Snowden did not access 'crown jewels' of NSA intel, official says

[struggle4progress]

By Barbara Starr, CNN Pentagon Correspondent
July 23, 2013 -- Updated 0035 GMT (0835 HKT)

... The ongoing damage assessment indicates he did not gain access to what is called ECI or "extremely compartmentalized information," according to a U.S. official familiar with the review ...

With Snowden still at large and the publication of agency surveillance secrets publicized, the intelligence community may have good reason to downplay the impact of what he has revealed.

However, the official said the intelligence community remains adamant that Snowden caused serious damage. The administration believes it knows the extent of the material that was downloaded.

"We are not downplaying it," the official said, explaining that assessing the matter over weeks has enabled authorities to focus more directly on the impact of Snowden's actions ...

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/07/22/politics/snowden-intel/?hpt=hp_t3

[Thinkingabout]

1. From several.postings I have read the imformation they are clinging to was spoke about

By Bush in 2005. They are about eight years late but they keep buzzing. Mueller reported a few weeks back they already knew the files he had accessed so they know what he has. I keep getting the feeling this doesn't have as much to do about the surveillance as it has to try to "embarrassing" their target. It has cooled since last Friday when ACLU received the ruling.