Whistle blowers Edward Snowden and Chelsea Manning have been offered honorary membership of the Chaos Computer Club (CCC).
In a statement, CCC said that public awareness of the activities of the NSA, GCHQ and other intelligence agencies have been taken seriously and the CCC has “clearly and unambiguously positioned [itself] as a supporter of Edward Snowden and demanded that the German government is committed to the whistleblower”.
It referred to Snowden as an “American living under a rock” in Moscow, and the General Assembly of the CCC has offered to financially support Snowden and his advocates financially so that a case can be heard in the German parliament.
“These must be politically and legally ensured that Snowden’s safety is guaranteed against extradition to the United States. The newly elected board is to consider a meaningful financial support.”
In a second statement, the CCC called on the Federal Government to allow Snowden “a safe and unlimited stay in the Federal Republic of Germany”, as this was in the public interest and “without detriment to his own life, to fear legal or other persecution”.
The CCC statement said: “The Federal Government is called on to assume their historic responsibility to avoid totalitarian developments and to act on all available levels to allow Edward Snowden a life in freedom and dignity in Germany.”
Finally, Private Chelsea Manning, who as Bradley Manning was convicted of leaking data to Wikileaks, is also to be granted honorary membership in the CCC, along with Werner Pieper, in recognition of his services in the early days of the CCC.
