WikiLeaks Wars: Amazon dumps ‘Leaks, site shifts servers
By Rajiv Singh | 02 Dec 2010
With all sections of the US government and Congress breathing fire and brimstone over whistle-blower site WikiLeaks' continued leaks of highly classified and secret US diplomatic cables, online services provider Amazon stopped hosting WikiLeaks on its servers Wednesday.
Under unrelenting pressure from members of the US Congress, who are threatening all kinds of dire action against WikiLeaks and all those who 'support' its continuance, Amazon obviously thought discretion was the better part of valour and pulled the plug.
Amazon's controversial move prompted the whistle blower to move its website to a European host in Sweden. WikiLeaks tweeted it had been "ousted" by the Seattle-based online retailer, which provides online services and storage.
WikiLeaks's tweet said its money is "...now spent to employ people in Europe." The group later added: "if Amazon are so uncomfortable with the First Amendment, they should get out of the business of selling books."
WikiLeaks had turned to Amazon's Web services only recently after it claimed its servers in Sweden were hit by computer attacks. Presumably, it's back where it had started.
Amazon decided to stop acting brave when Congressional staff from Sen Joe Lieberman's office contacted it Tuesday asking why the company continued hosting WikiLeaks. The retailer hung out the white flag on Wednesday, informing the senator's staff it would sever its ties with the organization.
