Glenn Greenwald Is Starting His Own News Organization

Glenn Greenwald, the reporter who has broken numerous stories on the National Security Agency over the past few months, is leaving The Guardian to start his own news organization.

BuzzFeed's Ben Smith was the first to report the news.

"My partnership with the Guardian has been extremely fruitful and fulfilling: I have high regard for the editors and journalists with whom I worked and am incredibly proud of what we achieved," Greenwald said in a statement.

"The decision to leave was not an easy one, but I was presented with a once-in-a-career dream journalistic opportunity that no journalist could possibly decline.

"Because this news leaked before we were prepared to announce it, I'm not yet able to provide any details of this momentous new venture, but it will be unveiled very shortly."

Greenwald has been one of the main players in the NSA stories that have come based on leaks from former NSA contractor Edward Snowden. Greenwald himself has been subject to scrutiny in the resulting debate, with some questioning his straddling of a line between advocacy and journalism.

In late August, his partner, David Miranda, was detained for nine hours at London's Heathrow Airport earlier this month under a U.K. anti-terror law. Authorities said he was carrying some 58,000 sensitive government documents upon being detained.

Jennifer Lindenauer, a Guardian spokeswoman, said the paper was sorry to see Greenwald leave the publication.

"Glenn Greenwald is a remarkable journalist and it has been fantastic working with him," she said in a statement.

"Our work together over the last year has demonstrated the crucial role that responsible investigative journalism can play in holding those in power to account. We are of course disappointed by Glenn's decision to move on, but can appreciate the attraction of the new role he has been offered. We wish him all the best."