Edward Snowden on Saturday took a dig at the CIA after director Mike Pompeo blamed the "worship" of leakers for a rise in the public disclosure of U.S. intelligence.
"In some ways, I do think [leaking has] accelerated," Pompeo told MSNBC. "I think there is a phenomenon, the worship of Edward Snowden, and those who steal American secrets for the purpose of self-aggrandizement, or money, or for whatever their motivation may be, does seem to be on the increase."
Snowden is in exile in Russia for leaking documents revealing extensive U.S. government surveillance by the NSA and is wanted on treason charges by the U.S.
Pompeo's comments come weeks after a government contractor with the NSA, Reality Winner, was charged with leaking a highly classified report about Russia's involvement in the presidential election to a newspaper outlet.
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