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Assange/WikiLeaks: Birgitta's Hit & Run

The 'hit' can be an accident but the 'run' is always a crime.

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REYKJAVÍK (Radsoft) — The Internet's been awash with a spurious story from a website notorious for attacks against WikiLeaks. The latest foray came in the form of supposed remarks by Icelandic MP Birgitta Jónsdóttir.

The article failed the smell test from miles away. Any number of people contacted Jónsdóttir, asking her to comment on the article. No reply. Some pundits went so far as to assume Jónsdóttir had nothing further to add and therefore the story was genuine. Others had more sense.

But Jónsdóttir came out of hiding today, explaining she'd been away in India, visiting Tibetan refugee camps. She then went on to clarify a bit of what had been written about (and attributed to) her before proclaiming she'd be gone again.

Not many questions were answered; several new questions emerged instead. Her first tweet.

Then a bit of denial and clarification.

The proverbial foot approaches the proverbial mouth.

Now the start of a tactical retreat.

And finally it's time to run for it.

The 'hit piece' in which Birgitta was quoted comes from a publication with connections to the hawkisk Hoover Institution and Condi Rice. They've previously called both WikiLeaks and Julian Assange every name in the book, including 'whores' (WikiLeaks) and 'pimp' (Assange). The likelihood anyone at WikiLeaks and in their right mind would solicit an ear from those people should be less than nil. And indeed, Birgitta has neither corroborated nor denied being in contact with them.

But Birgitta's behaviour and statements still leave people doubting she's good to have around.

No, there is no 'revolt' within WikiLeaks. The suggestion is downright ludicrous. But that doesn't in any way mean Birgitta should come out to make statements on her own. There's a reason organisations appoint spokespersons; Birgitta makes it obvious what that reason is.

WikiLeaks have a very impressive advisory board. There's a way things are done just as there's a way things are not done. Birgitta Jónsdóttir on the other hand has been hanging the organisational laundry out in public and worse still has been using the media (at least Twitter) to discuss things with Julian Assange. Who, lest we forget, is in an incredibly difficult situation right now.

For Birgitta to simply drop out of sight (and earshot) for days on end at this critical time, then to come back and not offer any tangible support but to drop a few more bombs before disappearing again - this is not how good people make an organisation function.

Birgitta Jónsdóttir's behaviour as a trusted contributor to WikiLeaks needs to be carefully reviewed.