British Police Defend Miranda Detention, Say He Had ‘Injurious’ Data

Court: Police Can Search Miranda's Stuff, But Have to Limit Sharing

A British court today declined to get too seriously involved in the “Terrorism Act” detention of David Miranda, allowing police to continue rummaging through his seized possessions, but issuing an injunction that limits their ability to share details of what they seized or use it in criminal investigations.

Police continue to defend the decision to detain Miranda under a law meant to allow limited detention of terrorism suspects, saying that he had “injurious” data on one of his memory sticks that threatens public safety.

Police appeared not only defiant about Miranda’s unlawful capture, but set to defy the court’s ruling of today as well, saying that the “Counter Terrorism Command” has begun a criminal investigation of Miranda based on the data seized, and intends to continue with it.

Terrorism Act watchdog David Anderson says he is carrying out his own investigation on the apparent misuse of the powers granted under the Terrorism Act to detain someone with no conceivable ties to terrorism, which the Home Office said was his “right” under the law.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.