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Contractor Booz Allen Fires NSA Whistleblower

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Mike O'Brien
Mike O'Brien
06/11/2013

The consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton issued a statement Tuesday confirming that it terminated the employment of NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.

The statement said the 29-year-old, who admitted to releasing information on the U.S. government's broad monitoring of Americans' phone and Internet data, was let go on Monday.

The company cited a violation of the firm’s ethics and policies as the reason for the dismissal.

It said Mr. Snowden had worked for the company for less than 3 months and was assigned to a team in Hawaii. He had a salary of $122,000.

Snowden, a former technical analyst for the CIA, revealed on Sunday that he was the source of leaks detailing surveillance efforts involving the National Security Agency’s collection of data.

In an interview with The Guardian last week, Mr. Snowden spoke of a comfortable lifestyle and good salary with the McLean, Virginia-based firm.

He told the paper he has been in hiding in Hong Kong and that he feared the U.S. government would come after him and his family.

Mr. Snowden, who worked as an infrastructure analyst for the company,told The Guardian: "I can't in good conscience allow the U.S. government to destroy privacy, Internet freedom and basic liberties for people around the world with this massive surveillance machine they're secretly building."

The Booz Allen statement said: "News reports that this individual has claimed to have leaked classified information are shocking, and if accurate, this action represents a grave violation of the code of conduct and core values of our firm. We will work closely with our clients and authorities in their investigation of this matter."


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