Snowden to Testify on NSA Surveillance in Berlin; Germany Is Not Sure They Can Provide Protection

A German appeals court has  recently ruled there must be established “preconditions” in order for NSA Whistleblower Edward Snowden to go to Berlin to testify before a parliamentary committee investigating NSA surveillance in Germany.

This ruling by Germany’s Federal Court of Justice (BGH) on November 11 was announced on Monday after the Greens and the Left Party requested that Snowden be questioned by members of parliament.

Being that Snowden is still wanted by the US  on espionage charges, German officials have blocked calls to bring Snowden to Berlin. saying they cannot guarantee that he will be protected.

As Russia Today reports:

The Federal Court of Justice has ruled that the government needs, among other formalities, to provide “effective protection” for the witness and “immediately establish the preconditions for interrogation of the witness in Germany.”

The government must inform the parliamentary committee “at what time it can establish the abovementioned conditions.”

The committee is now required to make an official request to bring Snowden in from Russia.

According to Zeit Online, Snowden is “probably the most important witness of the committee.”

German officials are concerned that by providing Snowden asylum, they may be causing diplomatic problems with the US. Snowden is justifiably concerned that he will not be able to return to Moscow if leaves the Russia.

When asked about Snowden’s status with the US government, Barack Obama stated, “I think that Mr. Snowden raised some legitimate concerns. How he did it was something that did not follow the procedures and practices of our intelligence community.”

He continued:
“If everybody took the approach that I make my own decisions about these issues, then it would be very hard to have an organized government or any kind of national security system.”