"They Wanted to Know if I Had Access to Snowden's Data", says David Miranda

08/20/2013 - 08h42

David Michael dos Santos Miranda, 28, a Brazilian, from Rio, boarded on August 10 to Berlin. Besides visiting Germany, he traveled to the country to find Laura Poitras, a filmmaker working with journalist Glenn Greenwald in the Edward Snowden's case, a former CIA agent who leaked documents from the United States National Security Agency mainly associated to digital espionage.

Miranda, who is Greenwald's partner, delivered secret documents to Laura. He also intended to bring other type of data, from Snowden files, to Brazil. But he was detained at Heathrow airport, where he remained for eleven hours, nearly nine of them inside a room with Scotland Yard officers (from the London Metropolitan Police).

Ricardo Moraes/Reuters

U.S.journalist Glenn Greenwald walks with his partner David Miranda in Rio de Janeiro's International Airport

The British newspaper "The Guardian", where Greenwald works, admitted funding Miranda's flights. Although he is not an employee of the paper, the Brazilian citizen, usually helps his partner with news reports, according to the publication.

The White House said Monday that the United States was informed about Miranda's arrest, but denied, however, that the government had requested for his arrest or questioning.

The police and the British government will have to formally explain the arrest of the Brazilian citizen. The Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation David Anderson said he will investigate whether there was an abuse in the application of anti-terror laws, and from the conclusion, it must submit a special report to the Parliament and suggest immediate changes in legislation.

In a Folha interview, Miranda talked about the incident with the British authorities.

What was the reason for your trip to Germany?

I was taking some data to Laura (Poitras), who is working together with Greenwald since the beginning of the Snowden case. I was also going to bring back some data stored in two pen drives and one external hard drive. Everything was seized. I have no idea about the content. It is Glenn and Laura who take care of this.

How was the approach from the British police?

On Sunday, I boarded at 7am, in Berlin, on my way back to Brazil. The flight had a connection in London. After landing at Heathrow, at 7:50 am, the flight attendant announced through the audio in the plane that passengers should leave the plane with the passport in hands. At that moment, I knew they were going after me. After seeing my passport, an official said: "Follow me please, sir."

Scotland Yard issued a statement that says you have been detained for nine hours based on the Anti-terror Law...

It's a lie. I was held for eleven hours. Before heading to the interrogation room, I walked around in the airport with the officials for two hours. During this time, they did not ask me anything, not even one question, about terrorism. They did not want to know if I were a terrorist or if I had some contact with one. They simply used the law to get what they wanted. According to this law, associated to terrorism, they can ask whoever they want and even send people to jail if they refuse to speak. It was exactly what they did with me all day long. They said that if I did not cooperate, I would go to jail. They showed me a copy of this law.

How was the questioning?

I was taken to a white room, with no windows, with four chairs, a table and a machine to register fingerprints. I was there the whole time being threatened with arrest. They took all my luggage. When I got home in Rio, I went to see my bag and realized that two pieces of equipment were missing: a router device and a smart watch from Sony, which I had bought for a friend. I had the same watch model in my backpack, which was also seized. Every 30 minutes, they offered me water. I did not drink and neither did they. They always threw out the water.

What they wanted to know about you?

They asked me several times about my relationship with Glenn. They questioned me on my participation in his work. They walked around me as they spoke. It was a psychological threat. They wanted to know if I had access to the content sent by Snowden. I explained that I had no access to data, that my work with Glenn was restricted to marketing. I usually guide Glenn on where to publish his news reports. I help him to choose the appropriate media outlets.

What else they wanted to know during the nine hour interrogation?

The officers took turns in questioning. They asked why people were protesting on the streets of Brazil. I said it came from people outraged with corruption in the country. They then asked what kind of corruption we had in the country. Later, they questioned whether I had any relationship with the Brazilian government. I said that recently, my partner went to Brazil's Senate. I also said that I met some senators on that occasion. It was a way for me to tell them I knew important people in my country, that I was not alone.

Translated by SIMONE PALMA

Read the article in the original language