Pentagon orders Wikileaks to delete classified documents

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In a briefing at the Defense Department, Pentagon Spokesman Geoff Morrell ordered Wikileaks to remove classified documents and return them to the U.S. government.

spiderdrawing.gif"It was reported on Tuesday that Wikileaks had asked the Department of Defense for help reviewing approximately 15,000 classified documents that it obtained in an inappropriate and illegal manner, before Wikileaks releases those documents to the public. Wikileaks has made no such request directly to the Department of Defense.

These documents are the property of the U.S. Government and contain classified and sensitive information. The Defense Department demands that Wikileaks return immediately all version of documents obtained … Wikileaks' public disclosure last week of a large number of our documents has already threatened the safety of our troops, our allies and Afghan citizens…

The only acceptable course is for Wikileaks to return all versions of these documents to the U.S. government and permanently delete them from its website, computers and records.

He also said that Wikileaks' claim that submitting information to it is safe, easy and protected by the law is "materially false and misleading," but did not say what measures it would take to compel Wikileaks: "We'll cross the next bridge when we come to it."

DEFENSE DEPARTMENT PRESS BRIEFING [CSPAN]

Added Sean Bonner:

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