Charges Could Be Brought Against WikiLeaks

Julian Assange and his sources are believed to be the target of investigations launched by the FBI, the Pentagon, and the U.S. Justice Department.

U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr. said that the government is investigating whether WikiLeaks’ disclosure of 250,000 secret diplomatic cables violated any laws. The publication of the documents has jeopardized U.S. relations with several of its allies and embarrassed Washington, but charging WikiLeaks and its Australian founder Julian Assange could prove extremely difficult. The U.S. Espionage Act was passed during WWI and has since been curtailed by several court rulings, and prosecutors would have to show that WikiLeaks directly threatened national security. Assange is also notoriously hard to locate and it’s unclear whether any country would extradite him. Earlier this year Interpol issued a warrant for his arrest related to rape accusations made against him in Sweden.