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Edward Snowden, the man dubbed a whistleblower over NSA leaks, is looking for a country where he can hide.  Snowden has reportedly reached out to 15 nations, and no one seems to be interested.

Snowden met with a diplomatic official  Monday (July 1)  as a “desperate” measure,” a Russian Foreign Ministry said.

From the Los Angeles Times:

Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor who leaked U.S. security secrets and is now a fugitive, met Monday morning with Russian diplomatic officials and handed them an appeal to 15 countries for political asylum, a Russian Foreign Ministry official told The Times.

“It was a desperate measure on his part after Ecuador disavowed his political protection credentials,” said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity. ”In the document Snowden reiterated once again that he is not a traitor and explained his actions only by a desire to open the world’s eyes on the flagrant violations by U.S. special services not only of American citizens but also citizens of European Union including their NATO allies.”

The official didn’t disclose the countries that were on the list. The meeting took place at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport, where Snowden has apparently holed up in a transit lounge since fleeing from Hong Kong while seeking a route to Ecuador or somewhere else that might grant him asylum.

Kirill Kabanov, a member of the Presidential Council on Human Rights, a Kremlin advisory body, said he believes that Russia is on the list.

The plan to head to Ecuador fell through reportedly over President Rafael Correa’s frustrations with Wikileaks founder Julian Assange’s involvement in the extradition. Snowden is said to be hiding out in Moscow, but Bolivia’s prime minister rerouted his plane believing the former NSA employee was on board.

Snowden has been charged with espionage, and was called a “traitor” by Secretary of State John Kerry.

Photo:  IBI Times