Hillary Clinton set spies on Indian diplomats: WikiLeaks

Washington : Even though far less damning than the disclosed revelations concerning American diplomacy with other nations, the leaked cables from WikiLeaks say U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had once practically ordered spying on Indian diplomats.

Part of the huge contingent of ?cables? or diplomatic communiques that were sent to a number of media organisations by the whistle-blowing website, a telegram from Clinton shows that she had directed her diplomats to obtain ?biographical and biometric information? on Indian envoys to the United Nations.

She also apparently referred to India as a ‘self-appointed frontrunner? for a permanent UN Security Council (UNSC) seat in the telegram sent on July 31 last year to 33 US embassies, reports said on Monday.

Defying disapproval of the White House, WikiLeaks on Sunday had released nearly 250,000 diplomatic cables from U.S. embassies across the world from the past three years uncloaking the backroom bargains of world leaders and insight into their fears as well as the concerns of USA.

As with last time, diplomatically distressing details come to light in installments as journalists, from media houses to whom WIkiLeaks dumped the cables on to, drudge through the piles of confidential data.

A little over a month ago, the whistle-blower website had released the largest classified military leak in history in the form of the Iraq warlogs that told the grim stories of civilian deaths and torture of prisoners by the Iraqi forces during the war and occupation of the country as the U.S. chose to turn a blind eye.

In her telegram Clinton had purportedly noted the reform of the UNSC as one the key areas that she wanted the US envoys to focus on. Among other ?self-appointed frontrunners? she also names Brazil, Germany, and Japan.

According to some reports, however, the details leaked on India are the least of the U.S. worries. For one, President Barack Obama?s speech in the Indian Parliament during his recent India visit seems to be the official ?evolved? stand of the U.S. for now.

In a speech that won him scores of brownie points with Indian lawmakers, Obama had backed India?s long-held demand for a permanent seat at the UNSC. Overall the President?s India trip is regarded as a significant leap forward for the ties between the two countries.

India was also among the ?key allies? that had been warned about the upcoming cable-leak by the U.S. and was urged not to let the evidence harm diplomatic ties.

But there is still some time to go before the this episode can be dusted under the carpet as most of the over 3,000 U.S. cables from India are yet to be dumped online.

WikiLeaks has only posted some 200 of the 251,287 messages but five publications, including The New York Times and UK’s Guardian, have access to all materials, reports said.