WikiLeaks: New release 7 times size of Iraq logs

Nov 22, 2010 By RAPHAEL G. SATTER , Associated Press
In this July 27, 2010 file photo, founder and editor of the WikiLeaks website, Julian Assange, speaks to members of the media during a debate event held in London. A Swedish prosecutor has asked for a court order to detain WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange for questioning on suspicions of rape, sexual molestation and unlawful coercion.(AP Photo/Max Nash, File)

(AP) -- WikiLeaks' next release will be seven times the size of the Iraq war logs, already the biggest leak in U.S. intelligence history, the website said Monday.

The organization made the announcement in a brief message posted to its followers on , giving no information about the content of the coming release or its exact timing - although it did refer to "the coming months" in a separate sent about an hour later.

Although the website has been spilling secrets for years, shot to international prominence this year with a three leaks. One exposed a classified U.S. helicopter video that appears to show an attack on two Reuters employees and other civilians. The second made public 77,000 ground-level U.S. intelligence files covering the war in Afghanistan. The third put out 400,000 more such files exposing the daily grind of attacks, detentions and interrogations in Iraq.

Although it isn't clear what WikiLeaks is planning to release next, it allegedly has a huge cache of classified U.S. State Department cables whose publication could give a behind-the-scenes look at American diplomacy around the world.

In the message, the site also said it was under "intense pressure" over the imminent release - a possible reference to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's legal problems in Sweden, where he is wanted for alleged sexual misconduct. It could also be a reference to the constant pressure Assange says is being applied to the website's servers, security, and finances.

WikiLeaks did not immediately respond to an e-mail seeking further clarification. Assange says he never makes the exact nature of his releases public ahead of time, saying that gives secret-holders time to spin the information to their advantage.

Explore further: Facebook joins Web freedom group

5 /5 (6 votes)
add to favorites email to friend print save as pdf

Related Stories

WikiLeaks founder 'free to leave Sweden'

Sep 18, 2010

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is free to leave Sweden, after prosecutors said there was no arrest warrant against him for an alleged case of rape, one of his lawyers said Saturday.

Recommended for you

Facebook joins Web freedom group

18 hours ago

Facebook on Wednesday became a full member of the Global Network Initiative, a non-governmental organization promoting Internet freedom and privacy rights.

Big Data—for better or worse

23 hours ago

A full 90% of all the data in the world has been generated over the last two years. The internet companies are awash with data that can be grouped and utilised. Is this a good thing?

Risky behaviour starts young on social media: survey

May 22, 2013

Australian children are accessing social media websites at an increasingly younger age, a new survey suggests, with one in five "tweens" admitting they have chatted to someone online they do not know.

User comments : 6

Adjust slider to filter visible comments by rank

Display comments: newest first

paulthebassguy
5 / 5 (4) Nov 22, 2010
Haha Julian Assange makes me laugh. He's got the body language of a quiet but mischevious kid in the playground standing up to the bullies.
lewando
3 / 5 (2) Nov 22, 2010
I am surprised that he has not been taken out militarily.
StarDust21
1 / 5 (3) Nov 23, 2010
I feel like this guy is doing a disservice to peace around the world. I feel that he does this for his personal interest, or simply to stir up things.
DamienS
4 / 5 (4) Nov 23, 2010
I feel like this guy is doing a disservice to peace around the world. I feel that he does this for his personal interest, or simply to stir up things.

I say good on him. The world needs more whistle-blowers.
Jim1138
5 / 5 (3) Nov 23, 2010
@lewando: "I am surprised that he has not been taken out militarily". Would give additional endorsement to Assange's replacement
Au-Pu
1 / 5 (1) Nov 23, 2010
What is more interesting is how he sources his information and or who might provide it to him????

More news stories

Solar plane sets distance record on US tour

The first manned aircraft that can fly day and night powered only by solar energy set a new distance record Thursday when it landed after the second leg of a cross-country US tour.

Unlocking secrets of cell reproduction

Research published in Open Biology today identifies, for the first time, nearly all the genes required for reproduction of a cell in a living organism.

Fast-acting mothers' milk for healthier babies

Human breastmilk responds quickly to protect the child when there is an infection in mothers or babies, according to new international research led by The University of Western Australia.