In the news

There's something incredible going on in the press today re: Snowden and the NSA.

I don't know if you guys have seen this, but basically the Independent has a scoop about a secret military facility in the middle east that collects and processes people's private data. This would be interesting in itself, but it's made much more so by the Independent's claim that their intel comes from Ed Snowden's NSA files.

Something Snowden vigorously denies. He has apparently never shared his NSA data with the Independent. And why would he? He works with the Guardian, keeps his cards close to his chest and so far has managed to stay alive. He's not about to start helping the Guardian's biggest rivals, is he?

So where does the intel come from? It's interesting. There's only two groups that have ever had access to Snowden's data. His close confidants in the media like Glenn Greenwald and Laura Poitras and as of this week the UK Government. That is assuming that they have begun processing David Miranda's seized hardware, which they almost certainly have.

So who's feeding the Independent? We don't know at this stage but it's certainly very convenient that while they are being smashed in the ratings by the Guardian they stumble upon a 'Snowden style' exclusive. It's even more convenient that this exclusive paints Snowden as a reckless operative who for the very first time is releasing information that could pose a tangible threat to British troops on the ground.

Something ain't right.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/aug/23/uk-government-independent-military-base