Guardian defends publishing Snowden US surveillance leak

A former CIA technical worker has been identified by the UK's Guardian newspaper as the source of leaks about US surveillance programmes.

Edward Snowden, 29, is described by the paper as an ex-CIA technical assistant, currently employed by defence contractor Booz Allen Hamilton.

The Guardian said his identity was revealed at his own request.

Ewen Macaskill, one of the Guardian journalists involved told the BBC it had more information it might publish.

He also said that he thought Snowden was still in Hong Kong, but was not sure, although he had spent most of last week interviewing him.

Mr Macaskill said Snowden "was inside the CIA, he was inside the National Security Agency, and he didn't like what he saw there".