Glenn Greenwald: "Detaining My Partner: A Failed Attempt at Intimidation"

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208. AP: Partner of Reporter at Center of NSA Leak Detained

PARTNER OF REPORTER AT CENTER OF NSA LEAK DETAINED

PARTNER OF REPORTER AT CENTER OF NSA LEAK DETAINED
By DANICA KIRKA
— Aug. 18 7:46 PM EDT
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LONDON (AP) — The partner of a journalist who received leaks from former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden was detained for nearly nine hours Sunday under anti-terror legislation at Heathrow Airport, triggering claims that authorities are trying to interfere with reporting on the issue.

David Miranda, the partner of Guardian reporter Glenn Greenwald, was held for nearly the maximum time authorities are allowed to detain individuals under the Terrorism Act's Schedule 7, which authorizes security agencies to stop and question people at borders. Greenwald said Miranda's cellphone, laptops and memory sticks were confiscated.

"This is obviously a rather profound escalation of their attacks on the news-gathering process and journalism," Greenwald said in a post on the Guardian website. "It's bad enough to prosecute and imprison sources. It's worse still to imprison journalists who report the truth. But to start detaining the family members and loved ones of journalists is simply despotic."

Greenwald has written a series of stories about the NSA's electronic surveillance programs based on files handed over by Snowden. The former contractor fled the United States and is now in Russia, where he has received temporary asylum.