Brazil says US spy program violates sovereignty

BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) -- Brazil's foreign minister says U.S. surveillance programs violate the sovereignty of countries whose emails and telephone calls have been targeted by the National Security Agency.

Antonio Patriota Thursday tells a Congressional committee the spying could create a "cloud of mistrust between countries."

He said Thursday that "No one questions that fighting terrorism is legitimate." But he added that "resorting to tactics that affect the good relations among states must be questioned."

The NSA operations were revealed in stories written by Brazil-based American journalist Glenn Greenwald based on documents leaked by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden.

Last week London police detained Greenwald's companion David Miranda for almost nine hours under anti-terror legislation in Heathrow Airport. Miranda returned to Brazil on Monday.