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Afghan President Says Leaked Documents Endanger Lives

   VOA News 29 July 2010
   Afghan  President Hamid Karzai reacts during a press conference at the
   presidential palace in Kabul, 29 July 2010.

Photo: AP

   Afghan  President Hamid Karzai reacts during a press conference at the
   presidential palace in Kabul, 29 July 2010.

   Afghan President Hamid Karzai is condemning the release of secret U.S.
   military  documents  that he says will endanger the lives of those who
   have helped international forces in Afghanistan.
   Speaking   Thursday   in   Kabul,   Mr.   Karzai  called  the  release
   "irresponsible" and "shocking," and said the informants' lives are now
   in danger.
   The  classified documents on the Afghan war were made public Sunday by
   the website [1]Wikileaks. Â
   The  site's founder has said his group checked the documents for named
   informants, and has not released more than 15,000 such documents.
   U.S.  officials  have also said the unauthorized release of the papers
   could put individuals at risk or jeopardize military operations.
   U.S.  Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke joined other
   U.S.  officials  in  condemning  the leak Wednesday at a congressional
   hearing. Â
   Holbrooke  said  he  "finds it inexplicable that people who would take
   the  oath  of  office to the United States would violate it in such an
   extraordinary way."
   He  said  the  leaked  material did not offer any revelations, but the
   Obama  administrations has been concerned about documents that suggest
   Pakistan's  intelligence service, the ISI, has been aiding some of the
   insurgent groups operating in Afghanistan.
   The  U.S.  Department  of  Justice said it will assist in the Pentagon
   investigation to determine the source of leaked documents.
   The  91,000 documents contain details of civilian casualties allegedly
   caused  by  coalition  forces  as  well  as  allegations  that the ISI
   supports the Taliban. Â
   Pakistan's  Foreign  Ministry  dismissed the allegations, calling them
   "far-fetched and skewed." Â

   Some information for this report was provided by AP and AFP.

References

   1. http://wikileaks.org/

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