Alleged Wikileaks source arrested

[Rustum]

The alleged source for the air-strike video posted by Wikileaks in their Collateral Murder section has been arrested. Brad Manning, the alleged source, is a security analyst with the US Army and was stationed in Baghdad. According to the story, Manning also leaked 260 000 diplomatic communication cables to Wikileaks, many of which may reveal the very dark side of international politics.

Apparently, Manning confided to Adrian Lamo (a 'former' hacker) via IM chat; Lamo then contacted the FBI. The story broke at Wired, through Kevin Poulsen, also a 'former' hacker and once associate of Lamo.

Julian Assange of Wikileaks insists that Wikileaks, because of their anonymising submission system, cannot confirm that Manning was the source. He also cannot say whether they do have the 260 000 cables (probably because of the mass of data they receive, they could probably not have checked it out yet).

Here's the Wired story:

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2010/06/leak/

Wikileaks: http://www.wikileaks.org/
Collateral Murder: http://www.collateralmurder.com/
New Yorker profile of Julian Assange of Wikileaks: http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/06/07/100607fa_fact_khatchadourian?printable=true

 

[Nothxkbi]

Hope they lock this soldier up for a very long time, utter disgrace to his country.

 

[Fudzy]

What?

 

[LazyLion]

Ja, it is one thing if the leak is an independent source... but from someone who works for or is contracted to the Military... that is inexcusable.

 

[Fudzy]

So it's better these types of things are kept under the carpet?

 

[Palimino]

Julian Assange of Wikileaks insists that Wikileaks, because of their anonymising submission system, cannot confirm that Manning was the source. He also cannot say whether they do have the 260 000 cables (probably because of the mass of data they receive, they could probably not have checked it out yet).

Whew! Nothing to do with Wikileaks then. Their system works perfectly and continues to reveal high-level scumbucketry. They can’t be responsible for a source’s indiscretions.

Viva Wikileaks. Viva!

 

[Rustum]

Whew! Nothing to do with Wikileaks then. Their system works perfectly and continues to reveal high-level scumbucketry. They can’t be responsible for a source’s indiscretions.

Viva Wikileaks. Viva!

Agreed, Palamino. Still, donning my conspiracy hat, the whole Manning story sounds like an operation to either discredit Wikileaks or set them up for a 'pre-emptive' strike:

1. Adrian Lamo cut a deal with the FBI a few years back around his own conviction for hacking; so he may have sympathetic connection with them.
2. This story broke via Kevin Poulsen, another 'former' hacker and a buddy of Lamo
3. [Conspiracy warning]: Manning may or may not be the source; this could be a disinformation campaign. The 260 000 cables apparently reveal spy code names, etc., things that could lead to deaths and radically compromise US foreign policy.
4. I.e. more than enough reason for US to act if indeed this info can potentially reach the public domain
5. The US has a definite agenda in discrediting Wikileaks (leaked by Wikileaks: http://www.wikileaks.org/wiki/U.S._Intelligence_planned_to_destroy_WikiLeaks,_18_Mar_2008), so 260 000 cables that contain highly sensitive military, security and intelligence info seems like the perfect reason to go after Wikileaks with the gloves off. So I am sceptical that the data was leaked; it could be an invented detail.

But even if there's no such conspiracy, I would be f--kin nervous if I was Julian Assange.

 

[The_Assimilator]

So it's better these types of things are kept under the carpet?

Manning leaked more than a quarter of a million classified embassy dispatches, do you think he read all of them beforehand? Even one of those dispatches could contain sensitive information that could have all sort of repercussions for the entire world.

I hope that (a) nothing bad comes from this leak, and (b) Manning is executed for his betrayal. He doesn't strike me as doing this because he believed it was right; he sounds like an attention seeker. We can only be thankful this information wasn't leaked to a foreign power, although Wikileaks may be even worse.

 

[LazyLion]

So it's better these types of things are kept under the carpet?

No, I don't think anyone here believes that. It's a fine balance between what the world needs to know.... and guarding those national secrets that are very dangerous.
This man violated the trust he had with his government and deserves to be disciplined for it.

 

[Nothxkbi]

So it's better these types of things are kept under the carpet?

The air strike video is one thing. 260 000 diplomatic communication cables is something else. Al'Qaeda would pay big money to get their hands on that, whats to say they haven't already. This soldier put the lives of his own fellow soldiers at huge risk. This guy is a spy, hope they charge him for treason.

 

[Palimino]

The air strike video is one thing. 260 000 diplomatic communication cables is something else. Al'Qaeda would pay big money to get their hands on that, whats to say they haven't already. This soldier put the lives of his own fellow soldiers at huge risk. This guy is a spy, hope they charge him for treason.

You’re jumping to conclusions. I think Rustum may have a point.

3. [Conspiracy warning]: Manning may or may not be the source; this could be a disinformation campaign. The 260 000 cables apparently reveal spy code names, etc., things that could lead to deaths and radically compromise US foreign policy.

Personal with access to the type of information which could result in the deaths of ‘friendly’s are vetted even more rigorously than regular security clearances with in-depth psychiatric evaluations etc. I applaud his leaking of regular scumbucketry, but I would imagine that he is not the attention-seeking, money-mad, immature type who would leak life & death data. Besides, there is only one penalty for that and he knows it. I doubt Wikileaks would disseminate this type of information anyway.

On the balance of probability, I would say its disinformation, attempting to tie together scumbucket behavior with this so that suitable outrage can be expressed at scumbucket revelations.

 

[Fudzy]

You’re jumping to conclusions. I think Rustum may have a point.

Personal with access to the type of information which could result in the deaths of ‘friendly’s are vetted even more rigorously than regular security clearances with in-depth psychiatric evaluations etc. I applaud his leaking of regular scumbucketry, but I would imagine that he is not the attention-seeking, money-mad, immature type who would leak life & death data. Besides, there is only one penalty for that and he knows it. I doubt Wikileaks would disseminate this type of information anyway.

On the balance of probability, I would say its disinformation, attempting to tie together scumbucket behavior with this so that suitable outrage can be expressed at scumbucket revelations.

Exactly, I wouldn't be suprised if they are trying pin the additional leaks on this guy to make their case seem more feasible. It's certainly got the blinkered support of some local users, hardly suprising.