Epstein Secrets

rested, seek bail and fight extradition in court. Tibbo said he planned to mount a powerful legal defense against extradition by using a provision in Hong Kong’s extradition treaty with the United States that protects fugitives from persecution on political grounds. After he told Snowden that it would entail a

s. They had even relayed his request to go to Russia to Putin. His movements were also no secret to sophisticated intelligence services. In an era in Hong Kong ii which cell phones emit their GPS location every 3 seconds and CCTV cameras scan many street intersections, it is not easy to conceal one’s whereabout

arties in a foreign country, do not necessarily go as planned. On the morning of June 10", 2013, Snowden’s escape plan apparently ran into a problem. Robert Tibbo and Jonathan Mann, the lawyers who, along with Albert Ho, had been retained for Snowden by an unidentified party, received an emergency phone call ea

d 4 @ 929N6 5:51 Pa | | HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_019492 Prologue | 5 terms of the 1997 transfer of sovereignty from Great Britain, China is responsible for Hong Kong’s defense and foreign policy, includ- ing intelligence services. He then proceeded to Russia, which has no extradition treaty with the United States. R

declined to be interviewed by me, saying he had said all he was going to say about the Snowden case. I was able, though, to make an appointment with Robert Tibbo, a Canadian-born barrister specializing in civil liberties cases. Tibbo had worked closely with Ho on the Snowden case. I met Tibbo in the tearoom a

ted, seek bail, and fight extradition in court. Tibbo said @ he planned to mount a powerful legal defense against extradition by using a provision in Hong Kong’s extradition treaty with the United States that protects fugitives from persecution on political grounds. After he told Snowden that it would entail a

true of Snowden’s escape plan. Snowden had no plan to stay put and face the music. On the morning of June 10, though, there was apparently a problem. Robert Tibbo and Jonathan Man, the lawyers who, along with Albert Ho, had been retained for Snowden by an unidentified party, received an emergency phone call ear

d in Hong Kong. Yet, Snowden chose to put his physical safety in the hands of China. One reason why Snowden may not have been overly concerned about Hong Kong’s extradition treaty with the U.S. was that he had never intended to test it by staying in Hong Kong after his media events. Snowden told the editor of

Snowden and Ho. See Keith Bradsher, “Hasty Exit Started With Pizza Inside a Hong Kong Hideout.” New York Times, June 24, 2013 11. “Appointment with Robert Tibbo...”==Author’s interviews with Tibbo. “Meet with me on condition...”—this source, as well as many others in the investigation, spoke to me on conditi