Calls grow to prosecute Guardian over spy leaks

Now Clegg and May join condemnation of paper

THERE were growing demands last night for an inquiry into whether the Guardian could be prosecuted for publishing topsecret files. The calls came as the row over the leaking of intelligence intensified with Nick Clegg and Theresa May joining the Prime Minister’s attack on t he newspaper.

It has now been condemned by David Cameron, his deputy and the Home Secretary for revelations described as a ‘gift’ to terrorists by MI5 chief Andrew Parker.

Mr Cameron has thrown his full weight behind Mr Parker’s warning on Tuesday that printing documents stolen by fugitive US agent Edward Snowden was handing fanatics the advantage they need to ‘strike at will’. In the House of Commons, Tory MP Julian Smith demanded to know if the Guardian had broken the law by transporting sensitive personal information about UK agents across the world.

The material was allegedly included in 58,000 secret documents being carried by David Miranda, the partner of Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald.

The newspaper was paying for his flights when he was detained at Heathrow airport in August.

Despite the wave of anger at the newspaper, however, the main BBC news bulletins were still largely ignoring the furore, leading to accusations of ‘Left-wing bias’ by MPs.

Mr Smith told fellow MPs: ‘The Guardian has not denied sending detailed family and personal information about security agents across borders. This is illegal, it’s threatening our agents and their families.

‘Can we have a statement from the Home Secretary to clarify that the law will be upheld whether or not the organisation i nvolved i s hiding behind the fig leaf of journalism?’

Andrew Lansley, Leader of the Commons, said he would ask Mrs May to consider the comments.

Leading counter-terrorism expert Professor Anthony Glees also declared that the Guardian should be prosecuted.

The head of the Centre for Security and Intelligence Studies at the University of Buckingham said that Mr Parker clearly believed the UK’s security had been damaged.

‘If that is the case, a prosecution under the Official Secrets Act should follow,’ added Prof Glees.

‘It is not clear to me why that has not happened and I suspect it is not clear to the Director- General [Mr Parker] either.’

Meanwhile, the UK National Defence Association, which includes former top military chiefs, warned that the leaks have put the lives of soldiers at risk.

They fear that revealing intelligence techniques could help extremists targeting British troops overseas to avoid detection.

General Sir Mike Jackson, former Chief of the General Staff, said he agreed with everything Mr Parker had said about the leaks.

‘We are getting into very dangerous territory here,’ he added.

Association director Andy Smith added the newspaper had ‘crossed the line’ between legitimate journalism and harming national security.

‘There is a widespread concern in the military community,’ he said.

‘Intelligence is being publicised that could give advantage to our enemies.’

Mr Cameron continued his attack by directly questioning if the Guardian ‘understood’ what it was doing.

He said: ‘When you get newspapers who get hold of vast amounts of information and data, which is effectively stolen, then they have to think about their responsibilities. They have to think about are they helping to keep our country safe?

‘They need to show understanding about the issue and it does go to our ability to fight terrorism.’

His deputy entered the row on his regular radio show on LBC. Mr Clegg warned the Guardian was revealing technical information of ‘immense interest’ to terrorists by publishing data on GCHQ’s eavesdropping techniques stolen by Snowden. ‘Secrecy is necessary, of course it is,’ he added. ‘You must absolutely defend the principle of secrecy for the intelligence agencies, without which they can’t keep us safe.’

Mrs May said she agreed with Mr Parker that the leaks were causing huge damage to national security.

‘It is difficult when you have revelations about how security operates,’ she warned.

‘Then that does cause a problem It can give some comfort to terrorists.’

Yesterday, the Mail reported how UK deputy head of national security, Oliver Robbins, had told a court ‘real damage has already been done’.

But Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger insists the paper, which revealed details of mass surveillance programmes by the US and UK, has been careful not to publish any material harmful to Britain’s interests.