WikiLeaks's US Intelligence source arrested for Iraq video leak

A US Intelligence analyst in Iraq, reports Wired, has been arrested for the leak of the explosively controversial video published by WikiLeaks in April. The video showed a helicopter attack in which 12, including two Reuters reporters, were killed. Released in early June by WikiLeaks under the name "Collateral Murder," the video became one of the biggest stories of the year, arousing outrage and anger at the perceived sloppiness of the military efforts.

SPC Bradley Manning, stationed about 40 miles east of Baghdad, has been arrested for that leak and possibly others--there's substantial evidence that he had boasted or at least informed others that he was behind both the video leak and several other documents. Those other documents might include 260,000 "classified US diplomatic cables," which WikiLeaks has not published, and a classified document proclaiming WikiLeaks to be a "security threat," which was published.

This brilliant New Yorker article on the founder of WikiLeaks sheds some light on the amorphous group's behavior and ethos.

Manning was evidently upset at the information that passed through his desk in his day to day work as an analyst, and was alarmed at the lack of security protecting it. Says an ex-hacker friend:

“He would message me, Are people talking about it?… Are the media saying anything?” Watkins said. “That was one of his major concerns, that once he had done this, was it really going to make a difference?… He didn’t want to do this just to cause a stir…. He wanted people held accountable and wanted to see this didn’t happen again.”

That ex-hacker friend eventually turned him in, fearing that the classified documents he leaked would legitimately put lives in danger.

Manning is now in detention in Kuwait while the Army's investigation proceeds.

This is a fascinating and divisive story; part of me applauds Manning's efforts to make this information public, and yet surely the quantity of information he stole indicates he viewed this as a sport. What do you think? A fighter for the common good? A common hacker? Moral grey area?

This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com