The first significant legal challenge to UK intelligence agencies intercepting private communications in bulk was heard on Tuesday by the European Court of Human Rights. Three separate cases brought by civil rights groups, including Liberties member Liberty, are being considered by seven Strasbourg judges. The cases question the sharing of surveillance material by British intelligence services, including MI5 and MI6, the United States and other countries. The Court will focus on the bulk interception programmes like Tempora, Upstream and Prism, which were revealed by Edward Snowden in 2013.