Edward Snowden a 'serial fabricator'

A scathing US Congressional report released Thursday branded intelligence leaker Edward Snowden a "serial exaggerator and fabricator" and said he has had continual contact with Russian intelligence services.

The partially redacted report, released by the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, portrays Snowden as a disgruntled government contractor rather than a legitimate whistleblower.

The former National Security Agency contractor leaked thousands of classified documents to the press in 2013, revealing the vast scope of US surveillance of private data that was put in place after the September 11, 2001 attacks.

According to the report, Snowden swiped about 1.5 million documents and those he leaked to the press were "merely the tip of the iceberg."

"Most of the material he stole had nothing to do with Americans' privacy, and its compromise has been of great value to America's adversaries and those who mean to do America harm," Democratic Congressman Adam Schiff said.

Snowden was quick to disparage the report, taking to Twitter to decry its "obvious falsehoods."

"After three years of investigation and millions of dollars, they can present no evidence of harmful intent, foreign influence, or harm. Wow," he wrote.