National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden claimed on Tuesday that trillions of citizens' private communications have been screened by intelligence agencies over the vaguest of threats, Euronews reported.

Speaking via video at a hearing on surveillance in the Council of Europe  in Strasbourg, Snowden called the process an "extraordinarily intrusive means of investigation" and a violation of human rights.

"These processes are abusive," Snowden was quoted as saying by the news agency Euronews.

"This is clearly a disproportionate use of an extraordinarily intrusive authority."

Global Times

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