Cameron accuses The Guardian of hurting security with Snowden leaks
British PM's accusation against The Guardian over its publication of details of surveillance programmes adds fuel to civil liberties debate
The battle lines hardened between British authorities and The Guardian newspaper over its publication of material leaked by fugitive United States intelligence contractor Edward Snowden, with Prime Minister David Cameron accusing the newspaper of damaging national security.
His assertion, made in Parliament on Wednesday, came just days after the newly appointed director of Britain's MI5 domestic security service, Andrew Parker , said that leaks about secret US and British electronic surveillance programmes had caused enormous damage and handed "the advantage to the terrorists".
Cameron seemed to encourage lawmakers to formally investigate whether The Guardian had erred in publishing secrets provided by Snowden, who has been given temporary sanctuary in Russia.
Hours after Cameron spoke, The Guardian reported that Parliament's Home Affairs committee would include the newspaper's actions in a broad investigation into counterterrorism. Keith Vaz, the chairman of the panel, was quoted as saying the committee would scrutinise "elements of The Guardian's involvement in, and publication of, the Snowden leaks". But he declined to say whether Alan Rusbridger, the newspaper's editor, would be called to testify.
Concerns among British civil liberties groups centre on the Government Communications Headquarters, widely known as GCHQ, the electronic eavesdropping arm of the security and intelligence services.
The confrontation between the authorities and The Guardian took bizarre turns this year when British airport authorities cited counterterrorism legislation to briefly detain David Miranda, the partner of the journalist who led The Guardian's reporting, Glenn Greenwald, as Miranda was travelling through London's Heathrow Airport.