One of Snowden's Former Colleagues Calls Him "a Genius Among Geniuses"

Also says, 'I won't call him a hero, but he's sure as hell no traitor"

A former contracting colleague of Edward Snowden's has spoken out in an effort to fight back against the way that he is being depicted by government officials.

A coworker has revealed that despite the picture that has been painted of Snowden- which casts him as a man who stole colleagues passwords and hid his feelings about the controversial surveillance tactics used by the NSA to collect citizens phone records- the reason why he was given so much access is clear.

'That kid was a genius among geniuses,' the unidentified colleague told Forbes.