British court upholds Snowden-linked detention

British High Court judges today dismissed a claim by David Miranda, the partner of ex-Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald, that his detention at London's Heathrow airport under anti-terror laws last year was unlawful.
Greenwald was working at the time with the Guardian newspaper and other publications on articles about US and British spying, based on highly-classified data leaked by former US National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden.
Miranda, a Brazilian citizen, was transporting some of the encrypted data -- including 58,000 British intelligence documents -- from Berlin to Rio de Janeiro when he was stopped while in transit at Heathrow on August 18, 2013.

He was stopped by police acting on a request from the MI5 domestic spy agency and questioned for nine hours. His laptop, phone, memory cards and DVDs were also seized.
Backed by a coalition of freedom of speech organisations, Miranda challenged his detention in the High Court, claiming it was unlawful and breached his human rights.
But three judges today rejected his appeal for a judicial review, a decision welcomed by British Home Secretary Theresa May and London's Metropolitan Police.

Judge John Laws said the detention "was a proportionate measure in the circumstances".
He added: "Its objective was not only legitimate but very pressing".

May said: "This judgment overwhelmingly supports the wholly proportionate action taken by the police in this case to protect national security.
"If the police believe any individual is in possession of highly-sensitive stolen information that would aid terrorism, then they should act. We are pleased that the court agrees."
But Miranda argued that the ruling emphasised the restrictions on freedom of the press in Britain, and vowed to appeal.