The US National Security Agency (NSA) routinely spies on foreign corporation and gathers information regardless of its value to America’s national security – That’s the latest revelation from fugitive intelligence leaker Edward Snowden, who granted an interview with a German television network.

“If there's information at Siemens that’s beneficial to US national interests – even if it doesn't have anything to do with national security – then they’ll take that information nevertheless,” Snowden said to the ARD network.  The interview was recorded in Russia, where Snowden has claimed asylum.

The new accusation is bound to upset Germany, already chafing after revelations that the US bugged the personal phone and emails of German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Snowden also says he no longer controls or even possesses any of the information that he smuggled out during his stint as a contractor with the NSA, and eventually flight to Moscow.  That trove is now entirely in the hands of the select group of journalists he worked with. 

He also says he believes that he felt there are "significant threats" to his life but he said that he nevertheless sleeps well because he believes he did the right thing by informing the public about the NSA's activities.