Edward Snowden breaks silence to threaten new U.S. disclosures [1]

Reuters [2] LONDON | Mon Jul 1, 2013 4:55pm EDT (Reporting By Andrew Osborn; Editing by Kevin Liffey)

(Reuters) - Former U.S. spy agency contractor Edward Snowden has broken his silence for the first time since he fled to Moscow eight days ago to say he remains free to make new disclosures about U.S. spying activity.

In a letter to Ecuador seen by Reuters, Snowden said the United States was illegally persecuting him for revealing its electronic surveillance program, PRISM. He also thanked Ecuador for helping him get to Russia and for examining his asylum request.