Best-selling thriller author Brad Thor says that the National Security Agency has programs that are more invasive than PRISM.
“PRISM is one of the most benign things that they’ve got going there,” he said. “There are some other databases that are there that are absolutely amazing.”
PRISM is a classified surveillance program run by the NSA that was recently revealed by 29-year-old former NSA contractor Edward Snowden.
Thor, who claims his book “Black List” predicted the recent NSA revelations, made the comments at a public interview last Wednesday at the Sixth & I Synagogue in Washington, D.C.
During the interview, Thor also said he doesn’t think people like Snowden should have the power to decide what national security secrets should be revealed to the public.
“I don’t think we should let 20-something year old young men decide what should be top secret and what shouldn’t be top secret,” he said.
Thor said Snowden should have found a trustworthy member of Congress to reveal the information to if he was troubled by the program.
“I’m not against whistle-blowing if you find something that is terrible and I’m glad we’re talking about this subject .. [but] can’t you find a member of Congress who is trustworthy? I believe they exist,” he said. “I am concerned with going straight to the press with national security secrets.”