Epstein Secrets

rded among hacktiv- ists that Assange chose him as his keynote speaker replacement at the Hackers on Planet Earth (HOPE) convention in New York City. Assange told Rolling Stone, “Jake [Appelbaum] has been a tireless promoter behind the scenes of our cause.” For its part, Rolling Stone titled its profile of

zed release of communications intelligence documents would violate U.S. espionage laws. Even so, there was no shortage of activists overseas, such as Assange, who would be willing to publish NSA documents revealing its global sur- veillance activities. Cyberpunks, as these activists called themselves, tend

ndations for his work. He was threatened with a punitive investigation unless he agreed to quietly resign from the CIA. “It was not a stellar career” Drumheller, the former CIA station chief, told me in 2014. Snowden blamed his career-ending “derog” on an “e-mail spat” with a superior. From Moscow, he wrote

ardian, January 30, 2011 “Sarah Harrison, his comely...”—Sarah Ellison, “The man who came to dinner,” Vanity Fair, October 2013 “Snowden telephoned Assange...”-- Assange interview in (London) Sunday Times. Giles Whittell, “Julian Assange unmasked.” Times Magazine, August 29, 2015. Also, “Snowden told me

en had been held virtually incommunicado for 20 days. Other than Russian officials, the only person he had been allowed to see during this period was Assange’s aide, Sarah Harrison. “Where in the airport did you meet him?” I asked. Was it in a VIP lounge?” “Tt was in the transit zone,” he replied coyly.

m and from seizing him. Tyler Drumheller, a former CIA station chief, told me that Snowden was correct in his assessment of that Hong Kong advantage. Drumheller said that Hong Kong was “home court” for the Chinese intelligence services. It played a: dominant role” in running the police, airport passport contr

rmation War” Guardian, Jan. 30, 2011. 99 Sarah Harrison: Sarah Ellison, “The Man Who Came to Dinner,” Vanity Fair, Oct. 2013. 99 Snowden telephoned Assange: Assange interview, in Giles Whittell, “Julian Assange Unmasked,” Sunday Times (London), Aug. 29, 2015. 99 “Snowden told me they had abused Manning”

Through the Cracks.” 26 explained the discrepancy: Former CIA officer who requested anonymity, inter- view with author. 26 “It was not a stellar”: Drumheller, interviews with author. 26 “e-mail spat”: Snowden was interviewed via the Internet by Risen, “Snowden Says He Took No Secret Files to Russia.” 26