Chopper Video Is Latest Fight in US-Wikileaks War

A chilling video showing US troops shooting down unarmed journalists and other civilians in Iraq and joking about it represents the latest face-off between the government and internet challenger Wikileaks. Officials of the news operation have complained about heavy-handed surveillance and other tactics by the feds, while the Pentagon accuses Wikileaks of endangering national security with its leaks of sensitive information. Wikileaks busted a military encryption code to post the video after the Pentagon refused a request from Reuters to obtain it, Wikileaks director Julian Assange tells the Guardian.

Two Reuters journalists were killed in the 2007 attack. "Ha ha ha. I hit 'em," shouts a US chopper crewman in the video. Another responds: "Oh yeah, look at those dead bastards." Wikileaks has vowed to release a second secret military video showing civilian killings in an Afghanistan attack. A recent Pentagon report attacking the site mentioned seeking criminal sanctions against the operation. The report was leaked on Wikileaks.
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