WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has reportedly released an encrypted “poison pill” file that contains sensitive data related to Guantanamo Bay, Afghan military ops, Bank of America and the BP oil spill.
The file – known as insurance.aes256 – is locked-down with a 256-digit key deemed virtually unbreakable by even the US Department of Defense (DoD).
Assange, who is using the sensitive data to hold governments hostage, states: “We have over a long period of time distributed encrypted backups of material we have yet to release. All we have to do is release the password to that material, and it is instantly available.”
WikiLeaks threatens “poison pill” if site shut down Assange explains that if any government tries to stop WikiLeaks by downing the website or detaining him, he will disseminate the “poison pill” password, allowing anyone to access the highly-embarrassing documents.
Meanwhile, the leaks keep coming. The latest goes far beyond diplomatic embarrassments. It is a direct attack on U.S. national security tailor made for international terrorists:
A long list of key facilities around the world that the US describes as vital to its national security has been released by Wikileaks.
In February 2009 the State Department asked all US missions abroad to list all installations whose loss could critically affect US national security.
The list includes pipelines, communication and transport hubs.
Several UK sites are listed, including cable locations, satellite sites and BAE Systems plants.
BBC diplomatic correspondent Jonathan Marcus says this is probably the most controversial document yet from the Wikileaks organisation.
The definition of US national security revealed by the cable is broad and all embracing, he says.
There are obvious pieces of strategic infrastructure like communications hubs, gas pipelines and so on. However, other facilities on the list include:
* Cobalt mine in Congo
* Anti-snake venom factory in Australia
* Insulin plant in Denmark
In Britain, the list ranges from Cornwall to Scotland, including key satellite communications sites and the places where trans-Atlantic cables make landfall.
A number of BAE Systems plants involved in joint weapons programmes with the Americans are listed, along with a marine engineering firm in Edinburgh which is said to be “critical” for nuclear powered submarines. . . .
The geographical range of the document on installations is extraordinary, our correspondent says.
If the US sees itself as waging a “global war on terror” then this represents a global directory of the key installations and facilities – many of them medical or industrial – that are seen as being of vital importance to Washington.
Some locations are given unique billing. The Nadym gas pipeline junction in western Siberia, for example, is described as “the most critical gas facility in the world”.
It is a crucial transit point for Russian gas heading for western Europe.
In some cases, specific pharmaceutical plants or those making blood products are highlighted for their crucial importance to the global supply chain.
The critical question is whether this really is a listing of potential targets that might be of use to a terrorist.
via BBC News – List of facilities ‘vital to US security’ leaked.
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