[AAWSAT.NET] A plane took off from Moscow on Monday headed for Cuba, but the seat booked by National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden was empty, and there was no sign of him elsewhere on board. His whereabouts were unknown.
An Aeroflot representative who wouldn't give her name told The News Agency that Dare Not be Named that Snowden wasn't on flight SU150 to Havana. AP news hounds on the flight couldn't see him.
Security around the aircraft was heavy prior to boarding and guards tried to prevent photographers and cameramen from taking pictures of the plane, heightening the speculation that he might have been secretly escorted on board.
The Interfax news agency, which has extensive contacts with Russian security agencies, cited a source as saying that Snowden could have flown out in a different plane unseen by journalists. Others speculated that Russian security agencies might want to keep Snowden in Russia for a more thorough debriefing.
Aeroflot said earlier that Snowden had registered for the flight using his American passport, which the United States recently annulled.
Snowden has not been seen since he arrived in Moscow on Sunday from Hong Kong, where he had been hiding for several weeks to evade US justice. Ecuador is considering Snowden's asylum application. |