Cameron threatens to 'act' against newspapers publishing NSA leaks

U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron said Monday that his government would likely act to stop newspapers from publishing further leaks by former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden, unless the papers begin behaving more responsibly. His threat is the latest in a series of attempts by the government officials to curb the publishing of classified documents.

"If they (newspapers) don't demonstrate some social responsibility it will be very difficult for government to stand back and not to act," Cameron told parliament, saying U.K. newspaper The Guardian had gone on to print damaging material after initially agreeing to destroy sensitive data.

Snowden, who is currently living in Russia under asylum, leaked thousands of classified documents that reveal details of the U.S. National Security Agency’s spy programs in the United States and abroad.

A series of articles in The Guardian and the Washington Post implicated the United Kingdom in programs targeting foreign leaders and diplomats at the 2009 Group of 20 summit.

Referring to reports that German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s phone had been monitored by the NSA, U.K. opposition Labour leader Ed Miliband said, "We can all understand the deep concerns recent reports have caused in some European countries, especially Germany."

On July 20, the U.K. government ordered The Guardian to destroy computer hard drives that held classified files leaked by Snowden.

In August, U.K. authorities detained and interrogated David Miranda, the partner of Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald, who wrote several surveillance stories based on leaks by Snowden. Miranda's cellphone, laptops and memory sticks were confiscated.

Meanwhile, other European nations including France and Germany are furious over reports that the NSA spied on their citizens and leaders.

Nine European Parliament deputies were visiting Washington beginning Monday to seek more information on mass surveillance by the NSA.

Wire services