It has come to light that the US Federal Bureau of Investigation came to Iceland in 2011 as part of a Wikileaks investigation, and were asked to leave shortly thereafter by the Minister of the Interior.
Wikileaks spokesperson Kristinn Hrafnsson told Kastljósið the story of the event.
“I can confirm that on the morning of August 25, 2011,” Kristinn said. “The US Federal Bureau of Investigation came to Iceland to work with the State Prosecutor and the National Commissioner of the Icelandic Police as part of an investigation connected to Wikileaks.”
Minister of the Interior Ögmundur Jónasson backed up the story for RÚV, adding that when he was informed of Icelandic law enforcement cooperating with the FBI in Iceland, “I asked that all cooperation be ceased at once.” He added that the Foreign Ministry also contacted the US embassy.
Later on during the day that the complaints were lodged, the FBI agents boarded a private jet and left Iceland.
US law enforcement authorities have had great interest in Icelandic activities in connection with Wikileaks. One of the more infamous examples is how the US Department of Justice once asked Twitter to hand over all their data on communications and private messages from MP Birgitta Jónsdóttir’s account. The investigation sparked a legal battle which still continues to this day.
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