Snowden Roundup: Estonian Civic Organizer Speaks Out, Coincidental Personal Estonian Connection Emerges
Rainer Nõlvak, one of the organizers of the Let's Do It trash cleanup campaigns that have become a successful export, said Thursday that the country should do "the right thing" and give protection to Edward Snowden.
"Who would have thought? Meet new Putin, defender of digital rights and protector of Snowden. No government in Europe has the guts to face the Americans. Why not do the right thing? The guy risked everything. Hey, Estonia? We have flights from Sheremetyevo," read a Facebook status on June 27.
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Hopes from some activists for a David vs. Goliath situation notwithstanding, the prospect of Snowden gracing the Lennart Meri International transit lounge with his presence remains extremely remote, of course.
Nevertheless, Delfi news outlet surveyed a few foreign policy experts, who said that things would end badly for Snowden if he, by some unlikely turn of events, disembarked in Tallinn without securing any promises of safe passage first, saying that Estonia would immediately hand him over.
The pundits also commented on the general situation. Estonian political expert Ahto Lobjakas told Delfi: "Surprisingly little is known. It's likely the Americans are now trying to blur the topic intentionally."
Political scientist Andres Kasekamp said the next time China decides to mount a cyber attack on a US Defense Department server, the Americans will have a weaker position for a counterattack.
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Who is the former Estonian rock star that Edward Snowden may have been acquainted with?
That's been the question for Estonica trivia buffs as well as for those hoping to shed more light on a still-murky story.
The information is scant, though. In the chat transcripts obtained by
Ars Technica, one chatter mentions that Estonian, Finnish and Hungarian share their own language group, to which the other chatter, thought to be Snowden, says:
< TheTrueHOOHA>hahah i know a guy who was a rock star in estonia
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< TheTrueHOOHA>the funniest part is he's a SUPER NERD.
How many socially inept former rock stars do you know? Speculation or thoughts are welcome in the comment section.