Court reveals FBI still investigating WikiLeaks’ Julian Assange

A United States court has confirmed that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is still being targeted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation more than five years after the anti-secrecy website's first publication of a secret diplomatic cable leaked by US soldier Chelsea Manning.

In a judgment handed down on March 4, 2015, US District Court judge Barbara Rothstein has stated that the FBI and the US Department of Justice are still pursuing an "ongoing criminal investigation of WikiLeaks" arising from the leaks of classified information by private Manning in early 2010.

In largely rejecting an application by the US Electronic Privacy Information Centre for release of documents under US freedom of information laws, Judge Rothstein accepted FBI and Justice Department claims that the disclosure of any information would prejudice a "multi-subject investigation" into WikiLeaks that is"still active and ongoing."

Judge Rothstein found that the FBI and Justice Department's National Security and Criminal Justice Divisions provided "sufficient specificity as to the status of the investigation, and sufficient explanation as to why the investigation is of long-term duration."

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She also confirmed that the WikiLeaks investigation is "separate and distinct" from the investigation and prosecution of private Manning who was convicted by a US military court of espionage and other offences in July 2013 and sentenced to 35 years' imprisonment.

Judge Rothstein accepted claims by the FBI Justice Department that disclosure of any details about the investigation could "expose the scope and methods of the investigation, and tip-off subjects and other persons of investigative interest".

The judge said she gave "appropriate defence to the executive on issues of national security..."

In January it was revealed that that three journalists who have worked for WikiLeaks since 2010 Sarah Harrison, Joseph Farrell and Kristinn Hrafnsson had been informed by Google that all their Gmail account content, metadata, subscriber information, and other content were provided to US federal law enforcement in response to search warrants issued in March 2012.

US laws referenced in the search warrants related to espionage, conspiracy, theft of US government property and computer fraud and abuse.

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Court reveals FBI still investigating WikiLeaks' Julian Assange