US debates whistleblower as hero or traitor

WASHINGTON: Whistleblowers like Edward Snowden put everything on the line to unveil the most closely guarded government secrets in an effort to preserve cherished US freedoms.

Snowden's explosive leaks last week of vast surveillance programs run by the National Security Agency that trawl through telephone and Internet records have triggered widespread consternation, gaining him admirers but also critics who denounce him as a traitor.