Dow used Stratfor to spy on Bhopal activists: WikiLeaks
27 Feb 2012
Julian Assange's whistleblower website WikiLeaks today released records of Dow Chemicals' alleged links with US-based intelligence firm Stratfor, which it engaged to spy on activists working in connection with the Bhopal gas tragedy.
The e-mail messages, dating between July 2004 and December 2011, show that Dow Chemicals used Stratfor to monitor the online activities of activists in Bhopal, campaigning against the company for the 1984 Union Carbide gas disaster.
Dow Chemicals bought out Union Carbide in a rescue effort that helped Union carbide to escape direct court action in India.
WikiLeaks claims that Stratfor provided Dow an analysis of daily developments in court hearings in India. The agency also provided Dow with travel plans and activities of campaigners pushing for action against Dow.
The Stratfor emails were originally stolen by members of the hacker group Anonymous in December, which passed it on to WikiLeaks later.
Stratfor in a statement said the release of its stolen emails was an attempt to silence and intimidate it. It said it would not be cowed under the leadership of George Friedman, even as it denied Friedman had resigned as its CEO.