WikiLeaks: We Don't Know Who Leaked Documents

WikiLeaks' chief claims his organization doesn't know who sent it some 91,000 secret U.S. military documents, telling journalists that the website is set up to hide the source of its data from those who receive it.

Editor-in-chief Julian Assange says the added layer of secrecy helps protect the site's sources from spy agencies and hostile corporations. He acknowledged that the site's anonymous submissions raised concerns about the authenticity of the material, but said the site has not yet been fooled by a bogus document.

Assange made the claim in a lengthy hour talk before London's Frontline Club late Tuesday, in which he outlined the workings of WikiLeaks and defended its mission.

Meanwhile, a Pentagon investigation will determine whether criminal charges will be filed in the leaking of the Afghanistan war secrets, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said Wednesday.

Holder, speaking to reporters during a visit to Egypt, said the Justice Department is working with the Pentagon-led investigation to determine the source of the leak.

"I deplore the release of classified information. It is not really in the national interest of the United States to have that kind of material leaked," Holder said.

"The Justice Department is working with the Department of Defense with regard to an investigation concerning who the source of that leak, or the source of those leaks might be," he said. "Whether there will be criminal charges brought will depend on how the investigation goes."

Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said Tuesday that the Defense Department has launched a "very robust investigation" into the leak of secret documents on the war in Afghanistan published Sunday by WikiLeaks, an online site.

The WikiLeaks material ranges from files documenting Afghan civilian deaths to evidence of U.S.-Pakistani distrust. President Barack Obama said he was concerned about the massive leak of sensitive documents, but the papers did not reveal any concerns that were not already part of the debate over the war.

But U.S. military and intelligence officials are worried about the impact on the military's human intelligence network built up over the past eight years inside Afghanistan and Pakistan.

An earlier investigation by the Army's criminal investigative division led to a prosecution in a separate case of leaks to the website. Bradley Manning, an Army intelligence specialist, has been charged with multiple counts of mishandling and leaking classified data, on suspicion he handed over to Wikileaks a classified 2007 video that shows a group of on unarmed men in Iraq walking down the street before being repeatedly shot by the Apache helicopters. The American gunners can be heard laughing and referring to the men as "dead bastards."

If convicted on all charges, Manning could be sentenced to a maximum 52 years in prison.

More WikiLeaks Coverage

WikiLeaks Puts Afghan Agents at Risk, U.S. Says
WikiLeaks Unlikely to Change Afghan War's Course
Obama: Nothing New in WikiLeaks Documents
WikiLeaks Draws Focus to Military Hit Lists
Pentagon: "Very Robust" Probe of WikiLeak Source
Leaked Docs Expose Afghan Failings, Plague Military
Docs May Dent U.S.-Pakistani Relations
Washington Unplugged: WikiLeaks Paint Grim Afghan Picture
Hotsheet: White House Tries to Kill the Messenger
White House: "No Blank Check" for Pakistan
WikiLeaks Founder: Many More Documents to Come
WikiLeaks: Evidence of War Crimes in Afghan Docs
WikiLeaks: Evidence of War Crimes in Afghan Docs
Analyst: WikiLeaks Report Fuels War Debate
WikiLeaks Reveals Grim Afghan War Realities

[nuttyworld]

Acts of treason haven't been punished in this country for far too long. Why is that?

[notparicular]

Many distractions came, many special interests appeared, but our country was always saved by the spirit of the constitution and the Declaration of Independence. Of all people the state department always thinks they are above the law. A lot of intelligent people, graduates of top universities of the nation, work for the state department; they take themselves to be too smart, and undermine the simple statements of our constitution by their conniving plans in other countries. Fire them all. Then common sense would prevail. Too simple a plan! yes it is. Replace those smart behinds with graduates from state universities around the country; they will bring fairness.

[Cyber998]

The head Wikileaks guy made a good point: Over 100 Afghan people have died a day on average in while this war has been going on (according to ISAF, so most likely on low side of real figure). No way publishing this info could cause that level of death and destruction, whilst it might just be able to help stop it.

[scottyusa]

Sometimes the truth hurts. Now the circus begins. Watch as our government deverts attention by focusing on catching the perpetraters rather than answering to the american people (who the refer to so lovingly in their speeches)for what is actually in the report. We want answers as to why our government is acting so stupidly on this war. I disagree that this will not affect our attitude towards the war. That earlier headline is a wish. It sure has changed mine.

[carefulobserver]

Who leaked WikiLeaks? Yeah, the same person who leaked the name of the CIA Covert Officer Valery Plame. Now go catch him/her if you can!

[sslady77575-2009]

I think Julian Assange is an idiot! Why should her care what he publishes it's not his country. And the idiot that leaked the informantion is a slime ball of the worse kind. To bad old west law isn't still in effect we'd hang them both on the court square!

[Simifanene]

How is the truth going to hurt American's. The truth will only protect Americans. Lie's like the ones Bush & Cheney made to all of us we're put out as truth's. Now actual documents describing torture, gestapo tactics, and the truth of what really is happening is being kept from us. Hidden agenda, corrupt action, illegal activity. Is that what they're hiding? Was the torture that horrendus? Did our troops torture children? Did our Generals order massacres? Are there pictures, letters or documents of atroities? What are they hiding. What are they afraid of? I went to view the Wikki site yesterday and it was taken off line by the Gestapo. I guess it's just the Patiot Act at work. Men like Bush & Cheney are good at manipulating words. Enhanced interrogation, torture. The Patriot Act, Mein Kamp. Scare tactics. Have you noticed since Obama took office their are no more scare tactics. Remember how many time we we're put on terroist red, yellow and brown alerts during Bush and Cheney's rule? We we're never attacked or was at anytime in danger. Bush & party we're using scare tactics to justify their crimes of torture and invasion. Since Obama took office have your heard of any national red, or orange alerts? Back to these documents. I as a adult American demand that they be released. As an American I want the truth, not lies but the truth. We're strong enought to face truths that hurt. We American's can overcome any truth, by change earned by our votes for it. The Corporate American Puppets have pulled the Republican strings of Bush, Cheney and Palin to the point of gang rule. The land where Corporate Board members decide what legislation is needed and then pull their puppets strings to get it passed. Time for change. Change is happening, but we can't stop with ousting men like Bush and Cheney. We must oust more of the Corporate puppets and replace them with men or women like you or I. Common men, the average man, people with no connections but with strong convitions of the American way. Time for more change. Revert the Patriot Act, close down the Arizona Gulag dessert prisons. Reform our justice & police system? The diginet age is here. We can't let it become a tool for the state to coral us as they watch us at our toliets on their secret cams. Maybe it hasn't got that far but it will if we beleive the lies and scare tactics said and done. Back to the truth. The truth shall set you free. Martin Luther King, 1960. The truth, George Washington, Abe Lincoln, and maybe, maybe. just maybe Barrack Obama. He's a man of his word so far. Is afraid of the truth too? We'll find out won't we. I voted for him because his honesty projects from his soul. I hope the Presidential office and constant adivse from antiquicated Generals & cabinet members has not changed him to one who cowers at the truth as Bush & Cheney did. I honestly beleive he is our last hope at saving America from becoming a police state led by men like Bush & Cheney. I feel empathy and fear for my grandchildrens future, if Obama fails. The land of the free no more. The new land of gulag prisons, police infiltraitors, the press surpressed, the courts cruel & and usual and the common man just a working slave to the Corporate American master's. The truth will set us free. Let us read these documents, as free men, and a free country, it's our right.

[perish2]

You are a supreme fool and lunatic. Obma has lied more in his first year than any other president. Can you prove one thing that you say against Bush/ Cheney. Are you just another lunatic repeater of all the liberal garbage that you are told is "truth"? Who do you think that "gestapo" that you talk about is? It is you and your party! the democrats are all the richest politicians. They get all the largest donations from corporate and financial and unions. You moron can't you see that they are playing all sides and taking responsibility for nothing. How can you be so blind and gp through life without bumping into walls all day? So deaf that you aren't hit by a train? You need to use your mouth for something ither than the super ultra rich elitist demo-rats urinal.

[Simifanene]

Is that your best shot, Perish. You lash out to ther truth with nothing but insults to the ones who speak up for our country, Bill of Rights and way of life. You try to offset wisdom with bully remarks of name calling and insults. Are you that afraid of the truth. Men like your Bush and Cheney, take words like truth, honor and patriotsim and manipulate them to make lies the truth. Enhanced interrogation, torture. The Patriot Act, Mein Kampf. The scare tactic's and bully insults of men like you Bush and Cheney will only hurt America. You take Bush's Vietnams, acts of torture, and inhumanity and put it upon President Obama who has only been in office a year and a half. Only 18 monthes, yet we're almost out of Bush's ist Vietnam Iraq, and will be out of Afghanastan very soon. Obama already ordered our police and army to commit no more torture and to do everything possible to protect civilians as he leads our troop in the hunt of Bin Ladin and his officers. Bush, Cheney only empowered Ladin and their war crimes have lowered our flag to half mast for all tortured, and all innocent he allowed to be killed in his cowerdly frenzy to capture Ladin. These documents should be released for the whole world to view. We're America the land of the free press. Aren't we? You can't answer me though without the use of slander, insults, and twisting of the truth to meet your needs. Why are you so afraid of the truth? We're you involved in wars crimes? Bush, Cheney and people like you have turned the justified hunt down of the 911 terrorist to one of religious persecution, torture, and inhumanity to civilians who had nothing to do with 911, but to be of the same religion and color of the attackers. I speak harsh and rough because children our dying and our Bill of Rights & flag have been walked on by men like you, Bush, Cheney and the rest of the Corporate Puppets have. Time for more change. Two new age Vietnams, created not by terrorist but by Bush & Cheney's foolish tactics. Invading innocent countries based on lies. Schock & awing innocent familiews as they rest in their homes in the dark of the night. That's brave to you? That's the American way to you? Not to me. It's UnAmerican, unjustified and goes against everything our great Nation stands for. We're American's. We lead, we defend, we feed, we save, we cure, we create, we wave our flag for freedom and justice for all. Even to our enemy. We're that big of a country. Men like you Bush & Cheney only embarrass and shame our flag with your scare & bullying tactics. I'm not ranting as you say, I'm standing up for our Flag and Way of Life. The truth of these documents must be shown to the whole world or the whole world will think what is America hiding? The truth will set you free. Martin Luther King, 1960.

[pinchebill]

Whoever leak this is an American Hero. Mannong was obeying the US Military Code Of Justice - He knew of a crime and reported to the President via the Internet.ELDDAM You are correct General Patton said 'There is no difference between the Nazi Party and the Republican Party!'

[LtSmily]

It's simple really, when they find who leaked the documents, that person gets a military tribunal and then firing squad. This person (persons) are traitors and should be executed as such, regardless of whatever we "think" happens in war. Collateral damage is a given in any war, and even with these releases I have yet to see evidence the US intentionally targets "innocent" civilians. Absolutely none of the whiners served in the Military, let alone in battle situations, so they have no point of reference to post anything except their coddled little lives protected by the blood and guts of men and women brave enough to defend Liberty. While these Wars may be disagreeable, we are there and need to finish, without these "leaked documents" making it that much more difficult.

[perish2]

Every time something the government doesn't want people to know comes out, everyone gets all upset that it was leaked. If it hadn't been leaked to wiki-whatsit, it would have been leaked somewhere else. If not the American media, then to some other nationality like perhaps some French media. Once whoever had the information decided to put it out, it was going to be out no matter what. Going after the messenger is nonsense. The person or persons that deserve any blame are;#1 those who leaked the information #2 Those who allowed the leak of the information. Whether by negligence of trust or failure to take proper protective measures.
If there is any blame for security concerns, it needs to be directed at them, not at the messenger.