In a major development that has been largely ignored or misrepresented in the American media, the Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten has obtained access to the full stash of over 250,000 classified American diplomatic cables previously obtained by WikiLeaks. The paper has been posting a steady stream of cables to its own website independently of the self-styled “whistleblower organization.”

Aftenposten first announced that it had obtained access to the cables in late December. In a commentary published in early January, editor-in-chief Hilde Haugsgjerd made clear that Aftenposten was not cooperating with WikiLeaks and had obtained the documents through unauthorized channels. There had been a “leak of the leak,” as she put it.