.
What was Snowden's revelation?
The major documents Snowden disclosed included:
PRISM program: Through this surveillance program, NSA accessed and used the data of Google, Facebook, Microsoft and other major internet companies. This was a big revelation, because it showed how the government was looking at the private information of American citizens.
Phone Records: Snowden described how the NSA tracked the phone records of millions of Americans. These included data such as date, time, and duration of the call.
spying on foreign leaders: Snowden also revealed that the NSA was spying not only on its own citizens but also on foreign leaders. These included activities like tapping the phone of German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Embarrassment of FBI and US government
Snowden's revelations not only forced the US government to face criticism, but also put a big question mark on the credibility of the FBI and other security agencies. The FBI made efforts to capture Snowden, but was never successful. Snowden planned to escape from Hong Kong and reach Russia.
Asylum in Russia: America's big defeat
When Snowden arrived in Russia, it proved to be a major embarrassment for the US government. Russian President Vladimir Putin granted him temporary asylum, which soured relations between the US and Russia. This incident raised questions around the world about the capabilities and effectiveness of US security agencies. Snowden's stay in Russia made him a political refugee and the US understood that it was almost impossible to bring Snowden back. In October 2020, he was granted permanent residence in Russia. In September 2022, Snowden was granted Russian citizenship by President Vladimir Putin.
Snowden's influence and controversy
Snowden's revelations sparked a new debate on privacy and government surveillance around the world. His supporters consider him a hero who risked his life to protect civil rights. At the same time, the US government and its critics consider him a traitor who endangered national security. After this Snowden incident, governments around the world were forced to reconsider their surveillance policies.
The case of Edward Snowden remains a matter of deep moral and legal controversy. Their leaked information raised questions about whether citizens' personal information should be kept under surveillance to this extent in the name of national security. At the same time, by taking refuge in Russia, Snowden posed a diplomatic challenge to America, which proved difficult to solve. This step of Snowden and its consequences still influence the equations of global politics and security.
