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New Rumor of Snowden Flight Raises Tensions Bolivian President’s Plane Leaves Austria After Diplomatic Scramble
(35 minutes later)
It began as a seemingly offhand remark by the president of Bolivia, who suggested during a visit to Moscow that he might be happy to host Edward J. Snowden, the fugitive former security contractor who is desperate to find asylum. It escalated into a major diplomatic scramble in which the Bolivian president’s plane was rerouted on Tuesday, apparently because of suspicions that Mr. Snowden was aboard. It began as a seemingly offhand remark by the president of Bolivia, who suggested during a visit to Moscow that he might be happy to host Edward J. Snowden, the fugitive former security contractor who is desperate to find asylum. It escalated into a major diplomatic scramble in which the Bolivian president’s plane was rerouted to Austria, apparently because of suspicions that Mr. Snowden was aboard.
Outraged Bolivian officials, insisting that Mr. Snowden was not on the plane, were accusing France and Portugal of acting under American pressure to rescind permission for President Evo Morales’s plane to traverse their airspace on the way back to Bolivia. Low on fuel, the plane’s crew won permission to land in Vienna. After the plane spent 13 hours overnight on the tarmac at the Vienna airport, it took off at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, according to Peter Kleemann, a spokesman for the airport. Austrian media reported the plane was bound for Bolivia, but planned to make a stopover in the Canary Islands.
Bolivia’s ambassador to the United Nations, Sacha Llorentty Solíz said in Geneva on Wednesday that he believed the order to divert the plane came from the United States, Reuters reported. The ambassador added that the a search of the plane violated international law, the report said. Outraged Bolivian officials, insisting that Mr. Snowden was not on the plane, accused France and Portugal on Tuesday of acting under American pressure to rescind permission for President Evo Morales’s plane to traverse their airspace on the way back to Bolivia. Low on fuel, the plane’s crew won permission to land in Vienna.
“They say it was due to technical issues, but after getting explanations from some authorities we found that there appeared to be some unfounded suspicions that Mr. Snowden was on the plane,” the Bolivian foreign minister, David Choquehuanca, told reporters after the plane touched down in Vienna, where Mr. Morales spent the night. Bolivia’s ambassador to the United Nations, Sacha Llorentty Solíz, said in Geneva on Wednesday that he believed the order to divert the plane came from the United States, Reuters reported. The ambassador added that the search of the plane violated international law, the report said.
After the plane touched down in Vienna, where Mr. Morales spent the night, the foreign minister of Bolivia, David Choquehuanca, said that “they say it was due to technical issues, but after getting explanations from some authorities we found that there appeared to be some unfounded suspicions that Mr. Snowden was on the plane.”
“We don’t know who invented this big lie,” Mr. Choquehuanca said at a news conference in La Paz, Bolivia. “We want to express our displeasure because this has put the president’s life at risk.”“We don’t know who invented this big lie,” Mr. Choquehuanca said at a news conference in La Paz, Bolivia. “We want to express our displeasure because this has put the president’s life at risk.”
The Austrian authorities said on Wednesday that Mr. Morales’s plane remained at the Vienna airport pending authorization to continue through other European countries’ airspace. The Austrian authorities said earlier on Wednesday that Mr. Morales’s plane remained at the Vienna airport while the crew awaited authorization to continue through other European countries’ airspace.
“The plane was, of course, allowed to land, although many other countries apparently were concerned and afraid that Snowden was on board,” Johanna Mikl-Leitner, Austria’s interior minister, told ORF, the Austrian public television network.“The plane was, of course, allowed to land, although many other countries apparently were concerned and afraid that Snowden was on board,” Johanna Mikl-Leitner, Austria’s interior minister, told ORF, the Austrian public television network.
Mr. Morales appeared Wednesday morning before reporters who had gathered at the airport as rumors spread that Mr. Snowden might be aboard, ORF reported.Mr. Morales appeared Wednesday morning before reporters who had gathered at the airport as rumors spread that Mr. Snowden might be aboard, ORF reported.
“At the moment there is nothing we can do but wait for permission for a flyover. Spain is now consulting with the U.S.A. whether the plane can fly over Spanish airspace,” Mr. Morales said, speaking through a translator. The president, his staff and four pilots were forced to spend the night in the airport’s V.I.P. area.“At the moment there is nothing we can do but wait for permission for a flyover. Spain is now consulting with the U.S.A. whether the plane can fly over Spanish airspace,” Mr. Morales said, speaking through a translator. The president, his staff and four pilots were forced to spend the night in the airport’s V.I.P. area.
France, meanwhile, granted authorization for Mr. Morales’s plane to cross through its airspace, Philippe Lalliot, the Foreign Ministry spokesman, said Wednesday morning.France, meanwhile, granted authorization for Mr. Morales’s plane to cross through its airspace, Philippe Lalliot, the Foreign Ministry spokesman, said Wednesday morning.
A spokesman for the Spanish Foreign Ministry said it would not comment on the flight issue. Europa Press, a Spanish news agency, said that Spain would make a decision “in the coming hours” on whether to allow the aircraft to cross Spanish territory, citing unnamed officials at the Spanish Embassy in Vienna. There was no immediate comment Wednesday from Portuguese officials. A spokesman for the Spanish Foreign Ministry said it would not comment on the flight issue. . There was no immediate comment Wednesday from Portuguese officials.
Karl-Heinz Grundböck, a spokesman for the Austrian Interior Ministry, said Austrian border authorities carried out a routine check of the passports of everyone aboard after the plane landed and were also granted permission to search the plane to ensure that it was empty. “The rumors were just that,” Mr. Grundböck said. Karl-Heinz Grundböck, a spokesman for the Austrian Interior Ministry, said Austrian border authorities carried out a routine check of the passports of everyone aboard after the plane landed and were also granted permission to search the plane to ensure that Mr. Snowden was not aboard. “The rumors were just that,” Mr. Grundböck said.
Mr. Grundböck said he expected the plane to take off “shortly,” but declined to give further details.
Rubén Saavedra, the Bolivian defense minister, who was on the plane with Mr. Morales, accused the Obama administration of being behind the action by France and Portugal, calling it “an attitude of sabotage and a plot by the government of the United States.”Rubén Saavedra, the Bolivian defense minister, who was on the plane with Mr. Morales, accused the Obama administration of being behind the action by France and Portugal, calling it “an attitude of sabotage and a plot by the government of the United States.”
There was no immediate response by officials in Washington.There was no immediate response by officials in Washington.
“We were in flight; it was completely unexpected,” Mr. Saavedra said on the Telesur cable network. “The president was very angry.”“We were in flight; it was completely unexpected,” Mr. Saavedra said on the Telesur cable network. “The president was very angry.”
Speaking by phone with Telesur, Mr. Saavedra said that Mr. Snowden was not on the plane. Later, Reuters cited an unidentified Austrian Foreign Ministry official as saying the same thing.Speaking by phone with Telesur, Mr. Saavedra said that Mr. Snowden was not on the plane. Later, Reuters cited an unidentified Austrian Foreign Ministry official as saying the same thing.
Bolivian officials said they were working on a new flight plan to allow Mr. Morales to fly home. But in a possible sign of further suspicion about the passenger manifest, Mr. Saavedra said that Italy had also refused to give permission for the plane to fly over its airspace. Later he said that France and Portugal had reversed course and offered to allow the plane to fly through their airspace after all. . But in a possible sign of further suspicion about the passenger manifest, Mr. Saavedra said that Italy had also refused to give permission for the plane to fly over its airspace. Later he said that France and Portugal had reversed course and offered to allow the plane to fly through their airspace after all.
On Monday, Mr. Morales, who was attending an energy conference in Moscow, was asked in an interview on the Russia Today television network if he would consider giving asylum to Mr. Snowden, 30, who has been at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport for more than a week, his passport revoked by the United States.On Monday, Mr. Morales, who was attending an energy conference in Moscow, was asked in an interview on the Russia Today television network if he would consider giving asylum to Mr. Snowden, 30, who has been at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport for more than a week, his passport revoked by the United States.
“Yes, why not?” Mr. Morales responded. “Of course, Bolivia is ready to take in people who denounce — I don’t know if this is espionage or monitoring. We are here.”“Yes, why not?” Mr. Morales responded. “Of course, Bolivia is ready to take in people who denounce — I don’t know if this is espionage or monitoring. We are here.”
He said, though, that Bolivia had not received a request from Mr. Snowden, despite news reports to the contrary.He said, though, that Bolivia had not received a request from Mr. Snowden, despite news reports to the contrary.
It was already clear by then that the Moscow conference had been overshadowed by the drama of Mr. Snowden and his disclosures about American intelligence programs, which have deeply embarrassed the Obama administration.It was already clear by then that the Moscow conference had been overshadowed by the drama of Mr. Snowden and his disclosures about American intelligence programs, which have deeply embarrassed the Obama administration.
President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela, who was also at the conference, had suggested he might offer Mr. Snowden asylum but did not plan to fly him to Venezuela.President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela, who was also at the conference, had suggested he might offer Mr. Snowden asylum but did not plan to fly him to Venezuela.
But Mr. Morales’s remarks appeared to open the door. At least that was the way they were interpreted.But Mr. Morales’s remarks appeared to open the door. At least that was the way they were interpreted.
The problems began even before Mr. Morales left Moscow, Mr. Choquehuanca said. On Monday, Portugal, without explanation, had withdrawn permission for Mr. Morales’s plane to stop in Lisbon to refuel, the foreign minister said. That required Bolivian officials to get permission from Spain to refuel in the Canary Islands.The problems began even before Mr. Morales left Moscow, Mr. Choquehuanca said. On Monday, Portugal, without explanation, had withdrawn permission for Mr. Morales’s plane to stop in Lisbon to refuel, the foreign minister said. That required Bolivian officials to get permission from Spain to refuel in the Canary Islands.
The next day, after taking off from Moscow, Mr. Morales’s plane was just minutes from entering French airspace, according to Mr. Saavedra, when the French authorities informed the pilot that the plane could not fly over France.The next day, after taking off from Moscow, Mr. Morales’s plane was just minutes from entering French airspace, according to Mr. Saavedra, when the French authorities informed the pilot that the plane could not fly over France.
There was also plenty of confusion in Moscow over how Mr. Snowden could possibly have left undetected on a government aircraft.There was also plenty of confusion in Moscow over how Mr. Snowden could possibly have left undetected on a government aircraft.
Government planes carrying foreign officials to diplomatic meetings in Moscow typically arrive and depart from Vnukovo Airport, which is also the main airfield used by the Russian government, rather than from Sheremetyevo, where Mr. Snowden arrived from Hong Kong on June 23, hours after American officials had sought his extradition there.Government planes carrying foreign officials to diplomatic meetings in Moscow typically arrive and depart from Vnukovo Airport, which is also the main airfield used by the Russian government, rather than from Sheremetyevo, where Mr. Snowden arrived from Hong Kong on June 23, hours after American officials had sought his extradition there.
The speculation that Mr. Snowden would hitch a ride on a government jet was discounted by the fact that the plane would have to first make a quick flight from one Moscow airport to the other.The speculation that Mr. Snowden would hitch a ride on a government jet was discounted by the fact that the plane would have to first make a quick flight from one Moscow airport to the other.
In an interview with the television station Russia Today, Mr. Maduro said he would consider any request by Mr. Snowden. Then, ending the interview with a dash of humor, he said, “It’s time for me to go; Snowden is waiting for me.”In an interview with the television station Russia Today, Mr. Maduro said he would consider any request by Mr. Snowden. Then, ending the interview with a dash of humor, he said, “It’s time for me to go; Snowden is waiting for me.”

Rick Gladstone reported from New York, and William Neuman from Caracas, Venezuela. Melissa Eddy contributed reporting from Berlin; Scott Sayare from Paris; Raphael Minder from Madrid;  David M. Herszenhorn and Andrew Roth  from Moscow; and Monica Machicao from La Paz, Bolivia.

Rick Gladstone reported from New York, and William Neuman from Caracas, Venezuela. Melissa Eddy contributed reporting from Berlin; Scott Sayare from Paris; Raphael Minder from Madrid;  David M. Herszenhorn and Andrew Roth  from Moscow; and Monica Machicao from La Paz, Bolivia.