Man At Center Of NSA Leak Heading To Cuba Monday

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A former contractor for the National Security Agency who is wanted for revealing highly classified surveillance programs has arrived in Moscow from Hong Kong.

Edward Snowden, helped by anti-secrecy organization WikiLeaks, has reportedly filed an asylum request with Ecuador, according to CBS News which reported that Snowden is being "escorted by diplomats and legal advisors from WikiLeaks," and that "once Mr Snowden arrives in Ecuador his request will be formally processed," according to CBS News.

Wikileak's founder, Julian Assange, has been holed up in Ecuador's embassy in London, as he battles an extradition request from Sweden where he is wanted for questioning in a pair of sexual assault cases.

Snowden is reportedly booked on an Aeroflot flight to Cuba on Monday, according to the Russian news agencies ITAR-Tass and Interfax reported.  Aeroflot has no direct flights from Moscow to Quito, Ecuador.

U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Chairman of the Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee, released in a statement Sunday that she wasn't surprised about a connection to Cuba.

"It would not be surprising if the NSA leaker finds safe haven in Cuba or Venezuela, two regimes that have a longstanding history of giving refuge to fugitives from U.S. law. Let us not forget that Phillip Agee, former CIA agent, leaked classified information about CIA personnel and fled the U.S. to seek refuge until he passed away in 2008 in Cuba," according to Ros-Lehtinen's statement. "Those who misrule over Cuba and Venezuela, Raul Castro and Nicolas Maduro, do not allow independent free press, do not cooperate on terrorism related issues, disregard due process and an independent judicial system."

Snowden has said in recent interviews that Iceland was also a destination he preferred.

Hong Kong officials said Snowden was allowed to leave for a "third country" because a U.S. extradition request did not fully comply with their laws.

The Justice Department has charged Snowden with espionage and theft of government property.