“Wiki leaks” is a media organization lead and directed by Julian Assange working with a team of cyber activists managing to collect secret classified documents hidden from the public. Wiki leaks claim that they covered what no other media corporation has ever covered.  It was first launched in October 2006, and publically gained attention in October 2010 after the release of 400,000 secret military files known as the “Iraq War Logs” leaked with the help of troops in Iraq who had access to these files.

Bradley Manning

One of the troops was caught; “Bradley Manning” a 22 year old US soldier is accused of being the soldier funneling much of the documents that Wiki leaks released. “Manning” revealed serious US war crimes, and for that he is detained at a military detention facility, facing a life conviction because he has been charged with a charge called “aiding the enemy”. It is believed that Manning is being tortured by the US government hoping to get more information from Manning about Assange and Wiki leaks.  You can watch the 50 minute official “Wiki leaks Documentary” here.

Wiki leaks is considered to have covered the biggest ever leak of military documents and other political secret documents in history so far. One of the highlight leaks is a US military footage released from 2007 showing an airstrike on civilians and journalists in Iraq titled “Collateral Murder”.

However, there is a debate going around on the internet regarding the “Collateral Video” claiming that it is missing 30 minutes; this has raised the question of whether it is Wikileaks or their sources who are editing the documents and videos they are publishing. And it is believed that it is the soldiers who are.

Julian Assange used a special media strategy; before launching the Wiki leaks website, Assange initially collaborated with three major newspapers; The New York Times, The Guardian, and The German Der Spiegel. The leak of US Military documents set up the World Wide Web on fire, dominating pages of newspapers across the planet.Wiki leaks is a very significant tool for the people who want to know what is really happening in zones controlled by the US (Afghanistan, Iraq). It has raised controversies regarding US’s National Security; powerful figures like Hilary Clinton marked it as an international terrorist organization acting as a threat to US National Security.

Is it a threat to US national security or a gift to the public giving them the right of knowledge and freedom of expression?

It is highly expected from governments to act against and terminate Wiki leaks, because it puts powerful people under the spotlight ruining their authority and reputation. Therefore people aiming for freedom of speech should support such an organization because it has the potential of changing the future of journalism radically.

– Farah Albashir