Julian Assange Apologises After Straining His Relationship With Ecuador Over NSA Whistle-blower Snowden

Julian Assange
Julian Assange

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has angered the Ecuadorean government by helping NSA leaker Edward Snowden.

Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa is furious about the collaboration between one of the country’s diplomats and Mr Assange, British newspaper The Independent reports.

The pair organised a safe passage letter for NSA employee turned whistle blower, Mr Snowden.

President Correa said the government wasn’t consulted about the letter.

The Independent reports that if the problems aren’t resolved, Mr Assange’s position in the Ecuadorean embassy in London, where he’s been living for the more than year to avoid extradition to Sweden, could be brought into question.

Mr Assange has apologised, telling Ecuador’s foreign minister, saying he was sorry “if we have unwittingly (caused) Ecuador discomfort in the Snowden matter”.

Snowden is also seeking asylum in Ecuador.

President Correa has revoked the safe passage letter and says future arrangements for Mr Snowden, who is thought to be holed up at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport, will be decided by Russian authorities.

Edward Snowden
Edward Snowden

Mr Snowden has been on the run from the US government after travelling to Hong Kong and leaking sensitive data about intelligence gathering to the media.

He is to be charged by the US with espionage, among other things.