AMONG the stories and rumours prompted by Edward J Snowden’s leaking of classified material — whistleblowing or treason, depending on where you stand — are suggestions that the revelations may actually lead to a policy change concerning the extent to which private companies carry out intelligence gathering and analysis in the United States.

Edward Snowden used the code name “Verax,” truth-teller in Latin, as he made his cautious approach to Washington Post reporter Barton Gellman about disclosing some dramatic state secrets on top-secret intelligence gathering and surveillance.

US and Pakistani officials say Pakistani forces have arrested a handful of al-Qaida suspects at the CIA’s request and allowed the US access to the detainees.

Controversial new US intelligence reports say the war in Afghanistan cannot be won unless Pakistan roots out militants on its side of the border, according to officials.

A man US authorities accuse of helping arrange financing for at least one of the September 11 hijackers says he is an ordinary businessman who has family ties to alleged terrorist Khalid Sheikh Mohammed but is not part of al Qaida or other terrorist groups.