David Miranda’s detention was entirely legitimate

Milo makes some reasonable points, particularly concerning the somewhat disingenuous tone of recent Guardian reporting.

However, they are a party to this dispute, and whilst the lack of professionalism is disappointing, it is quite understandable.

One can easily understand the imperative to make their coverage as compelling as possible; to tell their side of the story as strongly and as forcefully as they possibly can; to spread the message far and wide. There is no illusion of impartiality to be maintained here.

One can also understand (and feel some sympathy for) the embattled security services, unable to respond in any meaningful way whilst they endure a barrage of criticism from all quarters. Notwithstanding a small number of shameful episodes, they have largely acted with professionalism and restraint.

However, these shameful episodes, together with increasing partisanship in the media coverage leads me to worry that the level of professionalism so far exhibited by all parties is being gradually and inexorably eroded by partisanship and jingoism.*

The debate on digital surveillance (in all it's forms) is too serious an issue to be sidetracked by entrenched partisanship.

Yes, it is an important issue, and yes, we still need to rope in as many debate participants as possible, and yes, that means being shrill and controversial on occasion. However, there are enough sensible, actively involved people for us to start talking about what to do next.

* (I count myself as a guilty party when it comes to shrill and partisan commentary).

He was suspected of carrying sensitive material, which apparently couldn't be found. The search and interviews apparently lasted 9 hours to the minute according to reports and his detention wasn't extended. In my book: if there would have been something, they would have made it stick. Now they couldn't and apparently out of spite they detained him for 9 hours to the minute while grilling him about the actions of his partner.

John Bull and Uncle Sam have got another blackish eye publicitywise from this affair. There may be a lot of frustration about this Snowden fall-out in Intel circles, but really, let it rest for a while. Sit still while you're being shorn, as any PR person can tell you.

While IANAL, my understanding is that the laws under which he was detained were intended for stopping actual terrorist threats; espionage - even if that's what we want to call this - is not terrorism, and I don't think anyone has asserted that Miranda has any involvement with any such plots.

I agree that the "they're just doing this to hurt me" spin Greenwald put forward is likely inaccurate - if Miranda was indeed moving documents (or it looked sufficiently like that from the outside) then claims that the authorities are dragging him into this to hurt Greenwald are flat out wrong - but that isn't the same thing as the detention being "entirely legitimate."