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EP invites Edward Snowden to testify

09 January 2014 19:51 (UTC +04:00)

The Justice and Civil Liberties Committee on Thursday voted 36-2 with one abstention to seek testimony from the former National Security Agency contractor, who has exposed the reach of the United States' secret surveillance apparatus. No date has been proposed and it was not immediately clear if Snowden would accept the invitation. The lawmakers' investigation is aimed at drafting policy recommendations to better protect European citizens' privacy and improve the EU institutions' IT security. Elsewhere in Washington, President Barack Obama consulted intelligence officials on Wednesday on ways to rein in US surveillance practices as he nears the end of a review likely to lead to changes as to how bulk telephone data is handled as well as restrictions to spying on foreign leaders. Obama, who could announce his intelligence reforms in a speech as early as next week, is acting in an attempt to restore Americans' confidence in US intelligence services after damaging disclosures from former spy contractor Edward Snowden about the sweep of surveillance practices.