Iraqi PM criticizes timing of Wikileaks disclosure

LONDON - Iraq Prime Minister Nouri Maliki’s office has criticized the timing of the release by Wikileaks of almost 400,000 secret US military documents about the conflict there.

It said WikiLeaks was trying to sabotage Maliki’s bid to form a new government by stoking up anger “against national parties and leaders, especially the prime minister”.

Wikileaks, however, countered by saying that the disclosure was aimed at revealing the truth about the Gulf War.

Its founder, Julian Assange, said the records showed there had been “a bloodbath on every corner” and provided evidence of war crimes.

“We hope to correct some of that attack on the truth that occurred before the war, during the war and which has continued on since the war officially concluded,” the BBC quoted him, as saying at a news conference in London.

The chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, also strongly condemned the disclosure of classified information.

In a posting on Twitter, he called Wikileaks “irresponsible” and said the website puts “lives at risk and gives adversaries valuable information”.

Maliki’s office also said the records did not present any proof of detainees being tortured in Iraqi-run facilities during his premiership.

Instead, the statement praised him as courageous for taking a tough stance against terrorists. It did not offer any further details. (ANI)