The father of American whistleblower Edward Snowden has begged his son to stop leaking classified information.

The comments come after the 29-year-old former intelligence technician said the United States government would not be able to stop him from making more revelations about the country's surveillance programs.

In a nationally televised interview with Fox News, Lonnie Snowden, Edward Snowden's father, defended his son's character but also implored him to stop the leaks.

"He is a sensitive, caring, young man. This is the Ed that I know. The same eyes, it's the same Ed," he said.

Looking directly into the camera, he asked his son to come home, even if it meant going to jail.

"I don't know what you've seen, but I just ask that you not release any more information," he said.

Key points: Defiant Edward Snowden promises more leaks to come in online interview with The Guardian

Defiant Edward Snowden promises more leaks to come in online interview with The Guardian Snowden denied allegations he was spying for China and accused US officials of making the claim to distract from their own misconduct

Snowden denied allegations he was spying for China and accused US officials of making the claim to distract from their own misconduct Snowden said being called a "traitor" by Dick Cheney was the "highest honour you can give an American"

Snowden said being called a "traitor" by Dick Cheney was the "highest honour you can give an American" Father pleaded with him to stop leaks in interview with Fox News

Snowden denies spy 'smear'

In the online question and answer session hosted on the website of The Guardian newspaper, Mr Snowden denied allegations that he is spying for China and accused US officials of making the claim to distract from their own misconduct.

"This is a predictable smear that I anticipated before going public," he said.

"Ask yourself: If I were a Chinese spy, why wouldn't I have flown directly into Beijing? I could be living in a palace petting a phoenix by now."

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Mr Snowden went to ground in Hong Kong after exposing the way the US National Security Agency (NSA) obtains information from internet companies and US telecoms under the secret PRISM program.

He defended his disclosures and said he would be making more revelations about the extent of American spying.

"Truth is coming, and it can't be stopped," he said.

"The US government's not going to be able to cover this up by jailing or murdering me," he said.

Snowden 'honoured' to be called a traitor by Cheney

Mr Snowden said it would be impossible for him to get a fair hearing in America because authorities had already openly declared him guilty of treason.

He also hit back at comments from former US vice-president Dick Cheney.

"I think he's a traitor," Mr Cheney said.

"And I think it's one of the worst occasions, in my memory, of somebody with access to classified information doing enormous damage to the national security interests of the United States."

Mr Snowden described Mr Cheney's comments as "panicked talk".

"This is a man who gave us the warrantless wiretapping scheme as a kind of atrocity warm-up on the way to deceitfully engineering a conflict that has killed over 4,400 and maimed nearly 32,000 Americans, as well as leaving over 100,000 Iraqis dead," he said.

"Being called a traitor by Dick Cheney is the highest honour you can give an American."



ABC/wires