You spread misinformation, gardylou@lemmy.world. Anyone who cares to do so can verify the info I give below.

Snowden stated from the start that he originally intended to go from Hong Kong to Ecuador, who had promised him asylum. He intentionally gave away all copies of his data, destroying his own, to the journalists who had met him in Hong Kong to evaluate his leaks (verify sources before believing those who claim 'he leaked info to Russia'). He fully intended to be 'clean' if he were interdicted on his way out of Hong Kong.

The US illegally (violating international law! It is illegal for a nation to render their own citizen stateless while abroad) revoked his US passport as he flew to Russia, which he meant to be a temporary stop only to obtain passage on a flight to Ecuador as Ecuadorian officials were to be there in order to receive him.

The President of Ecuador's own Presidential Plane, with the Ecuadorian President onboard was forcibly grounded over EU airspace, by fighter jets, at the USA's behest, on suspicioun that Snowden might be aboard. Snowden was trapped in a Russian airport, against his will, with no valid passport, essentially rendered Stateless -- again, a violation of international law perpetrated by the USA against one of its own citizens.

Imagine the USA's response if Airforce One were forcibly grounded to a foreign airport, by foreign fighter-jets, at the behest of another country.