Maine news, sports, weather from Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram, Portland, Maine
Friday, September 10, 2010
White House asks WikiLeaks site to stop posting secret war documents
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON - The Obama administration on Friday implored the website WikiLeaks to stop posting secret Afghanistan war documents, as the Pentagon pressed its investigation of the massive security breach.
Related headlines
Administration officials said the investigation into the release of the documents -- more than 76,900 so far -- could extend beyond members of the military.
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said WikiLeaks' online posting of mostly raw military intelligence reports jeopardized national security and put the lives of Afghan informants and U.S. troops at risk.
Asked what the Obama administration could do to stop WikiLeaks from disclosing thousands of similar documents it claims to have, Gibbs said, "We can do nothing but implore the person that has those classified top secret documents not to post any more."
"I think it's important that no more damage be done to our national security," Gibbs said Friday on NBC's "Today" show.
According to Britain's Channel 4 News, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the Afghans named in the leaked documents were under scrutiny.
"We will investigate through our own secret service whether the people mentioned are really spies working for the U.S. If they are U.S. spies, then we know how to punish them," he is quoted as saying.
The Pentagon's inquiry has been looking most closely at Pfc. Bradley Manning, an Army intelligence analyst charged with leaking a helicopter video from Iraq to the WikiLeaks website. The classified cockpit video showed a 2007 firefight in Baghdad that left a Reuters photographer and his driver dead.
Manning has also been charged with illegally obtaining more than 150,000 classified State Department cables and leaking more than 50 of them. It's not clear from the charges, though, whether the allegedly diverted documents were those published on the website.
Manning, 22, was moved Thursday from Kuwait to Quantico Marine Corps Base in Virginia, where he will be held while awaiting possible trial, the Army said Friday.
Were you interviewed for this story? If so, please fill out our accuracy form
Most...
Copyright ©2010 MaineToday Media, Inc.
11 COMMENTS
zombie9 said...
Kudo's to PFC. Manning. Somebody in the military that is actually willing to fight for our freedom, and to Wiki Leaks for having the guts to publish real news.
July 31, 2010 at 6:49 AM Report abuse
MainelyJack said...
White House "implored" them to stop? What a joke that regime is. Send in the FBI, arrest them and shut it down. Implore my aqq.
July 31, 2010 at 7:38 AM Report abuse
Cochon said...
MainelyJack, nice one. How are your so bold. Your like the cool kid at school.
July 31, 2010 at 8:31 AM Report abuse
UofA said...
Manning should go before a Firing Squad after his trial. The yahoos in the White House didn't say "Pretty Please" and expects that the Democrats idol will listen to them!
July 31, 2010 at 8:40 AM Report abuse
MainelyJack said...
You went to school, Cochon? Not apparent.
July 31, 2010 at 9:44 AM Report abuse
common_cents said...
The MSM which championed and defended the release of the WATERGATE papers to the Washington Post, and who knows how much secret stuff from Valerie Plame & hubby to the NYTIMES, is bent in half over the release of these documents to the BLOGOSPHERE....I mean they can't make any money, can't write their books....so we have the whining broadcast from the White House ....STOP IT; YOU'RE KILLING OBAMA's PUBLICITY MACHINE!
July 31, 2010 at 10:14 AM Report abuse
common_cents said...
The MSM which championed and defended the release of the WATERGATE papers to the Washington Post, and who knows how much secret stuff from Valerie Plame & hubby to the NYTIMES, is bent in half over the release of these documents to the BLOGOSPHERE....I mean they can't make any money, can't write their books....so we have the whining broadcast from the White House ....STOP IT; YOU'RE KILLING OBAMA's PUBLICITY MACHINE!
July 31, 2010 at 10:24 AM Report abuse
MSH said...
Maybe Mangy Jack would be happier living in a nice place with an effective junta......Like Mayanmar for instance...
July 31, 2010 at 12:18 PM Report abuse
Bole said...
If the government wasn't doing sneaky, underhanded, crooked and questionable activities there would be no need for secrecy. If they can't be straight forward they are hiding something illegal or immoral or unethical. Secrecy is trying to avoid accountability. That's why things are classified.
July 31, 2010 at 12:22 PM Report abuse
UofA said...
Think that PFC will be a Corporal anytime soon? Jail him or shoot him before he breeds!
July 31, 2010 at 1:19 PM Report abuse
Cochon said...
MainelyJack, another good one. Your like the Fonz with your outlandish bold posts. Keep them coming.
July 31, 2010 at 5:50 PM Report abuse