European countries were told that NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden was aboard the plane of Bolivian president Evo Morales which was diverted to Austria, Spain claims.

According to Spain’s foreign minister the information was ‘clear’ that Snowden was inside the plane, which was grounded and searched last week.

Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo did not reveal who supplied the information, but said the decision to force the Bolivian presidential plane to make a u-turn over Europe was based on the information.

Meanwhile, Bolivian President Evo Morales is threatening to close the US embassy in La Paz after the incident.

Mr Morales has since blamed the US government for pressurising the European countries into the ban, which has caused a diplomatic furore.

Reports claimed Morales’s flight was brought down because there were suggestions that American National Security Agency (NSA) leaker, Edward Snowden, was on board, after the Bolivian president  said casually in Moscow that if Snowden was to apply for asylum, his case would be considered.