The Terminal: Snowden stuck in Moscow airport, 'can't buy ticket with invalid passport'

rt ^ | 6/26 | rt

[RummyChick]

Edward Snowden is not booked to fly out of Moscow over the next three days, and with no valid passport, the NSA whistleblower might be stuck in airport limbo indefinitely.

The hot pursuit of Snowden has ground to a halt three days after the former CIA technician, wanted in the US on espionage charges, flew into Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport from Hong Kong.

Washington, which wants Snowden for leaking details of the National Security Agency’s (NSA) dragnet telephone and internet surveillance programs, charges that there is a clear legal basis for Moscow to hand him over.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who confirmed that Snowden had arrived in Moscow as a transit passenger despite speculation to the contrary, rebuffed US demands on Tuesday.

“We can only extradite any foreign citizens to such countries with which we have signed the appropriate international agreements on criminal extradition,” Putin said, adding that as Snowden had committed no crime on Russian soil, he is free to travel at will.

[Oztrich Boy]

Yes but it's more than permission to re-enter your home country. It's also a statement from your government to others to facilitate your travel.

The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, being the representative in Australia of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, requests all those whom it may concern to allow the bearer, an Australian Citizen, to pass freely without let or hindrance and to afford him or her every assistance and protection of which he or she may stand in need.

The Obamaland version probably substitutes "expects" for "requests"

[Freelance Warrior]

“Vedomosti”, a Russian newspaper, was told by a Moscow-based lawer, that by cancelling Snowden’s passport the U.S. government has created “an emergency situation” according to the Russian law, which makes Snowden eligible for elongating his transit visa, if he has one. If he doesn’t, he commits a mesdemeanor punished with $30 fine.

[Travis McGee]

Indeed!