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Subscribe to RSSLONDON - It was another mega-download moment brought to you by WikiLeaks.
On Thursday, at the progressive journalists hub in London called the Frontline Club, the group of whistleblowers officially announced the release of their latest massive “data set” regarding Syria.
The new release of some 2.5 million emails focuses entirely on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime as seen through the communications of its top ministries and companies. They date from August 2006 to March of this year, when the current crisis in Syria was building up deadly momentum.
This release by WikiLeaks is said to be so large that it allegedly surpasses by eight times the size of the group's infamous release of U.S. State Department cables known as “Cablegate."
Are children fighting on Syria's rebel front lines?
“The material is embarrassing to Syria, but it is also embarrassing to Syria’s opponents,” WikiLeaks official Sarah Harrison said in a statement streamed live.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who faces extradition to Sweden for questioning about allegations of rape and molestation, did not appear at the club because he is currently living inside Ecuador’s Embassy seeking political asylum. He fears he risks arrest by British police if he leaves the embassy building.
A bomb targeting Syria's highest court has exploded in Damascus. NBC's Bill Neely reports.
The so-called Syrian Files, to be released over the next few weeks, reportedly reveal intimate correspondence between top Baath Party officials, as well as records of bank transfers within Syria and abroad, including with Western companies, although Harrison did not go into detail.
Numerous attempts to access the data online by NBC News failed because the WikiLeaks website crashed continuously. But several initial documents we could access refer to the international communications company Selex (based in Genoa, Italy) and the sale of its Tetra technology to Syria this year. Tetra’s website describes the equipment as a “trunked radio system.”
WikiLeaks suggested this kind of encrypted communications network could be used, for instance, by the Syrian police to better protect their surveillance of militant activities. Harrison said that Western “training” on the Tetra technology inside Syria continued well after the outbreak of civil war.
After losing his appeal against extradition to Sweden to face allegations of rape and sexual assault, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, says he is considering his next step, which could be an appeal to Britain's Supreme Court.
Other downloads from the Syria Files that NBC News was able to access allegedly confirm delivery of ‘3 complete sets of connectors for 3 choppers’ to Damascus. It was unclear if “choppers” referred to helicopters used by the Syrian regime or jargon for a communications device. These Selex emails were dated Feb. 2, 2012.
Syrian groups come to blows while seeking peace
The goal of the latest release of data is to generate a series of in-depth stories about “the inner workings of the Syrian government and economy” and how the West and Western companies “say one thing and do another,” Harrison added.
However, this release is striking in its broader, more neutral approach, without the trenchant ideology or politics associated with previous data sets.
From the front line in what looks ever more like a fight for Syria's capital Damascus, members of the Free Syrian Army appear to be closing in on President Assad's stronghold, at a terrible cost to both sides. NBC's Bill Neely reports.
But on Thursday, Harrison denied reporters’ suggestions that WikiLeaks was going “mainstream.” She said that the group was facing “a difficult time at the moment.” She was referring to WikiLeaks' growing grand jury investigation in the U.S. and the blocking of its accounts by international credit card companies – not to mention Assange’s diplomatic limbo – but said that the organization would continue to “work through that.”
Reporter behind the lines in Syria sees no end to war
She ended by saying she was not aware of any “rebranding” by the world’s most controversial spiller of international secrets.
Jim Maceda is an NBC News correspondent based in London.
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If I were the Editor-In-Chief I would fire, shoot, tar & feather, hang, bury in peat moss, then dig up and place in a locked car on a hot day ANY writer who attaches the suffix "-gate" to any word for any reason, except when referring to the hotel.
I can't wait for WikiLeaks to expose vaccinations as causing mental illnesses. Uncorrupt the government, kick every lying sack of @!$%# out of Congress, put some actual leaders in there.
It's going to hurt - likely shut down the U.S. government from all of the lawsuits that would pour in - but that's when you look to the Constitution and merely start a new one (I'm likely naive on the complexities here) with leaders who actually represent the people. Same foundation, this time without any political party. (George Washington had warned against them, in his Farewell Address.)
P.S. The people need to grow up and be more accountable, too. The freedom of speech works only when those abusing it are completely ignored.
Information is the new weapon & words are the new ammunition. I do believe that it will be Wikileaks, and not nukes, that will eventually kill us all.
'Gate' this, 'Gate' that. What word did the press ever use before the Watergate break-in? A bit off topic, I know, but c'mon. Like attaching 'holic' to everything - doesn't even make sense. Surely our wonderful media wordsmiths can come up with better.
Dear MSM,
Please STOP the moronic practice of appending "-gate" to every scandal.
Thank you,
- The readers
Just shoot or arrest everybody involved in wikileaks. stealing and then releasing government materials is too dangerous to be screwed around with.
Just maybe in a weird way, Wikileaks, is God's plan. After all, this Empire will not be allowed to contiune forever. There is a time for everything, and it appears that the time of Judgement of nations is near.
God protect the truth, and the innocents.
That came from one of the Star Wars movies, but I can't remember which one.
What came from the Star Wars movies?
I don't think a god that has secret plans that winds up hurting people would like Wikileaks. After all, they might expose him.
Who gives a damn about Syria...As a tax payer I'm sick and tired of spending any of our tax dollars on theses puppet regimes...We are getting bludgeoned to death by crying hearts of the liberals. Let Syria solve their own problems..No US taxpayer dollars to Syria....These outlaw regimes know the US is a big patsy for dollars. Do we by any chance have problems at home Really ??!!
The UN must order intervention. As a member, the U.S. must put forth forces, along with other U.N. members. The slaughter cannot be allowed to continue. I care about Syria. I care about everything.
Obviously don't care about cluttering up a forum.
Yeah sure you do. Maybe if we hadn't been arming Al Qaeda to fight against Assad then all these people would not be dying. It must be nice to be naive enough to believe all the BS you see on tv and the internet.
Amen! Let the Truth come out!
Yes, like Iran is a grave danger to humankind and the West, so we will put sanctions that only hurt the innocents of that country, and ban all oil sales from that country, but oh, yea, China, we will let you buy their oil. You are okay.
Hypocrites!
just wait for the day China puts sanctions against the USA,they already own the dollar::: Wake up America ???? Their Exports are killing the US and the EU which in turn is killing the banking industry through the IMF and IMG controllers [World bank leaders]. Just check out their ethnic group or religious back ground???
I would say that if Assange keeps it up he is going to run into an adversary that will take extreme measures and might just delete him. The man is a fool...
I don't know if Assange believes in God, but he certainly believes in the truth. Throughout history, anyone speaking the truth, or going against the powerful and exposing them, were usually snuffed out.
Assange is fully aware of the danger.
Come on, these wars are planned, for a purpose, a New World Order.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, how can you not speak against these wars and corruption?
Wikileaks is not all Assange. Its an organization. He is just one of the founders and leader.
I understand completely, however, whom would they more than likely go after? Yep, Assange..
Will the media ever stop using the term "gate" after every "leak" Watergate was 40 years ago,...STOP
Why does the US support the rebels in Syria when they are Ala Quida ????
Need to ask our A$$ Clown-in-Chief.
How soon we forget, because of bad intelligence and manipulation of that intelligence the US has caused or is responsible for 270,000 deaths in Iraq, all wikileaks is doing is assembling intelligence and releasing it, yes it is embarrassing however it is also holding governments accountable, We know that through complacency and intimidation the 'We The People' attitude in America has gone away, and now Governments are both jealous and resentful of the fact that once again they are being brought to task for their actions. I think that history will prove that Assange and his organization is on the right course, I know that will take thought and intelligence to understand however I think that the Wikileaks has done so much to curb the arrogance of governments,
uh, 1 million iraqis died as a result of sanctions from 1993-2000.....for wmds the president( bill clinton) and all other presidents around the world said sadaam had
...sadaam even said he had wmds in 2000
...or maybe wikileaks can put the real death toll on the tienenman square massacre in 1989 ?
CaptnRon sounds like a mouth piece for Al-Queda Inspired Terrorist and Shiite Extremists in Iraq, blaming the deaths in Iraq on the Americans instead of Genocide Saddam and the Terrorists since then. I am sure you would also blame the Patriots for all the deaths during the American Revolution.
These guys are my heroes. Please don't ever stop.
I love the charming American idiots who call Assange a "traitor" (or "trader" [sic]). A traitor is someone who betrays his country. Assange is not American. Doofuses.
This is true. Assange is now the Ecuadoran Embassy shower room punk.
So when will ASSange release on Wikileak on the amount of bribe he paid to the Eduadoran Regime for him to stay in their Embassy instead of admitting of his crimes of causing the death of Aghan and Iraqi translators to the Terrorists?
Most of the people here upset about "security" wouldn't be if they knew what they were really hiding. These people need to pay for their crimes.
Some Afghan and Iraqi Translating heros paid with their lives due to the Wilikleak crimes of releasing their names for the Terrorists to see.
I think it's interesting that Rupert Murdoch's
Corporation is charged with hacking, as it should be, however when WikiLeaks does the same thing it's hailed as Journalism.
When Wikileaks releases the name of some to the Iraqi and Aghan Translating heros, it is hailed as "Journalism". Some of those released names have been since killed by Al-Queda, Taliban, and other Terrorist inspired factions. Wikileaks are the Terrorists best friend
Yeah, focus on Syria, and "pay no attention to the man behind the curtain".
Like translating the original Bible, each new version tweaks the version before it. Access to the original is either lost or denied. You left with faith that you had not been mislead.
I think of Flame and Stuxnet virus and that Israel and the U.S. made them and used them against countries. It can be hackers that did come of the hacking of Syria but this sounds to big for a hacker or more to do. I think it is an on purpose release by a country to WikiLeaks, for reasons unknown or another Private Manning person, who stole and released files without permission. People like the idea that hackers did this but like the last big release, it was a U.S. soldier. I think it was stealing of information by a person working for the U.S. or another country. What the U.S. gives the public of info, is what and as time needs for them to see to make a plan and see what best moves to make as time goes along. Releasing everything is without benefits and control of the situation. This is another example of how no matter how good you do on spying and hacking, one person can ruin all the hard work and will. With the information released, the U.S. can not hand pick news for the public to see that would have been selected to help our cause in helping the rebels. Sometimes if you say everything, it will make things drawn out longer and that is the problem in Syria, that it is taking to long. Syria is a tough game to win and not all support is on team to get Syria the help it needs and when you say everything, it gives the other guy the chance to not do that or find a better way to hide it and or carry it out. This could help the current Syrian government because they can learn from there mistakes. This may hurt the U.S. and other countries because it may name names and have video’s and locations of weapon trades. Russia is reinforcing Syria some in a port they have and this will help them. It will take the time for people to go over what is on WikiLeaks and then we can know what was released.
When I first looked at the title of the article, I said to myself, are they going to use this brand theme to make Syria look bad too help them get other countries to step in, and invade or stop what is happening over there?
I mean the founder has been silenced by the US, and UK, so why the f----k is this sh-it coming out right now?
I mean they had so many files they could have released, but now all of a sudden they are going too release files about Syria?
A country in a state of revolt, and the US with some other countries wanting too shut this present government down could possibly make good use of this frame work to get others to step in.
JMPO but what the hell its all good BS!
I'm sure they will re-write what ever they want us to know about, as long as it favors the ones doing it.
'...progressive journalists...'---in other words: numbskulls who believe Karl Marx was an honest man with valid views.
How soon will we see a major release of Ecuadorian documents?
Lovin' it. Again the hypocritical action of corporations and governments is brought home to us. Who can you trust if you can't trust your own government? That's right, nobody.
Always wondered why our government kept secrets from us. I fiqured that out after we had internet with us blogging. We all have our theories of each and everything. We wouldn't ever understand the truth is being told, besides our way of thinking sounds much better.
Everyone why don't everyone run for Congress win 1 term and you get a pension for life and medical for life. This way we do not the to work like Jacka$$es for the rest of our lifes.
I can't wait to read the juicy gossip. I'm curious about this contract to sell "connectors to choppers", whatever they are, which were supposed to help the Syrian government keep tabs on its demonstrators. We're condemning the Syrian government for its treatment of its protesters while Western corporations are profiting by helping it clamp down on them. This is really why the United States government wants to have Julian Assange extradited and is torturing PFC Bradley Manning - for exposing the truth.