OPINION:
Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor who started a whistleblowing nightmare for America’s government, reacted with swift outrage to President Donald Trump’s pick for Mike Pompeo’s CIA replacement.
On Twitter, Snowden wrote of Gina Haspel: “The new CIA director was a key part of the torture program and its illegal cover-up. Her name was on the Top Secret order demanding the destruction of tapes to prevent them being seen by Congress. Incredible.”
In other words: Snowden doesn’t approve.
Snowden fled America a few years ago, after releasing sensitive and classified information about the federal government’s surveillance programs.
He’s since been living in Russia, with extradition protection.
He also tweeted: “Interesting: The new CIA Director Haspel, who ’tortured some folks,’ probably can’t travel to the EU to meet other spy chiefs without facing arrest due to an @ECCHRBerlin complaint to Germany’s federal prosecutor.”
The tweet contained a link to The European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights’ Internet page, which opened to this headline: “Germany: CIA deputy Gina Haspel must face arrest on travelling to Europe.”
Haspel was appointed to the deputy CIA position by President Donald Trump in February 2017. She was just named as CIA chief, though, to replace Mike Pompeo, who is set to take over as State Department secretary for Rex Tillerson. The two positions require Senate confirmation.
• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com or on Twitter, @ckchumley.
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