Bank of America
McClatchy newspapers quoted a statement from the bank as saying, "Bank of America joins in the actions previously announced by MasterCard
"This decision is based upon our reasonable belief that WikiLeaks may be engaged in activities that are, among other things, inconsistent with our internal policies for processing payments."
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange earlier stated that confidential information involving a bank would be made public through the website in January next year. Bank of America shares took a hit after investors and the media suspected that it was the next target of the whistleblower site. WikiLeaks last year, announced that it was in possession of an executive hard drive from the bank.
On Twitter, WikiLeaks confirmed the reports, stating, "Bank of America bans ALL transactions to WikiLeaks." It also urged supporters to boycott the bank and its operations.
"Does your business do business with Bank of America?" the post asked. "Our advice is to place your funds somewhere safer."
Even though Amazon.com
Palin, the former governor of Alaska and vice-presidential candidate, had called on the Obama administration to hunt down Assange like an al-Qaeda leader. She said that Assange was "an anti-American operative with blood on his hands."
However, in recent weeks the activists announced that the group would primarily focus on "publishing parts of the confidential U.S. diplomatic cables as widely as possible," rather than launching fresh cyber attacks.
Assange is likely to be charged under the U.S. Espionage Act, under which it is illegal to obtain national defense information for the purpose of harming the United States. U.S. officials are considering various legal options in extraditing the 39-year-old Australian, currently in the UK. He is also wanted in Sweden, where two women have accused him of molestation.
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International Business Times, The Global Business News Leader