Dripping with irony:<p><pre><code> Persons wanted on felony charges, such as Mr. Snowden,
should not be allowed to proceed in any further international
travel, other than is necessary to return him to the
United States. Because of the Privacy Act, we cannot
comment on Mr Snowden's passport specifically.
</code></pre>
Maybe, after HKSAR's closing jibe[1], they think it's a game?<p>1. <a href="http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201306/23/P201306230476.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201306/23/P201306230476.h...</a>
I was looking forward to watching the extradition trial snake through the Hong Kong courts, but this is fun too. It really makes the US look like a lot of incompetents trying very hard to not have their incompetence exposed, and we all know how that ends. Snowden: 2, US: 0.<p>(I'd also like to see a response from all the senators and op-ed columnists that were quick to remind us that Snowden was a "high school dropout" explain why someone so clearly inferior to everyone else can outsmart them so effortlessly.)
> <i>"[as there was] no legal basis to restrict Mr Snowden from leaving"</i><p>What exactly does the US think that Hong Kong should have done? Break the law?<p>What a bunch of hypocrites.
Honest question: Is there any doubt that Snowden is guilty of the crimes he's charged with (e.g. "unauthorized communication of national defense information")?