Snowden issued document allowing him to leave transit zone - source

The certificate, a preliminary response to Snowden’s request for temporary asylum, allows him to leave the premises with the permission of Russia’s border patrol, RIA Novosti reported, citing an unidentified source close to the case.

"The document was given to Snowden on the day of his appeal for asylum,” RIA Novosti quoted a Russian law enforcement source as saying.

Snowden applied for temporary asylum on July 16 with the help of lawyer Anatoly Kucherena. By law, authorities are supposed to issue a preliminary response within five days. The Federal Migration Service has to issue a final response within three months. 

Snowden, a former contractor for the National Security Agency wanted by the United States for leaking reports about its top-secret surveillance program, has been stuck in the transit zone since arriving on June 23 from Hong Kong.

The United States has annulled his passport and put him on a no-fly list.

Kucherena told The Moscow News on Monday that security concerns may prevent Snowden from talking to the media or publicly disclosing his movements. 

Kucherena was scheduled to arrive at Sheremetyevo Airport to meet with Snowden at 16.00.

By Anna Arutunyan

http://themoscownews.com/