All of the National Security Agency files accessed by former contractor Edward Snowden could be published in the month of July if vaguely worded predictions tweeted this week from the digital library site Cryptome prove to be correct.
A series of micro-messages published by the website — a portal for sharing sensitive documents that predates WikiLeaks by a decade — suggest further Snowden leaks may be on the way.
“During July all Snowden docs released” reads an excerpt from one Cryptome tweet sent on Monday this week. “July is when war begins unless headed off by Snowden full release of crippling intel. After war begins not a chance of release,” reads another tweet sent from Cryptome on Monday this week. “Only way war can be avoided. Warmongerers [sic] are on a rampage. So, yes, citizens holding Snowden docs will do the right thing,” insists another.
July Spy Syzygy: HOPE Anti-Spy July 18-20; Aspen Pro-Spy July 23-26; Cryptome Kick-Spy ends July 27. During July all Snowden docs released.
— Cryptome (@Cryptomeorg) June 30, 2014
Repost: July is when war begins unless headed off by Snowden full release of crippling intel. After war begins not a chance of release.
— Cryptome (@Cryptomeorg) June 30, 2014
Repost: Only way war can be avoided. Warmongerers are on a rampage. So, yes, citizens holding Snowden docs will do the right thing.
— Cryptome (@Cryptomeorg) June 30, 2014
Follow-up tweets from the organization have been equally vague, however, and a report published by a journalist at Vocativ on Tuesday does little to disclose what information, if any, will be published in the coming weeks.
Other dispatches this week from Cryptome direct followers to watch for two upcoming conferences planned for this month: the biannual Hackers On Planet Earth (HOPE) event in New York City starting July 18, and the Aspen Institute’s yearly Security Forum the following weekend, which will feature appearances from the likes of former NSA directors Keith Alexander and Michael Hayden.
Daniel Ellsberg, the former United States Department of Defense staffer attributed with leaking the so-called “Pentagon Papers” during the Vietnam War, may have a role in the possible Cryptome release. Ellsberg is scheduled to deliver a keynote address at HOPE, and Cryptome tweeted that those wanting more information on the release of Snowden docs should stayed tuned to that event for his speech and another from a yet-to-be-announced special guest.
As the tweets continued through Monday, Vocativ journalist Eric Markowitz approached Cryptome founder John Young for further details. Ahead of that article’s publication, however, Cryptome published the email exchange between Young and the reporter, the contents of which provide little more except for vaguely worded predictions that could be deciphered to conclude that Mr. Ellsberg may or may not discuss unpublished Snowden documents at HOPE later this month.
“July is a summitry of anti-spy and pro-spy events, HOPE and Aspen Security Forum. Both sides will be pushing their interests, with dramatic revelations by newsmaking and news breaking speakers,” Young wrote to the reporter. “At Aspen there is a star-studded list of top military and spy officials, defense industry and main stream media parading the need to combat the Snowdens and the WikiLeakers who do not understand the necessity of a luxurious and wasteful natsec and spy warmongering."
Elsewhere in the back-and-forth, Young makes reference to a crowd-funding campaign started by the site last month on Kickstarter that has so far helped the organization raise more than $14,000.
“We, modestly, will conclude our kick-spy Kickstarter campaign in asynchrony with the Bold Names,” Young continued. “To hell with all of the preeners who from all appearances, get togethers, books, public relations and mutual consultation are working together to assure they remain synchronous.”
“July is hot as hell, so a great month to burn through public money ferociously, battling over which voracious information producer can inflame the newsmaking loins of peace and war: in times of both prepare for both, endlessly elbow bending at the perfidy of the PR competitors,” he added. “So, definitely, Snowden documents will be released in July. If the contending parties have their way, all of the documents will be released to kickstart the war on terrorism, in Iraq, in Iran, in North Korea, in the Holy Land, across Africa, Caribbean Drug Sea, the US-Mexican border, and the areas of operations always on alert in DC, Fort Meade and Colorado Springs.”
In the article eventually posted by Vocativ on Tuesday, Markowitz wrote that “Young has also ducked inquiries about how (or from whom) Cryptome received the document,” and “did not respond directly to questions about what the content of those leaked documents would reveal, other than to say that there may exist some ‘technical documents’ used ‘to combat techniology [sic] of spying well beyond those promoted for “public debate.”’”
“So again, it’s important to take all of this with a grain of salt,” Markowitz wrote.