MOSCOW A Russian lawyer said Tuesday that National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden had asked for temporary asylum in Russia.
Anatoly Kucherena said Snowden submitted the asylum request to an official from Russia's Federal Migration Service at the airport where he has been holed-up for weeks. The service had no immediate comment.
"Snowden has handed over his application to Sheremetyevo's Federal Migration Service staff", Russian Kucherena told Russia Today.
"I told him about all the intricacies of the procedure. It was decided that a staff member from the FMS office will come to the airport to accept Snowden's temporary asylum request, as he is not allowed to leave Sheremetyevo's transit zone", the lawyer told RT.
He said Snowden made the move following their meeting at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport.
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[h=3]Snowden claims to have more in-depth NSA files[/h]
Snowden has been stuck in Sheremetyevo's transit zone since he arrived from Hong Kong on June 23.He said Friday at a meeting with Russian rights activists and public figures that he would seek at least temporary refuge in Russia until he could fly to one of the Latin American nations that have offered him asylum.
CBS News' Svetlana Berdnikova reports that, according to legal analysts in Moscow, the Russian government may be able to quickly issue Snowden with temporary documentation to allow him to move freely around Russia as his asylum request is considered.
A preliminary review of the application can take up to five days, says Berdnikova, while the full examination of his request may take the Migration Service three months -- and that period can be extended if the agency feels more time is necessary to weigh the merits of his request.
Anatoly Kucherena said Snowden submitted the asylum request to an official from Russia's Federal Migration Service at the airport where he has been holed-up for weeks. The service had no immediate comment.
"Snowden has handed over his application to Sheremetyevo's Federal Migration Service staff", Russian Kucherena told Russia Today.
"I told him about all the intricacies of the procedure. It was decided that a staff member from the FMS office will come to the airport to accept Snowden's temporary asylum request, as he is not allowed to leave Sheremetyevo's transit zone", the lawyer told RT.
He said Snowden made the move following their meeting at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport.
[h=3]Snowden claims to have more in-depth NSA files[/h]
Snowden has been stuck in Sheremetyevo's transit zone since he arrived from Hong Kong on June 23.He said Friday at a meeting with Russian rights activists and public figures that he would seek at least temporary refuge in Russia until he could fly to one of the Latin American nations that have offered him asylum.
CBS News' Svetlana Berdnikova reports that, according to legal analysts in Moscow, the Russian government may be able to quickly issue Snowden with temporary documentation to allow him to move freely around Russia as his asylum request is considered.
A preliminary review of the application can take up to five days, says Berdnikova, while the full examination of his request may take the Migration Service three months -- and that period can be extended if the agency feels more time is necessary to weigh the merits of his request.