US court subpoenas Twitter information of WikiLeaks

In the Obama administration's first move against the whistleblower website WikiLeaks, the US Department of Justice has launched a criminal investigation against the site.

The department has subpoenaed the activity on microblogging site Twitter of five people, including that of  WikiLeaks editor, Julian Assange.

Assange, is facing a hearing in a British court tomorrow, on charges of sexual assault involving two women in August last year. The court will decide on the extradition of Assange to Sweden where he allegedly committed the crime.

However, according to analysts there are wider ramifications from the case from the digital pursuit of justice, covering issues involving the extent of privacy to media, and international relations particularly of the US with allies, which could be hurt.

Of those involved, three are not US citizens, including Australian-born Assange, which raises questions of whether US laws should cover online activity of non-US citizens, acting from outside the US.

The US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, has, in a subpoena, demanded the release of records and other personal account information from Twitter.