No Pals: PayPal Latest Company to Dump Wikileaks
- Posted on December 4, 2010 at 2:58pm by
Jonathon M. Seidl
- Print »
- Email »
BERLIN (AP) — The online payment service provider PayPal has cut off the account used by WikiLeaks to collect donations, serving another blow to the organization just as it was struggling to keep its website accessible after an American company stopped directing traffic to it.
PayPal said in a blog posting that the move was prompted by a violation of its policy, “which states that our payment service cannot be used for any activities that encourage, promote, facilitate or instruct others to engage in illegal activity.”
The short notice was dated Friday, and a spokeswoman for PayPal Germany on Saturday declined to elaborate and referred to the official blog posting.
Donating money to WikiLeaks via PayPal on Saturday was not possible anymore, generating an error message saying “this recipient is currently unable to receive money.”
PayPal is one of several ways WikiLeaks collects donations, and until now was probably the most secure and convenient way to support the organization.
The other options listed on WikiLeaks’ website are through mail to an Australian post office box, through bank transfers to accounts in Switzerland, Germany or Iceland as well as through one “credit card processing partner” in Switzerland.
WikiLeaks’ PayPal account redirects users to a German foundation named after a German hacker which provides the organization with the money. The Wau Holland Foundation, named after a German hacker, confirmed Saturday in a Twitter message that their PayPal account had been taken down. Messages left for the foundation were not immediately answered.
The move by PayPal, a subsidiary of U.S. based online marketplace operator EBay Inc., came as another blow to the organization that has embarrassed Washington and foreign leaders by releasing a cache of secret — and brutally frank — U.S. diplomatic cables.
WikiLeaks had become an Internet vagabond Friday, forced to move from one website to another as governments and hackers hounded the organization, trying to deprive it of a direct line to the public.
EveryDNS — a company based in Manchester, New Hampshire, stopped directing traffic to the website wikileaks.org late Thursday after it said cyber attacks threatened the rest of its network.
But while wikileaks.org remained unreachable Saturday, the organization has found new homes. Its German website wikileaks.de was reachable Saturday, and so was its Swiss domain.
The Swiss address directs traffic to servers in France, where political pressure quickly mounted with Industry Minister Eric Besson on Friday saying it was unacceptable to host a site that “violates the secret of diplomatic relations.”
The web hosting company OVH confirmed that it had been hosting WikiLeaks since early Thursday, after a client asked for a “dedicated server with … protection against attacks,” adding it was now up to the courts to decide on the legality of hosting the site on French soil.
WikiLeaks has been brought down numerous times this week by what appear to be denial-of-service attacks. In a typical such attack, remote computers commandeered by rogue programs bombard a website with so many data packets that it becomes overwhelmed and unavailable to visitors. Pinpointing the culprits is difficult. The attacks are relatively easy to mount and can be performed by amateurs.
Legal pressure also increased on WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange after Swedish authorities revised a warrant for his arrest in response to procedural questions from British officials.
British law enforcement authorities have refused to say if or when Assange would be arrested. His lawyers have said they believe they would be notified of any move to arrest him but had yet to be served with a warrant as of Friday afternoon.
The 39-year-old Australian is wanted on allegations of rape and other sex crimes that emerged after a trip to Sweden in August.




















Submitting your tip... please wait!
Comments (76)
Randyrocker
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 8:04pmThe White House has at times leaked more information than WikiLeaks, yet the White House is upset to know, that the public now knows that the Saudis are financing Al Qaeda, America’s sworn enemy. Why? Because the White House would much rather bow down to them and kiss their rings, and sell them Jet Fighters, while they watch the Saudi‘s send money to America’s most hated terrorist group Al Qaeda.
That’s the most staggering discovery coming out of these WikiLeaks, that the US government has blinders on when it comes to dealing with Saudi Arabia. So what are the troops doing in Afghanistan, dying for what, and why? So that Saudi Arabia can make Al Qaeda rich enough to kill more American troops.
The silence on this issue by the news networks and media is deafening, but they sure know how to make a big fuss about the messenger don’t they. Obama’s media makers want to hush America into silence.
It’s quite likely PayPal is nervous about the pending WikiLeaks on the banks and their ongoing criminal activities. Maybe PayPal has something to be nervous about, or else they are afraid that the banks will come under so much exposure PayPal will be naked in front of the world for their part in these new yet to be exposed revelations. So they want to attack WikiLeaks and try to suppress this new insightful information that a financially drained and played public should have a right to know about. “Who’s Zooming Who,” to quote Aretha Franklin.
Report Post »Dale
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 9:43pmDon’t know about your suppositions (by that I mean we don’t know if you are right), but I certainly agree with everything else you say.
Report Post »dontbotherme
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 7:52pmIt’s good to see people doing the right thing. I, too, wonder why it took so long & why now. But this is criminal activity committed by more than one person & it should be stopped. Will it be stopped? I doubt it.
Report Post »Brooke Lorren
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 7:31pmI wonder if Paypal decided to keep all the money in the Wikileaks account when they shut it off. Paypal has a history of stealing all the money in the account when they decide that there is fraudulent activity going on. They stole money from me at one time.
They have every right to shut them down; I’m just wondering if they decided to make a tidy profit while they were at it.
Report Post »betterthantv
Posted on December 5, 2010 at 7:04amPaypal just got me for $300 bucks last month! I have no love for Paypal, but they did do the right thing here.
Report Post »MeteoricLimbo
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 6:17pmGood heavens….a person just needs to park and un-spin for a bit. between the tainted cotton candy and the spin and puke and corn dogs…..I been too long at the fair!
Report Post »Halman
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 6:07pmOne way or another. Assange will end up behind bars.
Report Post »petestreet
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 6:00pmAdd your comments
Dale
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 5:13pmI still don’t get it. No one seemed to have a problem with leaking ‘classified’ military documents, but when the elite’s secrets, or when a bank‘s dealings are threatened to be exposed the world goes after someone who didn’t do anything illegally. Paypal refuses accepting money for an organization involved with illegal activity, which, as said before, didn’t. Oh, I guess I get it after all.
Report Post »shorthanded12
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 4:57pmBuck Ofama
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 4:33pm
Soros has already been linked to Assange and the US Marine involved. Organizations like Code Pink and Tides Foundation have been linked in support of the marine. Soros’ OSI (Open Society Institute) has been linked to Assange via his attorney, Mark Stevens, who does pro-bono work for OSI.
SO DOES THIS MEAN THAT BARRY MIGHT BE LINKED TO THIS ALSO?
Report Post »uncleherbert
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 6:02pmBarry knows, Soros haqs been to the WH numerous times. Glenn has showed the connection with Tides and the OSI. There is no doubt in my or anyother person who can connect the dots. In away I have become enlightened by the released info.
Report Post »Boojer56
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 4:37pmI don’t see how the disclosing confidential information can be construed as free speech. Suppose I hacked into Walter Reed Hospital’s network and dumped all of the patient records on the net. Hospitals go to great lengths to secure privacy and can get fined and sued for disclosing confidential information.
Whats the difference?
Report Post »MarkAZ
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 5:04pmYou would be a criminal the same as Manning, but the website you “dump” the information on and the owner of that website should not be guilty of anything, unless they paid you to do it.. OR used the information for personal gain. Hospitals have to follow HIPPA guidelines to protect privacy of patients, and if they allow such a breach they too should be held accountable.
Does anyone remember when Geraldo Rivera gave away troop position live on the air?
Should he have been tried with treason, or better yet should Fox News been shut down for airing it?
That is essentially what we are talking about here.
My point is that we have to be very careful about prosecuting journalist. The current administration is chomping at the bit to take away rights in the name of “security”.
Report Post »River0
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 4:04pmThis is the best way to deal with Assange, shun him at every turn. Let everyone give him grief wherever he goes, and whatever he does. He should also be tried for reckless endangerment, implied malice, and depraved indifference.
Report Post »kryptonite
Posted on December 5, 2010 at 3:52amI know a slimeball closer to home guilty of all three charges.
Report Post »APatriotFirst
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 4:03pmHope the bank leaks are about the Fed Res.
Report Post »Psychosis
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 4:51pmme too…………interesting that no real effort to close wiki-leaks was made, until banks became the next target.
do you really know how much power banks really have?
he is a movie about bank history if you have the time to learn about Lincoln and Kennedy assassination
and banking political ties thru out history
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-515319560256183936#
Report Post »Sinista Mace
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 3:58pmI don’t care what people think about Wikileaks.
When the lights are turned on, the roaches flee.
These roaches are trying to form a chain of roaches to reach the lightswitch and turn it back off.
Wikileaks is fighting to keep the lights on.
Snitch on em Assange.
Snitch’em all out.
It’s the only good form of snitching when you snitch on government corruption.
Report Post »DagneyT
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 3:55pmMy love for Pay Pal has been redeemed! Whoever the hackers are should be rewarded, unlike our own inJustice Dept.!
Report Post »Planada Conservative
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 3:48pmI agree with MARKAZ with one exception. I’m sure, like any good liberal news organization, Wikileaks will likely withold anything damaging to their agenda. If there were a link to Soros what are the chances it would be released?
Report Post »MarkAZ
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 4:30pmGood point, but isn’t that true for almost all news organizations. I think they all have their agendas.
Report Post »When I am bored I love to travel between drudge and huffington post just to see the different spin on each article. Plus it can be fun to troll on huffington post and get all the brain dead liberals fired up.
It’s one way to spend a Sat. morning.. :)
MarkAZ
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 3:34pmI can understand all the anger geared at Wikileaks, but don’t think it is being directed correctly.
I hear a lot of people saying that this pud founder of Wikileaks is guilty of all kinds of things, but I wonder how many news sources would of released these documents if presented to them. I know many posters here don’t consider Wikileaks a news source, but like it or not it has become one. The only one I think that is really guilty of a crime is the PFC that stole and gave these documents to Wikileaks. I think the anger should be pointed at our Government that failed to secure communications and allowed some PFC to have control of them. I am no conspiracy theorist, but doesn’t something seem a little fishy about how all of this has gone down?
Don‘t get me wrong I don’t like what wikileaks is doing / has done – but don’t think they are guilty of anything other than journalism.
Report Post »abupundit
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 3:57pmYou Markaz are 100% correct. I don’t like the fact that Wikileaks disseminated this information but the real culprit is Manning. This left wing tool committed Treason and should pay a severe price!
Report Post »Insipid
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 4:00pmI agreee completely, I also think it’s a very slippery slope when we start calling for the death of somebody who posts information. If you can find evidence of criminal mischief to the point you can prosecute them, then allow them to be judged by their peers. What Wiki did is in very bad taste but my bet would be if the documents released were from some other country and not the US, there would be a heck of alot less outrage. We must remember when it comes to the truth, it can hurt us but it’t still the truth.
Report Post »Boojer56
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 4:40pmThis is not journalism, its theft.
Report Post »Cpriestess
Posted on December 5, 2010 at 11:34amYou are right. Like it or not this is courageous journalism. Truth requires nothing less…
Report Post »Tired_of_the_lies
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 3:32pmMore good news !
WikiLeaks received a boost tonight when Switzerland rejected growing international calls to force the site off the internet.
At least the Swiss have some integrity…
Report Post »shorthanded12
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 3:40pmInternational Leaders and Central Banks probley shaking in there boots…..let them release the dayum documents and be done with it..The world will recover….
Report Post »New-American-Saviors
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 3:26pmThat’s Right ! Hit the Wallet first.
Report Post »shorthanded12
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 3:23pmSay what you will I wanna see what Wikileaks has on these corrupt politians and Bankers since theres comments being made bankers are lawyering up…SHOW THE DAYUM DOCUMENTS. ITS TIME FOR THE COMMEN FOLKS THRU OUT THE WORLD see how were all being played by a handful of CROOKS.
Report Post »shorthanded12
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 3:35pmjust a footnote: It would a joyous moment to see Al Gore and “SPOOKEY DUDE” George Soros show up in one form or another from Wikileaks “DOCUMENTS”
Report Post »Tired_of_the_lies
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 3:21pmMore from Ron Paul – on Fox’s Freedom Watch
“What we need is more Wikileaks on the Federal Reserve. Can you imagine what it would be like if we have every conversation of the last 10 years with the Federal Reserve people and the Federal Reserve chairman, with all the other central bankers of the world, and every agreement and quid pro quo that they have? I mean, it would be massive. The people would be so outraged.”
Report Post »Tired_of_the_lies
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 3:18pmFrom Ron Paul – “Re: Wikileaks- In a free society, we are supposed to know the truth. In a society where truth becomes treason, we are in big trouble.”
Well said, and food for thought…
Report Post »chickenlittle
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 3:59pmIf “truth” becomes YOUR personal information and financial affairs, how ya gonna feel then? If every email you’ve sent for the last three years is suddenly made public maliciously are you still going to consider this guy so kindly. Truth and privacy have two different meanings.
Report Post »Tired_of_the_lies
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 4:38pmWell, I understand your point Chicken, however I don’t think this is malicious. It is giving the citizens of the world a chance to see what all these politicians really think.
I think most folks at this site have problems believing a lot of the BS that we are constantly feed from our representatives. I know I do. It’s great to finally get a look at the unvarnished truth. The gov had two previous leaks to deal with and they could have shored up the digital defences. They failed to do that, and are paying the embarrassing price…
Report Post »chickenlittle
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 5:19pmTired… I don’t see how you cannot see this is malicious… the guy has said previously he was promoting anarchy. We may be citizens of the world, as you put it, but we are also American citizens, and we are in two wars and we do have political and economic enemies. To just dump massive amounts of ill-gotten data for the sake of prurient interest is more like aiding and abetting the criminal traitor that stole this stuff in the first place. Yes, “they” didn’t do anything about it, and now it’s embarrassing, but (and this is my personal opinion) this is just further proof that our own leaders are inept at best, traitors at worst. Why should I trust that this guy is not editing the info he’s dumping to promote his ends at the expense of those he disagrees with? We should, but can’t get, info from our government on issues like the Fed. I don’t trust anybody in government either, but that doesn’t mean I want our secret info broadcast to the world just because some Jane Fonda type is against war/capitalism and wants to bring everything down. If/when that were to happen, who do you think is waiting to pick up the pieces? I think there is a lot of stuff going on that we SHOULD be aware of. I also don’t think everybody should know everything just because they want to… and I sure as hell don’t want some foreign blogger deciding what the world gets to hear and what he decides we need to hear.
Report Post »Tired_of_the_lies
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 6:39pmWell, you have valid points Chicken. I guess we just look at this differently.
Thanks for sharing your views. I imagine many here would agree with you.
Report Post »ADDICTED TO TRUTH
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 8:18pmIf you look at the governmental power grabs that have gone on , you will suddenly realize there have been precursors to each event. Obama threatened us immediately with complete financial collapse if Congress did not pass healthcare. The oil spill killed off shore drilling, probably forever. Right before the TSA became the KGB, there were bombs found on several planes. Julian is the “eye candy’ for the FCC power grab that is going to change your internet experience down the road. They could have taken care of this guy LONG ago if they actually wanted him gone….. get it? …..We are in a pressure cooker…..can’t you feel the pressure rising?
Report Post »Azay Gezunt
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 9:50pmExactly, Dr. Paul!
Report Post »betterthantv
Posted on December 5, 2010 at 6:59amI think I’m with you on this TIRED. I don’t know if I ever came face to face with this Assange if I would put a bullet in his head or give him a big hug? Now the Private that gave him the info – I’d shoot him dead on the spot! I’m kinda hoping the next release (Banks) comes out before they arrest him. This is doing a world of good for those of us on the Right. We’ve known for years our government has been lying to us. Now we have the proof we need to fight these brain dead liberals!
Report Post »Cpriestess
Posted on December 5, 2010 at 11:17amyes, and personal and government are two different things. Who but the government would read and release MY PERSONAL e-mail to the world? It is perfectly ok for Dick Cheney to release Valerie Plame’s identity to the world (alright Bob Novak for the Cheney camp), but it is not ok for American citizens to know that we have handed $371 billion dollars to a two faced thug engaged in the heroin trade while being protected by US servicemen? It is not ok for American citizens to know that both Bush and Obama bow fealty to the House of Saud even as they (the House of Saud) are the bankers for Al Qaeda? It is NOT ok for us to know that that even as the Saudis were bankrolling Iran and Al Qaeda they were trying to get us to knock out Iran’s nuke sites with our soldiers and planes? And we STILL sell them 124 fighter jets? WTF people? Wake up and smell the corruption.
Report Post »mcpbob
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 3:17pmit is nice to see the likes of PayPal and others take a stand against Wikileaks….. it is the right thing to do.
Report Post »untameable-kate
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 3:40pmEven if it is bandwagon/CYA response it is the right thing to do.
Report Post »chickenlittle
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 3:53pmPayPal, and all the server hosters around the world are sure taking their sweet time getting around to shutting them off. After all, if they had been worried about rules, they would have done all this stuff after the first document dump… or even the second one… they are more concerned with profit than ethics. Better late than never I guess. I keep waiting to hear what private records (like from Bank of America) they are gonna dump online. I would buy the journalistic altruism theory many are pointing out, if the jerk didn’t claim his intention is anarchy, etc. That isn’t just being a messenger.
Report Post »KimNTennessee
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 3:54pmBetter for them to do it on their own accord rather than the government “suggesting” they do it.
Report Post »seabear
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 4:50pmNow what about Eric Holder?
Report Post »thepatriotdave
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 6:08pmAs a paypal customer I’m glad they made this move. I’m hoping the entire planet comes down on the wikileaks people.
PatriotShops.com
Report Post »shorthanded12
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 8:06pm@ SEABEAR “What about Eric Holder”?
Hes probley consulting with RAMBO RALM Emanuel on how not to let a CRISIS go to waste. Hell wouldnt surprise me that Barrys administration is involved with these leaks, They ALL HATE AMERICA. Holder wont do anything until the PUPPET MASTER SAYS SO.
Report Post »heavyduty
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 3:12pmThe way I look at the situation, If WeakyLeaky had any foundation to stand on they would be in court getting injunctions and whatever they do to stop the attacks. But they are hiding, so I rate them right up there with the Taliban and Al Quita. They are cowards hiding behind our laws to run AMERICANS down. If they aren’t from the U.S. then they don’t get the same privileges as AMERICANS.
Report Post »Cpriestess
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 6:12pmIf they didn’t have some serious truth on their side why would their avenues of dissemination be cut off? What would the gov’t have to fear from BS?
Report Post »kryptonite
Posted on December 5, 2010 at 4:10amWith all due respect, how can you be so naive? You would be hiding too, if you had all the corrupt, hypocritical, lying governments of the world hunting you down for the kill.
This is not about the patriotic guys and gals who are out there putting their lives on the line for America and freedom. Nobody gave a DAMN when THOSE leaks and the Iraq leaks linked to Bush were published It’s not about investigating who is really behind the leaks either. Uh-uh. This is about someone DARING to expose the vile corrupt kingdoms of this world.
I am not saying Assange is a saint. He ain’t. But all this BS about The NYT being free to do as they please with classified info just because they are media, and their dumps not compromising our security is typical left-wing spin. They are guilty as hell, those Pontius Pilates who are now conveniently washing their hands of all guilt before a guileless citizenry.
Apparently, even some at Fox News are candidly echoing the insanely false argument that freedom of the media guarantees immunity from possible charges of aiding and abetting the enemy, if that’s how Assange is being legally defined. How dare The NYT claim that they did not compromise national security! Assuming that they only published information they deemed to be safe, it is impossible to foresee how foreign cultures or individuals will react to a given leak. Moreover, The NYT refused to scrub some of the info the govt. specifically asked that they withhold. The truth is, The NYT only cares about making a profit and furthering their anti-war, anti-American agenda, and the WikiLeaks documents provided an opportunity to achieve both.
These people are all on the same team, and this is typical, bloody, left-wing infighting. None of them are looking out for us.
Report Post »TXPilot
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 3:10pmI guess Wikileaks will have to find another way to get their dirty money…..too bad…
Report Post »AngeldLovesGlennBeck
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 3:30pmSoros!
Report Post »Buck Ofama
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 4:33pmSoros has already been linked to Assange and the US Marine involved. Organizations like Code Pink and Tides Foundation have been linked in support of the marine. Soros’ OSI (Open Society Institute) has been linked to Assange via his attorney, Mark Stevens, who does pro-bono work for OSI.
snowleopard3200 {mix art}
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 4:56pmThe trial, if any, for the marine and assang will probably go like this…Soros makes a phone call and requests politely of the judge that the ‘gentleman in concern is released post haste.’
Of even more insight would be if the first or second call he made would be followed up by “Mr Soros, thank you for calling my show, let’s have a talk about things…” (Voice of Glenn Beck on live TV)
Report Post »heavyduty
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 3:06pmWhat the government needs to do is target the people making donations to WeakyLeaks. Hit them in the pocket book and the crap will stop.
Report Post »BlazingPatriot
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 3:24pmOh, trust me ……… the IRS will be knocking on their door ASAP!!
Report Post »tower7femacamp
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 4:43pmwhat if the CIA is the main contributor ?
Report Post »Cpriestess
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 5:11pmAnd God Bless America for siccing their tax agency on someone showing America the fallacy of its faith in Freedom of the Press AND Freedom of Speech.
I donated $50 bucks this morning when I heard about Paypal.
Wake up friend this an assault on your freedom too.
Report Post »Azay Gezunt
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 9:48pm…and they could also shoot anyone who reads about Wikileaks. Makes sense tome….just sayin’
Report Post »J.C. McGlynn
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 3:03pmPayPal does not need to be hacked by anyone right now.
Report Post »tower7femacamp
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 4:19pmIf only Wiki could take the mark of the Beast then we could free up their account.
Report Post »->Click For Brain Enema<-
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 4:21pmI bet the passed a list of contributors to the FBI
Report Post »snowleopard3200 {mix art}
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 4:43pmWikileaks is now becoming Wiki-non-grata across the world.
Report Post »tower7femacamp
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 5:34pmhttp://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/dec/2/wave-goodbye-to-internet-freedom/
Report Post »End of the freedom on line
What's next
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 8:55pmDot #12 Barack Hussein Obama is elected, promising “Change you can believe in.” After taking office in January, Obama sends Hillary Clinton on a critical mission to China and helps write H.R. 45 — a complete grab of America’s guns ala Adolph Hitler. State leaders who understand what Clinton and Obama agenda with China is about, are seeking legal “Sovereignty” to prevent the loss of property to a foreign power.
Dot #13 China agrees to continue investing in U.S. Treasury Bills only after securing the right of “eminent domain” to physically repossess foreclosed American PRIVATE PROPERTY. This move is the equivalent of an unconditional surrender following a bloody war. This also gives the Chinese military the LEGAL RIGHT to use biological weaponry to “Clean up America all at once”. It gives them the legal right to use deadly force in removing trespassing Americans from occupying Chinese real estate.
Report Post »