i thought i heard that lonesome whistle blow

Edward Snowden, a 29-year-old analyst for the NSA, has revealed himself as the source of Glenn Greenwald's bombshell scoops earlier this week, the Verizon story and, two days later, the details of the PRISM program.

The Guardian's coverage says in part

Snowden will go down in history as one of America's most consequential whistleblowers, alongside Daniel Ellsberg and Bradley Manning. He is responsible for handing over material from one of the world's most secretive organisations – the NSA.

In a note accompanying the first set of documents he provided, he wrote: "I understand that I will be made to suffer for my actions," but "I will be satisfied if the federation of secret law, unequal pardon and irresistible executive powers that rule the world that I love are revealed even for an instant."

Although he's revealed himself, he will try to avoid the media spotlight in future "because I don't want the story to be about me. I want it to be about what the US government is doing."

Ed Snowden is a very smart young man who id not undertake his taks lightly, and planned it carefully, and with due deliberatinon.

He won't be coming home any time soon, but never is a long time, and fascism in the US is now on the run. This young man, an outstanidng role model for his cohort, and a genuine American hero, like Daniel Ellsberg and Bradley Manning. He will return to his home country in triumph one day, after the regime change he helped initiate..