Michael Hayden, Former CIA Chief, Criticizes Edward Snowden's NSA Leaks (VIDEO)

Former CIA Chief Speaks Out On Snowden

Gen. Michael Hayden, former director of the Central Intelligence Agency, spoke out on Edward Snowden Friday morning, criticizing the whistleblower for sparking a debate about surveillance that came "at a tremendously high price."

"American firms doing nothing but obeying American law to protect the United States are now going to be punished economically internationally for their participation, and that's terribly unfair," Hayden told CNN.

Hayden also expressed concern that other countries will no longer "have confidence in the United States that we're actually going to be able to keep secrets."

Hayden said he agrees with Gen. Keith Alexander, National Security Agency Director, that there is “concrete proof” that terrorist groups have made changes as a result of the Snowden disclosures.

A lawyer helping Snowden said Wednesday that the former spy agency contractor had no plans to leave Russia anytime soon and had not ruled out eventually applying for citizenship, Reuters reported. Snowden reportedly submitted a request for temporary asylum in Russia on Tuesday.

Watch a video of Hayden's interview with CNN above.

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