ABC NEWS
A plane took off from Moscow Monday headed for Cuba, but the seat booked by National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden was empty, and there was no sign of him elsewhere on board.
An Aeroflot representative who wouldn’t give her name told The Associated Press that Snowden wasn’t on flight SU150 to Havana. AP reporters on the flight couldn’t him.
The Interfax news agency also quoted an unidentified Russian security source in Moscow as saying that Snowden wasn’t on the plane.
The airline said earlier Snowden registered for the flight using his U.S. passport, which American officials say has been annulled.
Snowden arrived in Moscow on Sunday from Hong Kong, where he had been hiding for several weeks to evade U.S. justice. Ecuador is considering Snowden’s asylum application.
After spending a night in Moscow’s airport, the former National Security Agency contractor — and admitted leaker of state secrets — had been expected to fly to Cuba and Venezuela en route to possible asylum in Ecuador.
Related articles
- Snowden has ticket to Cuba, may go to Venezuela: Russian reports (scooprocket.com)
- NSA whistleblower due to leave Moscow for asylum bid in Ecuador (thetimes.co.uk)
- WikiLeaks: Snowden going to Ecuador to seek asylum (kgw.com)
- Intelligence whistleblower Edward Snowden due to leave Moscow for Ecuador after asylum application (theblogspaper.wordpress.com)
- US: Snowden shouldn’t be allowed to travel to Ecuador (zdnet.com)
- Ecuador: Snowden seeking asylum (abcactionnews.com)
