Kremlin working on response to US request for Snowden

The Kremlin said Sunday it was working on a formal response to the U.S. request to hand over fugitive former national security contractor Edward Snowden. The Justice Ministry issued a written statement acknowledging the receipt of the request for Snowden's return, but did not mention any set date for its response. Snowden, a former contractor for the U.S. National Security Agency, has been stuck at the Moscow airport since June 23 and has sought temporary political asylum in Russia. He has been on the lam since leaking information on NSA electronic surveillance programs to a British newspaper. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder sent Moscow a letter last week requesting Russia hand Snowden over so he can face espionage charges in the United States. Holder assured his Russian counterparts Snowden would not face the possibility of torture or execution in the United States.