The British government’s former independent reviewer of terrorism legislation had some very critical words for Edward Snowden and Glenn Greenwald yesterday: Publishing Edward Snowden Security Secrets a ‘Criminal’ Act, Says Former Terrorism Watchdog.

Lord Carlile said: “David Miranda, his partner Glenn Greenwald, Edward Snowden and the Guardian claim to be virtuous whistleblowers.

“Their virtue apparently includes travelling the world and publishing or seeking to publish secrets collected by the UK and other countries to protect their citizens.

“What kind of virtue is that? Mr Snowden has provided and the Guardian has published material that allegedly shows where and how the UK is functioning against terrorism.

“Is it anything other than criminal to seek to publish such secrets? In my view most right-thinking people would condemn Mr Snowden’s activities and question the actions of journalists whose newspapers may benefit from his wrongdoing.”

He added: “It is worth investigating whether there were any conspiracies to breach the Official Secrets Act.”

[…]

Addressing the detention by police of Mr Miranda at Heathrow, he said: “Mr Miranda was carrying electronic equipment, apparently including an electronic games device that could have contained a mass of secret information in digital form.

“Its publication could have resulted in disastrous undermining of the legitimate efforts of secret investigations, perhaps putting back for years the struggle against worldwide political violence.

“How could David Cameron or Theresa May have vetoed a search that might have protected Londoners from another bus or tube bombing?”