2011-06-21 WikiLeaks Notes: Latest News from #Cablegate Releases, #WikiLeaks & More

This is a "WikiLeaks News Update," constantly updated throughout each day. The blog tracks stories that are obviously related to WikiLeaks but also follows stories related to freedom of information, transparency, cybersecurity, freedom of expression, and sometimes the national security establishment of the United States because each issue/topic helps one further understand WikiLeaks and vice versa.

All the times are EST. You can contact me at kgosztola@hotmail.com with any news tips. Twitter username is @kgosztola. Also, if you are looking for some insightful discussion of stories related to WikiLeaks, I encourage you to check out the catalog of podcasts posted here at WL Central from the "This Week in WikiLeaks" show I produce every week.

1:15 PM Washington Post has story on transnational drug cartels. Reports "more than 90 percent of the South American cocaine that reaches the United States now funnels through Guatemala and across Mexico's southern border." Uses a diplomatic cable to show how little personnel is on the border between Mexico and Guatemala to monitor the 540-mile border.

1:05 PM Nick Tattersall for Reuters Africa covers the rise of bad governance and poverty, which has allegedly fueled the rise of an Islamist group believed to have bombed Nigerian police headquarters. The article uses a diplomatic cable to cover intelligence officials have been following extremist groups ties to Al Qaeda.

12:55 PM Al Masry Al Youm has more coverage of cables from Egypt in story on construction of wall at the Rafah crossing at the Gaza-Egypt border.

12:40 PM Third part of Whittaker's dissertation over at ZDNet looks at how the WikiLeaks organization operates.

"During the ‘old regime’ of the site in 2006-2009, Wikileaks relied on individual whistleblowers which had a broad spread across the public and private sector of various governments and organisations..."

12:30 PM WikiLeaks, just after encouraging Bitcoin donations, has cashed out. The Atlantic Wire details, "WikiLeaks doesn't appear to have much faith in the sustainability of the currency." Also, EFF, an organization that has commented on WikiLeaks in detail, especially when Amazon went ahead and refused services, has halted its use of the Bitcoin service and provided three key points on why they will no longer be using Bitcoin.

10:15 AM US Senate Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism to hold hearing today at 2:30 pm New York Time to evaluate Obama Administration's proposals on cybersecurity. Here's details including the witness list.

Hearing will be webcast. I intend to cover on Twitter and later with a blog post.

10:00 AM Could Jon Huntsman be the first and only 2012 US presidential candidate to have to address what US State Embassy cables released by WikiLeaks say about him? As he declares he's running for president, here's the WSJ story from yesterday.

9:55 AM 19-year-old believed to be "mastermind" behind LulzSec arrested. The teenager being questioned under the Computer Misuse Act was arrested in a "pre-planned intelligence operation."

LulzSec is believed to have hacked Britain's Serious Organised Crime Agency, the U.S. Senate and the CIA, as well as Nintendo and Sony. It's also thought that LulzSec might have been working with Anonymous.

9:45 PM Four years ago, US wanted the Philippines to prosecute Somali pirates that hijacked a Japanese-owned vessel: cables