WikiLeaks

WikiLeaks is a website that allows users to anonymously post various corporate and government documents. According to WikiLeaks, the purpose of the website is to protect the rights of journalists and whistleblowers and people who point out flaws in establishments or groups. WikiLeaks says it strives to also protect the freedom of the press.http://wikileaks.org/wiki/WikiLeaks:AboutThe idea for an outlet such as WikiLeaks stemmed from certain online discussions between journalists and activists about the corruption of government.http://wikileaks.org/wiki/WikiLeaks:About#When_and_how_was_the_idea_for_WikiLeaks_first_formed.3F

On December 1, 2010, WikiLeaks published over 250,000 diplomatic cables that revealed information about affairs between the United States and other countries. There were worries from the U.S. government that relationships between the United States and foreign allies may become strained. Various government officials condemned WikiLeaks for releasing such confidential documents. After their release, no damage was initially revealed between the U.S. and any nations.http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/04/world/04wikileaks-reax.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

During the first week of December 2010, WikiLeaks was booted from Amazon.com's Internet servers, and PayPal severed its connections with the website as well. Mastercard also announced it was in the process of suspending acceptance of its cards to the website as well. Following the arrest on December 7 of WikiLeak founder Julian Assange, Visa Europe suspended its payments to the website pending an investigation into the organization.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11938320

Julian Assange, the 39-year-old founder of WikiLeaks, was arrested in London on December 7, 2010. Assange turned himself in on Tuesday after British police received a formal arrest warrant from Swedish authorities. The London arrest is an attempt by Swedish authorities to have Assange extradited to Sweden to face questioning in allegations that he sexually assaulted two women there in August of 2010. According to Swedish prosecutors, Assange may have been involved in molestation, "unlawful coercion", and rape. Assange, however, denies the allegations, insisting it was consensual, though unprotected sex.http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-wikileaks-assange-arrest-20101208,0,10353.story

During Julian Assange's preliminary hearing on December 7, he formally refused voluntary extradition, and was denied bail over belief that his nomadic lifestyle made him a flight risk. According to Assange's lawyer, he will make another bail application. His next hearing is scheduled for December 14.http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-wikileaks-assange-arrest-20101208,0,10353.story

According to a story on MSNBC in August 2010, WikiLeaks was set to publish an additional 15,000 war documents pertaining to the Afgan war. The U.S. government issued warnings regarding the release of these secret documents. Pentagon officials claimed the documents would cause a security risk and could put people's lives in danger. Wikileaks stated they were going through the documents line-by-line and would redact any innocent individual names who could be hurt by the release of information.http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38702595/ns/us_news-security/

In July of 2010, WikiLeaks published more than 90,000 classified military documents about the war in Afghanistan, triggering criticism from the White House and several countries, including Pakistan. White House national security adviser General Jim Jones said the release of the classified documents "put the lives of Americans and our partners at risk."http://www.newyorkpost.com/p/news/international/wikileaks_more_us_documents_coming_pEZHx9fSZaSsxUZX9GN92O The leaked documents, listed on WikiLeaks under "Afghan War Diary 2004-2010," include incidents allegedly involving the killings of Afghan civilians, details about U.S. special forces operations in Afghanistan and "covert operations against Taliban figures."http://www.newyorkpost.com/p/news/international/wikileaks_more_us_documents_coming_pEZHx9fSZaSsxUZX9GN92O http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/38244/20100726/afghan-war-diary-wikileaks-org-julian-assange-expose-afghan-war-diary.htm WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said more documents would be forthcoming.http://www.newyorkpost.com/p/news/international/wikileaks_more_us_documents_coming_pEZHx9fSZaSsxUZX9GN92O During a press conference in London on July 26, 2010, Assange said the release of the documents tells "the story of the war since 2004."http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-10762145

WikiLeaks is no stranger to controversy involving the U.S. military. In April 2010, a video was posted on WikiLeaks that included purported footage of U.S. military troops in helicopters allegedly killing civilians in Baghdad, Iraq in 2007. Senior military officials later confirmed that the footage was "authentic."http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/06/wikileaks-iraq-killing-vi_n_527383.html The U.S. soldier allegedly behind that video leak, U.S. Army specialist Bradley Manning, was arrested in June 2010 on charges he released the classified information.http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Military/2010/0607/Soldier-arrested-in-WikiLeaks-classified-Iraq-video-case

Wikileaks leaked the inner workings of the Church of Scientology's 612 page bible in March of 2008. The "bible" had never fully been seen by the public before it appeared on Wikileaks. The Church of Scientology contacted the website to remove the copyrighted documents. Wikileaks refused to take them down.http://arstechnica.com/old/content/2008/05/mormons-scientologists-face-uphill-battle-against-wikileaks.arsThen, in April of 2008, Wikileaks posted the secret handbook of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. These materials were private and most Mormons have not even seen them. After the spokesperson from the church, Michael Purdy, asked for them to take the handbook off of their website, they refused.http://arstechnica.com/old/content/2008/05/mormons-scientologists-face-uphill-battle-against-wikileaks.ars