The online whistleblower WikiLeaks published a secret CIA memo on Wednesday addressing the possible consequences of US citizens engaging in terrorist attacks abroad, dpa reported.
The three-page document examined the potential that terrorists recruited in the United States could endanger the willingness of other governments to cooperate in the war on terrorism.
The publication reflects WikiLeaks' defiance of the US government, which harshly criticized the website and its founder, Julian Assange, after the release last month of thousands of classified military documents related to the war in Afghanistan.
The Pentagon has demanded the return of all of the documents. WikiLeaks has refused to do so, and insists it has an additional 15,000 documents it will publish later this year.
The Pentagon suspects an Army private based in Iraq was behind the leaks of the military documents. The government has continued a criminal investigation into the source of the leaks.
The CIA memo reveals little remarkable information. The document warns that if American citizens are recruited by al-Qaeda and strike in other countries, it could results in requests from foreign governments to provide private information on US citizens.
The document goes on to say a refusal by the US government to comply could prompt other governments to lessen their cooperation in the war on terrorism.