|
|
|
|
|
Questioner
You mentioned that cyber security was discussed. On the subject of WikiLeaks what discussions did you have, and specifically the Attorney General, what type of pressure have you applied on companies such as Mastercard and Paypal in terms of trying to suspend accounts?
Eric Holder, US Attorney General, Department of Justice
I am not going to talk about the ongoing investigation that I have described I guess over the course of the last week or so, other than to say again that we have an active ongoing serious investigation of that matter. We had, I think, informal conversations about the WikiLeaks matter. The concern that it has raised in the minds of all of us. And, the hope here in the United States is that the investigation that we are conducting will allow us to hold accountable the people responsible for that unwarranted disclosure of information that has put at risk the safety of the American people and people who work on behalf of the United States.
Questioner
[MISSED] any of these companies? Paypal was saying yesterday that it had received letters from the administration?
Eric Holder, US Attorney General, Department of Justice
I am not going to comment on any of the investigative steps that we have taken.
Questioner
Related to that, as part of this Operation Payback that some are calling a cyberwar with computer intrusions into Paypal, attacks against Amazon.com and other sites, have you directed the FBI to look at these incidents and is there any investigation into...?
Eric Holder, US Attorney General, Department of Justice
We are aware of the incidents that you have described and we are simply say that we are looking into it.
Questioner
Do you believe that you have identified all the people who are responsible for giving WikiLeaks the latest stash of documents?
Eric Holder, US Attorney General, Department of Justice
The investigation is ongoing.
[...]
Questioner
Mr. Attorney General did you and your colleagues in your meetings today reach any agreement about uniform approach on WikiLeaks?
Eric Holder, US Attorney General, Department of Justice
I was going to say that we didn't talk about WikiLeaks in any formal way.
[...]
Questioner
Do you have...have certain countries been the focal point of the WikiLeaks research or investigation...like Iceland...with connections that Iceland has to WikiLeaks?
Eric Holder, US Attorney General, Department of Justice
As I indicated before I really don't want to go into any specifics of the ongoing investigation.
[...]
Questioner
Reports are suggesting that the next release of documents from WikiLeaks could be confidential threat assessments of detainees at Guantanamo. Are you concerned that sources and methods information may come out as a result of that and also are you concerned there could be some additional questions from the Hill and elsewhere regarding whether some detainees who have been release have gone back into the battlefield and become recidivists?
Eric Holder, US Attorney General, Department of Justice
I am concerned about, I think we are all concerned about certainly the United States Government concerned about the nature of the release, as I have indicated...I think that the release of this information has put at risk American National Security, and whatever is to come I think we will not in any way...will be consistent with the concerns that I have expressed. |
| |
Name(s:) |
Eric Holder |
| |
Title: |
Attorney General |
| |
Agency(ies): |
Department of Justice |
|
Url: |
Url Link
|
|
|
Questioner
Address maybe the...someone had suggested maybe the response by those who support WikiLeaks to attack Amazon and other companies...is basically a cyberwar...between the two sides...that is proliferating across boundaries and what you all are doing at DHS, since cyber issues are in your purview, to address that or mitigate that?
Janet Napolitano, Secretary Department of Homeland Security
I think the Attorney General has always said that he doesn't want to comment on any ongoing investigations or activities with respect to WikiLeaks. All I will say is with respect to the protection of the private sector we are working or do work very closely with him on variety of matters, involving cyber, cyberattacks, cyber intrusions and the like. I think your question raises the importance of cyber. That is why, our discussions with the EU today were to follow up the the agreement made by our leaders in Lisbon two weeks ago: to formulate a US EU Cyber Working Group and to really focus on issues about intrusions into critical infrastructure, into financial markets and into other areas that are cyber dependent. So, that Working Group has already begun, and I think we will see some important measure that will come out of that that will be between the United States and the EU. |
| |
Name(s:) |
Janet Napolitano |
| |
Title: |
Secretary of Homeland Security |
| |
Agency(ies): |
Department of Homeland Security |
|
Url: |
Url Link
|
|
|
Questioner
...aware that US authorities are trying to get their hands on Julian Assange and your Government is trying to get its Government on Julian Assange?
Cecilia Malmstrom EU Commissioner
Ah, the Swedish Judicial Apparatus is totally independent and doesn't take any order from my...Swedish politicians or Americans authorities. And the crimes he is accused of, if he is being sent to Sweden will be processed accordingly. So, I have absolutely no comments to that. I am not part of the Swedish Government, I am commissioner of the European Union based in Belgium. |
| |
Name(s:) |
Cecilia Malmstrom |
| |
Title: |
Commissioner |
| |
Agency(ies): |
European Union |
|
Concerning: |
Sweden versus Assange, EU-US |
|
Url: |
Url Link
|
|
|
She also highlighted the United States and the European Union ongoing, coordinated efforts to protect vital cyber networks from attacks through the U.S.-EU Cyber Working Groupformalized by President Obama in the Nov. 20 U.S.-EU Summit Declarationwhich facilitates the continued sharing of cybersecurity best practices and security standards and enhances collaboration on public-private partnerships; cyber incident management; public awareness; and combating cyber crime. |
| |
Name(s:) |
Janet Napolitano |
| |
Title: |
Secretary of Homeland Security |
| |
Agency(ies): |
Department of Homeland Security |
|
Concerning: |
EU-US |
|
Url: |
Url Link
|
|
Archive: |
Archive Link
http://archive.is/efUyW |
|
Title: |
U.S.-EU Cooperation Against Terrorism (May 21, 2012) |
|
Author: |
Kristin Archick |
|
Title: |
Specialist in European Affairs |
|
Authoring or Creator Agency: |
Congressional Research Service, CRS |
|
Concerning: |
"EU-US |
|
|
Title: |
EU-US ministerial meeting on Justice and Home Affairs |
|
Authoring or Creator Agency: |
Atlantic Organization for Security |
|
Concerning: |
"EU-US |
|
|
|
Archive Link |
|
Title: |
The U.S. Congress and the European
Parliament: Evolving Transatlantic Legislative
Cooperation (January 2, 2013) |
|
Author: |
Kristin Archick, Vincent Morelli |
|
Title: |
Specialist in European Affairs, Section Research Manager |
|
Authoring or Creator Agency: |
Congressional Research Service |
|
Concerning: |
"EU-US |
|
|
