The US filed a lawsuit on Tuesday against former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, who in 2013 leaked secret documents about US telephone and internet surveillance, saying his new book violates non-disclosure agreements.
The US justice department said Mr Snowden published his book, “Permanent Record,” without submitting it to intelligence agencies for review, adding that speeches given by Mr Snowden also violated non-disclosure agreements.
The US is seeking all proceeds earned by Mr Snowden for the book, the department said. The lawsuit also names the “corporate entities” behind the book’s publication as nominal defendants.
A spokesman for Mr Snowden could not immediately be reached, and book publisher Macmillan did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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Mr Snowden has lived in Russia since he revealed details of US intelligence agencies' secret surveillance programmes.
Though Mr Snowden is viewed by some as a hero, US authorities want him to stand in a criminal trial over his disclosures of classified information. – Reuters