Fugitive Edward Snowden Leaves Moscow Airport

Fugitive Edward Snowden has been granted a year's asylum in Russia after more than a month inside an airport terminal.

The wanted US intelligence whistleblower left Moscow airport in a taxi, although his intended destination is not clear.

"Over the past eight weeks we have seen the Obama administration show no respect for international or domestic law, but in the end the law is winning," he said in a statement posted on WikiLeaks, the anti-secrecy website.

"I thank the Russian Federation for granting me asylum in accordance with its laws and international obligations."

Snowden is wanted by the US on felony charges after leaking details of vast surveillance programmes, but Russia has refused to extradite him.

His lawyer Anatoly Kucherena said he would not reveal the 30-year-old's travel plans "for security reasons", adding: "He is the most pursued man on the planet. He himself will decide where he will go."

Snowden had been stuck in the transit zone of the Sheremetyevo airport

Mr Kucherena said President Vladimir Putin approved Snowden's asylum request on condition the American stopped leaking US secrets, adding that his client had agreed to the condition.

Interviewed by Rossiya 24 television, the lawyer held up a scanned copy of his client's certificate, allowing him to stay in Russia for 12 months.

"He has gone to a safe place. I hope you will be understanding about this information," he told the TV station.

Snowden had been stuck in the transit zone of Sheremetyevo airport outside Moscow since he flew in from Hong Kong on June 23.

WikiLeaks, which provided the whistleblower with a legal adviser during his stay at the airport, said Russia had "done the right thing" by granting him temporary asylum.

Julian Assange, who founded the website, said: "This is another victory in the fight against Obama's war on whistleblowers. This battle has been won, but the war continues.

"The United States can no longer continue the surveillance of world citizens and its digital colonisation of sovereign nations. The public will no longer stand for it.

"Whistleblowers will continue to appear until the government abides by its own laws and rhetoric."

Russia's decision to grant Snowdon temporary asylum comes two days after US soldier Bradley Manning was convicted of spying for leaking US secrets to WikiLeaks.

Snowden's case has further strained US-Russian ties already tense amid differences over Syria, US criticism of Russia's human rights record and other issues.

Meanwhile, President Barack Obama on Thursday is attending a private meeting with lawmakers to discuss surveillance programmes run by the National Security Agency (NSA).

The previously scheduled meeting in the Oval Office is to discuss concerns about privacy by lawmakers who are pushing to rein in the NSA's authority.

Mr Obama's national security team is trying to keep its surveillance powers intact while acknowledging some limitations appear inevitable.

The White House says the president wants to hear from Congress directly, including from critics.

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