![U.S.: Assange and WikiLeaks Enemies of the State [REPORT]](https://helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/archives/05a3ORurbv6SlstKlYTLtZ7/hero-image.fill.size_1248x702.v1647021436.jpg)
The U.S. military has declared Julian Assange and WikiLeaks as enemies of the United States, the National Times reports.
Legally, that's the same category the al-Qaeda terrorist network and the Taliban insurgency are listed in.
What does this mean? According to the Times, military personnel who contact WikiLeaks or its supporters could be at risk of being charged with "communicating with the enemy" -- a harsh military crime that carries a maximum sentence of death.
This information, the Times says, comes from declassified U.S. Air Force documents that recorded a probe of a cyber systems analyst, based in Britain, who allegedly attended pro-WikiLeaks demonstrations in London.
Assange hasn't officially been charged with any crimes by any government. He's been holed up in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London since June to avoid extradition to Sweden to face sexual assault claims.
He spoke, via video from London, to the United Nations General Assembly yesterday, where he criticized President Obama for "punishing freedom of speech."
Twitter users gave mixed reactions to the report:
Retweet if you do NOT believe #Wikileaks is 'terrorism.' This thought police BS has gone too far. #FirstAmendment— David Seaman (@d_seaman) September 27, 2012
So assange and wiki leaks are labeled enemy combatants...the same as al-Qaeda...this is utterly insane!— O Shah (@Sagacious_O) September 27, 2012
The US Military Now Agrees With My Position On Julian Assange: He’s An Enemy Of The State bit.ly/Q30ccj #RightMind #TCOT— Fred Hayek (@FredHayek) September 27, 2012
What do you think? Is this too strict? Not strict enough? Let us know your thoughts.