WASHINGTON: Wikileaks founder Julian Assange could be charged under the Espionage Act for making public classified US government documents which he obtained illegally, a media report said.
US authorities are investigating whether Assange, also Editor-in- Chief of the website, violated criminal laws by disclosing the classified information, The Washington Post reported.
Without going into details, Attorney General Eric Holder said the Justice Department and Pentagon are already conducting an active criminal investigation.
“We have an active, ongoing criminal investigation with regard to this matter. We are not in a position as yet to announce the result of that investigation, but the investigation is ongoing,” Holder said.
Citing sources, the Post reported that the inquiry is rapidly unfolding and charges could be filed under the Espionage Act, even though former prosecutors have cautioned that prosecutions involving leaked classified information are difficult under this 1917 statute.
The investigation has been on since the earlier leaks of military secrets relating to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.
NATO slammed on Tuesday the release of confidential US files revealing where the United States has deployed nuclear weapons in Europe as “illegal, irresponsible and dangerous,” spokeswoman Oana Lungescu said.
The White House said a review has been ordered into the whole handling of secret government documents.
“Any unauthorised disclosure of classified information is a violation of our law and compromises our national security,” the OMB Director Jacob Lew, said. He has instructed agency heads to ensure that employees access only data that is required for their jobs.