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Report: Snowden got unwitting help from NSA employee

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 (UPI) -- Edward Snowden was able to get greater access after a U.S. National Security Agency employee allowed him to use his personal log-in, NBC News reports.

NBC reported Wednesday it had obtained a copy of an NSA memo that said the employee lost his security clearance after the security breach came to light and has resigned. The memo also said a member of the military and a contractor were "implicated" in Snowden's activities and have been denied access to NSA facilities.

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The memo was dated Feb. 10 and was sent to congressional committees, NBC said. It is unclassified but described as "for official use only."

The NSA employee was not aware Snowden was trying to get access to classified documents, the memo said. The civilian employee apparently entered his password on Snowden's terminal.

"Unbeknownst to the civilian, Mr. Snowden was able to capture the password, allowing him even greater access to classified information," the memo said.

The employee breached security procedures, the memo said.

Snowden, now living in Russia after being granted temporary asylum, released massive amounts of information on NSA surveillance programs.

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