US Ambassador to Austria Reportedly Responsible for False Claim Snowden
Was on Bolivian Leaderâs Plane
By: Kevin Gosztola
Firedoglake
Friday July 5, 2013 10:27 am
The Austrian daily newspaper, Die Presse, has reported that the United
States ambassador to Austria was responsible for making false claims that
National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden was on board
Bolivian President Evo Moralesâ plane.
In a story published on July 3, the newspaper reported shortly after
Moralesâ plane landed the âVienna foreign department received a phone
call.â The caller was the US ambassador to Austria, William Eacho.
According to Die Presse, Eacho âclaimed with great certainty that Edward
Snowden was onboard.â He also made reference to a âdiplomatic note
requesting Snowdenâs extradition.â
The Associated Press reported on July 2 that Moralesâ plane had been
rerouted to Austria after European countries would not allow it to fly
over their airspace because they suspected Snowden might be on board. The
countries included Spain, France, Portugal and Italy.
Moralesâ plane ended up landing in Austria to refuel, and, according to
Morales, âWhile the plane was parked in Vienna, the Spanish ambassador
to Austria arrived with two embassy personnel and they asked to search the
plane. He said he denied them permission.â But, Austrian officials
apparently searched the plane. (The Guardianâs Glenn Greenwald reported
Austrian police walked through the plane but did not search it.)
The Guardian reported, as of July 5:
"Spain says it and other European countries were told that the
NSAwhistleblower Edward Snowden was on board the Bolivian presidential
plane that was diverted to Austria this week, causing a diplomatic
row.
"The foreign minister, José Manuel GarcÃa-Margallo, said on Spanish
National Television on Friday that âthey told us that the
information was clear, that he was insideâ.
"The minister did not say who supplied the information and declined to
say whether he had been in contact with the United States. But he said
European countriesâ reactions were based on this information."
Ministers of the European countries appear to have their instructions from
the United States government, if the report in Die Presse is accurate, to
be silent and participate in covering up what really happened.
Bolivian Defense Minister Ruben Saavedra declared hours after the
incident, in an interview with CNN, âThe US government was behind the
rumors that Snowden was on board.â And, âThis is a lie, a falsehood.
It was generated by the US government.â
âIt is an outrage. It is an abuse. It is a violation of the conventions
and agreements of international air transportation,â Saavedra said.
Bolivian Vice President Alvaro Garcia went so far as to say Morales had
been âkidnapped by imperialism.â
Spokeswoman Jen Psaki stated at a briefing, âWe have been in contact
with a range of countries that had a chance of having Snowden land or
travel through their country but I am not going to outline what those
countries were or when this [contact] happened.â
The report in Die Presse is the only report to name Eacho as responsible
for the false claim. It, however, has not been denied in any news reports
either.
President Barack Obama nominated Eacho to be ambassador in June 2009.
Prior to that, he had not served in any diplomatic position. He had a
background in real estate investment as CEO of Carlton Capital Group, LLC,
and food service distribution as Vice President of Alliant Foodservice
Inc. He was one of Obamaâs biggest campaign fundraisers. His
contribution to Obamaâs election was rewarded with an ambassadorship.
Eacho apparently did an interview with Die Presse where he minimized the
revelations on the NSA saying something to the effect that European Union
member states are all involved in efforts to address security threats.
He said something to the effect that people voluntarily give more
information about themselves to Facebook than the NSA collects data about
them. Police are able to access the data they need and care is taken to
protect civil rights and privacy. He also said that Americans residing in
the US do not have to worry about someone reading their emails.
What makes the incident even more remarkable is that Morales was never at
the Moscow airport where Snowden has been stuck for over a week now. He
departed from Vnukovo Airport, which is twenty-seven miles away.
This suggests the lengths the Obama administration is willing to go to
ensure Snowden does not end up anywhere that will grant him asylum. As a
result, Latin American countries are furious and Bolivia is threatening to
close the United Statesâ embassy in Bolivia over an act he considers a
violation of international law.
http://dissenter.firedoglake.com/2013/07/05/us-ambassador-to-austria-reportedly-responsible-for-false-claim-snowden-was-on-bolivian-leaders-plane/
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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