US admiral hits out at WikiLeaks
Source: Agencies |
July 31, 2010, Saturday
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THE whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks may have blood on its hands, the Pentagon said on Thursday, warning its unprecedented leak of secret US military files could cost lives and damage trust of allies.
An Army intelligence officer, already under arrest, is at the center of an investigation into last Sunday's leak of more than 90,000 secret records to WikiLeaks, one of the biggest security breaches in United States military history.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates declined comment on the probe but said he could not rule out more leaks of classified information.
He also announced plans to tighten access to sensitive intelligence data.
Admiral Mike Mullen, who as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is the top US military officer, lashed out at WikiLeaks' founder Julian Assange, who says he aims to expose corporate and government corruption.
"Mr Assange can say whatever he likes about the greater good he thinks he and his source are doing," Mullen said. "But the truth is they might already have on their hands the blood of some young soldier or that of an Afghan family."
The Army investigation into the incident has focused on Army specialist Bradley Manning, who was already charged earlier this month with leaking information previously published by WikiLeaks, US defense officials say.
Manning is awaiting trial on charges of leaking a classified video showing a 2007 helicopter attack that killed a dozen people in Iraq, including two journalists.
An Army intelligence officer, already under arrest, is at the center of an investigation into last Sunday's leak of more than 90,000 secret records to WikiLeaks, one of the biggest security breaches in United States military history.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates declined comment on the probe but said he could not rule out more leaks of classified information.
He also announced plans to tighten access to sensitive intelligence data.
Admiral Mike Mullen, who as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is the top US military officer, lashed out at WikiLeaks' founder Julian Assange, who says he aims to expose corporate and government corruption.
"Mr Assange can say whatever he likes about the greater good he thinks he and his source are doing," Mullen said. "But the truth is they might already have on their hands the blood of some young soldier or that of an Afghan family."
The Army investigation into the incident has focused on Army specialist Bradley Manning, who was already charged earlier this month with leaking information previously published by WikiLeaks, US defense officials say.
Manning is awaiting trial on charges of leaking a classified video showing a 2007 helicopter attack that killed a dozen people in Iraq, including two journalists.
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