Intelligence leaker Edward Snowden is ready to assist a German probe into US spying on Chancellor Angela Merkel but also wants to talk directly to the US congress, a German MP who met the fugitive says.
Snowden had late on Thursday met German Green party lawmaker Hans-Christian Stroebele at an undisclosed location in Moscow to discuss his revelations that US spies for years monitored Merkel's mobile phone, which has caused an uproar in Europe.
On his return to Germany, Stroebele published a letter from Snowden and said the former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor was ready to testify to the US congress to shed light on "possibly serious offences".
Snowden, who began work at an undisclosed Russian internet firm on Friday, was granted asylum in Russia in August to the fury of the United States, where he faces trial on charges under the Espionage Act.
In the letter, a copy of which was posted on Stroebele's website, Snowden said he was prepared to provide details of US spying to Germany and he was "heartened" by the global response to his leaks despite the unrelenting US pressure.
"I hope that when the difficulties of this humanitarian situation have been resolved, I will be able to co-operate in the responsible finding of fact regarding reports in the media, particularly in regard to the truth and authenticity of documents," he wrote.
"I look forward to speaking with you in your country when the situation is resolved."
Speaking to reporters in Berlin on Friday after his return from Moscow, Stroebele said that Snowden also wanted to testify in front of the US congress.
"He said first up he would prefer to lay the facts on the table in front of the US congress, in front of a committee of the US congress and explain," he said in English.
"Mr Snowden didn't appear to me as anti-American or an enemy of America or some such, but quite the opposite."
The letter was addressed to the German government, the Bundestag lower house of parliament and the federal public prosecutor, Stroebele's office said.
Snowden's Russian lawyer Anatoly Kucherena said his client would not be able to travel to Germany for security reasons but was willing to help with the probe.
"Snowden will not go to Germany. This is not possible because he has no right to cross Russian borders," Kucherena told Echo Moscow radio.
"If he does that, he can lose temporary asylum."
But the Kremlin-friendly lawyer added: "Within the framework of international agreements Snowden can give testimony in Russia but this should be decided by the German authorities."
German Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich said on Friday that the government would like to speak to Snowden.
Share
