The father of U.S. whistleblower Edward Snowden had contacted his son via the Internet despite security concerns, Snowden's lawyer said Thursday.

U.S. whistleblower Edward Snowden

"We don't recommend using the Internet for communication, not even via an encrypted channel, even though we understand that Edward is an IT expert," RIA Novosti news agency quoted Anatoly Kucherena as saying.

Still, Lon Snowden's fatherly feelings "proved stronger than security awareness," Kucherena said.

Earlier media reports said Lon Snowden had contacted his son via encrypted messages. Previously, the father communicated with his son only via his lawyer Kucherena.

The lawyer said Snowden is taking an adaptation course in a safe place, but "he is missing his family."

Snowden's father said Saturday he had secured documents to visit his son in Russia. 

The former U.S. National Security Agency contractor, who has been charged with espionage for revealing the secret U.S. electronic surveillance program Prism, left Moscow's Sheremetyevo international airport on August 1st for he was granted one year asylum by Russia.

Snowden arrived at Sheremetyevo international airport on June 23, where he was stranded for six weeks after the U.S. revoked his passport.

U.S. President Barack Obama canceled his meeting with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in September over Kremlin's decision to grant Snowden a temporary asylum.

(Xinhua contributed to the story)

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