(Guardian reporter Glenn Greenwald/snapshot, CNN)

British authorities did, however, give the U.S. a "heads up" before detaining Brazilian David Miranda, Greenwald's partner, according to White House officials.

"This was a decision that they made on their own, and not at the request of the United States," White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters at a briefing. "This is something that they did independent of our direction," he added.

Greenwald told the Guardian that Miranda was held for nine hours Sunday at London Heathrow International Airport and questioned under Britain's Terrorism Act. Mirnada lives in Rio de Janiero with Greenwald, a U.S. citizen who is working with former national security contractor Edward Snowden to release details of classified U.S. intelligence activities, according to Politico.

See the whole story at BBC News