In August 2011, FBI agents entered Iceland, discreetly trying to track down WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. When Iceland’s Interior Minister, Ogmundur Jonasson, learned that FBI agents were in Iceland digging for information and requesting cooperation from local police, he ordered the agents to leave. Iceland reportedly lodged a formal protest against the FBI actions with US officials. The US Department of Justice has refused to comment on the case.
The FBI agents sought to interview an unidentified Wikileaks associate. Iceland has been a stronghold for WikiLeaks supporters since the site’s launch.
WikiLeaks has been under US investigation since the whistleblowing website started to leak classified US diplomatic cables. Assange has sought refuge in Ecuador’s embassy in London; the US classifies him as an enemy of the state.
Sources:
“FBI Agents Flew to Iceland to Investigate WikiLeaks,” Democracy Now!, February 1, 2013. http://www.democracynow.org/2013/2/1/headlines/report_fbi_agents_flew_to_iceland_to_investigate_wikileaks
“Iceland denies aid to FBI in WikiLeaks investigation,” RT, February 2, 2013. http://rt.com/news/iceland-fbi-wikileaks-investigation-292/
Trisha Marczak, “Iceland Gives FBI the Boot,” MPN (Mint Press News), February 4, 2013. http://www.mintpress.net/iceland-gives-fbi-the-boot/
“Eight FBI agents conduct interrogation in Iceland in relation to ongoing U.S. investigation of WikiLeaks,” WikiLeaks, February 7, 2013. https://wikileaks.org/Eight-FBI-agents-conduct.html
Student Researcher: Ariel Garcia, College of Marin
Faculty Evaluator:Â Susan Rahman, College of Marin