Skip to main content
Netherlands News in English

Main navigation

  • Top stories
  • Health
  • Crime
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Weird
  • 1-1-2
Image
Politics
AIVD
American
broadcast
Charlie Hebdo
CIA
confidential
Dutch intelligence service
eavesdrop
eavesdrop power
Edward Snowden
employee
espionage practices
Hong Kong
information law
interview
journalist
leak
leaked document
leaked information
MIVD
Moscow
Moscow Airport
National Security Agency
Nieuwsuur
NSA
Paris
revelation
Russia
Russian visa
system administrator
USA
Volkskrant
Volkskrant.nl
Wednesday, 21 January 2015 - 17:59

Share this article:

Dutch secret services work for America: Edward Snowden

Dutch intelligence services AIVD and MIVD walk on the leash of USA's National Security Agency (NSA) and are "extremely docile" and seen as "subordinates", says former NSA and CIA employee Edward Snowden in an interview to Volkskrant and Nieuwsuur. "The Dutch work for the Americans. They do what we tell them to do. They are not appreciated because of their abilities, but because of the free passage they offer," he says. In the interview, he talks about a new information law, and the expansion of eavesdrop powers after the attack in Paris and his situation in Moscow. Snowden revealed tens of thousands of confidential NSA files in 2013 and currently resides in Moscow. Nieuwsuur will broadcast the interview Wednesday at 10 p.m. on NPO 2. Volksrant and Volkskrant.nl will publish the full interview tomorrow. Snowden leaked information and files to journalists about extensive espionage practices at the NSA where he used to work as a system administrator. He released data he stored from the NSA's servers while in Hong Kong. After the US officials had requested Snowden to be arrested, he fled to Moscow. Snowden spent 39 days at the Moscow airport before he was granted a Russian visa.

More like this

Image
The Zr.Ms. Den Helder escorts the Russian frigate Neustrashimy out of Dutch waters in the North Sea, 20 September 2025
Netherlands must start hitting back in Russia's hybrid war, intelligence services say
Image
Burned building at the Maidan in Kyiv, Ukraine
Russia used chemical weapons in 9,000 attacks on Ukraine, intelligence report says
Image
Dutch police station.
Police profile photos stolen in massive hack affecting all officers
Image
Dutch and Ukrainian flag.
Ukranian involvement in Nord Stream sabbotage must impact Dutch military support: MP's
Make NL Times your top Google source

Follow us:

Latest stories

  • New Amsterdam executive team sworn in after council backs PRO–D66 coalition deal
  • Social landlords raise rents 3.6%, citing need to expand housing supply
  • Video: Fire destroys Lelystad swingers club days after municipality bought property
  • Dutch worried about crumbling international legal order, Netherlands' resilience
  • Home buyers, on average, moving further away than decade ago: Land Registry

Top stories

  • Dutch worried about crumbling international legal order, Netherlands' resilience
  • Dutch State considering buying shares in shipbuilder Damen
  • Number of international students at Dutch universities falls for first time in 20 years
  • Backpacks on flagpoles: 182,000 secondary school students find out if they're graduating
  • Lightning strike halts train services between Amsterdam, Schiphol and Utrecht

© 2012-2026, NL Times, All rights reserved.

Footer menu

  • Change Privacy Settings
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • Partner Content