Snowden has place to live in Russia, his lawyer says

Associated Press

MOSCOW

National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden has a place to live in Russia after being granted temporary asylum, but he still hasn’t decided what he wants to do next, his lawyer said Friday. The big question may be how much choice he actually has.

Russia granted a year of asylum to Snowden on Thursday, allowing him to quietly slip out of the Moscow airport where he had been holed up for almost six weeks as he evades charges of espionage in the United States. Authorities have suggested he will have wide freedom to work, but Kremlin watchers believe his moves likely are being closely controlled by Russian intelligence.

Snowden “is in a safe place,” but the location will remain secret out of concern for his security, his lawyer, Anatoly Kucherena, told Russian news agencies.