Wikileaks website attacked; millions of files to be released tonight
Wikileaks‘ website is reportedly under attack as it prepares to release up to 2.7 million documents, described as “diplomatic dynamite”, detailing communication between United States embassies. “We are currently under a mass distributed denial of service attack,” the organisation said on its Twitter feed. The website, run by Julian Assange, retaliated by saying that even if their website goes down, several newspapers will publish the leaked files this evening.
The Obama administration wrote to Assange yesterday to warn him that “countless” lives would be put at risk should the documents be published. “We will not engage in a negotiation regarding the further release or dissemination of illegally obtained US government classified materials,” the letter stated. Wikinews reported on Saturday that officials in Washington were contacting embassies around the world to warn diplomats of the leak.
Assange told reporters on Sunday: “The material that we are about to release covers essentially every major issue in every country in the world.” Wikileaks confirmed that El Pais, Le Monde, Der Spiegel, The Guardian and The New York Times will be publishing the documents this evening. “The greatest anxiety is that these leaks will reveal remarks [by U.S. diplomats] of a hostile nature towards various Islamic leaders and Islamic state policies,” political analyst Peter Spencer said. Analysts have said that the letter to Obama reflects the U.S. administration’s concern over possible publication of the files, which may contain American diplomats’ opinions of other politicians, some of which may be candid and embarrassing.
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