Wikileaks tied to Russia - Clinton
BRITAIN: Hillary Clinton claimed yesterday that Wikileaks was an arm of Russian intelligence and that a new Cold War was descending on Europe through the weaponising of information.
The former United States secretary of state said the Kremlin was using the internet to foment trouble, boost the ‘‘ripples of Rightwing nationalism and populism’’ and break up the European Union and Nato.
Britain too, she said, was in danger from the Russian state’s propaganda machine as it embedded itself in the country.
She cited advertisements placed on the London Underground in recent days by the state-financed television channel Russia Today, which mock claims that it is involved in disinformation campaigns. It uses slogans such as: ‘‘Missed the train? Lost a vote? Blame it on us!’’
Clinton told the Cheltenham Literature Festival there was evidence of Russian hacking of German politicians and a cyberattack on President Emmanuel Macron’s campaign in France as well as interference in the Catalonian referendum in Spain.
‘‘The fact [that Russia Today] have just opened a new Scotland bureau is concerning,’’ she added. Sputnik, a news agency funded by the Russian state, opened an office in Edinburgh last year.
‘‘Russia’s weapons of choice may not be tanks or missiles, but let me be clear: this is a new kind of Cold War and it is just getting started. We may in the 19th century have fought wars on land and sea and in the 20th century moved to the air, but in the 21st wars will be increasingly fought in cyberspace. America, the UK and its allies need to approach the threat with new courage and resolve together.’’
She said Russia was wanting to ‘‘threaten, disrupt and destabilise Europe’’ and added: ‘‘We need to get serious when it comes to cyberspace and get tough on Putin.’’
During the 2016 American presidential campaign, emails from the Democratic national committee were hacked and placed online by Wikileaks, the organisation led by Julian Assange. US intelligence agencies concluded that individuals with direct ties to the Kremlin were involved.
Clinton told the festival yesterday that Wikileaks was ‘‘an arm of Russian intelligence’’. ‘‘We do not see them drop anything negative about Russia or Putin.’’
She criticised Facebook and Google for allowing Russian advertisements to be placed on their platforms during the US presidential campaign. Clinton said the adverts had been designed to ‘‘fan the flames of division in our society’’. Facebook had been ‘‘paid in roubles’’ and was ‘‘facing a lot of questions’’.
President Donald Trump was ‘‘Putin’s puppet’’, she said. She admitted she had been convinced right up until the result of last year’s presidential race was announced that she was going to win.
What was now emerging, she said, was the extent of Russian interference. ‘‘It’s a clear and present danger to Western democracy and it’s right out of Putin’s playbook,’’ she said.
Russian agents had used Facebook, Twitter, Google, YouTube and Pinterest to place targeted attack adverts and negative election stories.
It had been ‘‘intended not only to hurt me but to fan the flames of division within society’’.
Clinton is visiting the UK to promote her book about the election titled What Happened. – The Times