Source: BBC

A German Green politician says NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden has told him in Moscow that he is willing to speak to German investigators about the US spy agency’s activities.

Hans-Christian Stroebele said the offer was contained in a letter to the German government which Mr Snowden gave him.

Mr Stroebele tweeted a photograph of himself with Mr Snowden, who has temporary asylum in Russia.

It is not clear whether Mr Snowden would get legal protection in Germany.

Reports that German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s mobile phone was bugged by US spies for years overshadowed last week’s EU summit and she remarked with irritation that spying on friends is “really not on”.

Mr Stroebele, a German MP in the Bundestag, said Mr Snowden would be prepared to come to Germany to testify to an investigation into the National Security Agency for which he once worked.

The fugitive has a visa allowing him to live in Russia until next June.

Some in Germany are raising the possibility of Berlin then granting him asylum.

That would raise all sorts of issues, the BBC’s Stephen Evans reports from Berlin – including whether Germany could or would refuse to extradite him to the United States.

Speaking to German ARD television, Mr Stroebele said that Mr Snowden “is fundamentally ready to help bring things to light”.

“The conditions for that have to be established. We had a long discussion about that.”

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