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To why they didn't go to court:

@dansabbagh "Reason Gdn destroyed the computers was to avoid a lengthy legal UK battle that wld have prevented more reporting of Snowden files."

https://twitter.com/dansabbagh/status/369794535464767488

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How would it have prevented more reporting of Snowden files? Rudsbridger said the US division will continue publishing.

In another comment in the Guardian Rudsbridger mentioned only the potential liability, not the impact to reporting.

Perhaps if the issue was brought to the courts the Guardian may have become subject to a court order (let's say, a gag order), which even if violated in the US could have lead the Guardian to be in contempt. I think in this case a small retreat was more effective than a direct confrontation.

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