Edward Snowden’s father has obtained a Russian visa and will travel there “very soon” to visit his son, Lon Snowden told ABC News on Sunday. “We have visas, we have a date, which we won’t disclose right now because of the frenzy,” Lon Snowden’s lawyer, Bruce Fein said. “We intend to visit with Edward and suggest criminal defense attorneys who have experience in criminal espionage act prosecutions.”
Lon Snowden said he was “not open” to the idea of a plea deal that would allow his son to return to the United States. “At this point, what I would like is for this to be vetted in open court for the American people to have all the facts,” Lon Snowden said. “What I have seen is much political theater.” Lon Snowden did say however that he “would like, at some point in time, for him to be able to come back to the U.S.” He also criticized President Obama, saying that his recent promises to increase oversight on surveillance programs won’t change much. “I believe that much of what he suggested is superficial,” he said.
On Wednesday, Len Snowden told Reuters he hadn’t spoken to his son since he left for Hong Kong.
