back room extortion. Assange announces he has juicy leaks about this or that politician...it gets the average person's interest going and maybe they contribute to the site to keep it going. On the other hand, maybe a high-level contact of that target country pays a "ransom" to stave the dangerous leaks, if just for a while. Once paid, Assange admits the documents could "cause harm to person's named" and ethnically he cannot leak them. Sounds to me like a 21st century cyber mafiosa has appeared and made Russians look like amateurs.

They have absolutely the same goals in mind. That's one reason why Michael Moore ran to cover his bail in the UK.

When I studied history at school I wondered how it was that in olden times it was a custom to murder a messenger who brought bad news. Having read all the above talkbacks I start understanding the psychology of such a custom. Especially my congrats to No 17, iNet Fraud who obviously is sure it is a good idea to shoot a messenger even before he's opened his mouth.