By PHILLIP SWARTS
An attorney for Edward Snowden says she was questioned by officials at London’s Heathrow Airport over her relationship to the whistleblower.
The Government Accountability Project (GAP), a whistleblower advocacy group, claimed Monday that one of their attorneys representing Mr. Snowden, Jesselyn Radack, was “interrogated and harassed” by a British border enforcement agent as she tried to enter the U.K., and that from the questions asked, the official was concerned over her connection to the former NSA worker.
The Washington Times has reached out to officials at Heathrow Airport but has not yet received a response.
“When a government subjects the attorney for a political defendant such as Edward Snowden to intimidation and harassment, then in practice, that government infringes the right to counsel,” said Bea Edwards, GAP executive director. “The government of the U.K., together with the U.S. government — to the extent that it cooperated — explicitly violated Edward Snowden’s right to counsel by harassing Ms. Radack, his attorney.”
Accusations of harassment have arisen before. Last year, a plane carrying Bolivian President Evo Morales was diverted and forced to land in Austria. Advocates said it was retaliation for Mr. Morales suggesting he would be open to granting asylum to Mr. Snowden.
American government officials, many of whom have branded Mr. Snowden as a traitor, have expressed concern that his information leaks have damaged U.S. security and possibly given sensitive information to Russia or al Qaeda. Increased scrutiny has often followed individuals connected to or working with Mr. Snowden.