The United States has asked Hong Kong to detain Edward Snowden on a provisional arrest warrant after filing a sealed criminal complaint alleging espionage, theft, and conversion of government property. As The Washington Post reports, the complaint was filed in the Eastern District of Virginia - where Snowden's former employer Booz Allen is headquartered:

*U.S. CHARGES SNOWDEN IN SEALED COMPLAINT IN NSA LEAK, POST SAYS

*U.S. SAID TO CHARGE SNOWDEN IN NSA SURVEILLANCE DISCLOSURES

While there was really little doubt that the Justice Department would seek to prosecute Snowden over the leaks, the district chosen, according to WaPo, has a long track-record of prosecuting cases with national security implications; and while Honk Kong does have an extradition treaty with the US, there are exceptions for political offenses.

Via The Washington Post,