American whistleblower Edward Snowden will not be given asylum in the Netherlands and his application for asylum will not be considered, justice ministry officials said on Tuesday afternoon.

Earlier it emerged the Netherlands is one of a total 21 countries where Snowden has applied for refugee status. He is wanted in America for leaking details of a massive security service internet tap programme and is currently in Moscow airport.

A justice ministry spokesman told reporters that since 2003 it has not been possible to apply for asylum in the Netherlands from abroad. ‘We do not regard this as an application for asylum,’ the spokesman said.

Junior justice minister Fred Teeven told reporters the application had ‘no chance’ of success because Snowden is not facing ‘an acute emergency situation’.

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