WikiLeaks Cables Cited in Lawsuit Over $500-Million Sunken Treasure

[IScreamSundays]

Source: Wired

A deep-sea treasure-hunting company in Florida says that diplomatic cables recently released by WikiLeaks have exposed the U.S. government’s backdoor interference in a lawsuit over $500 million in silver and gold coins recovered from a Spanish galleon.

According to Odyssey Marine Exploration, based in Florida, the U.S. State Department cables show that the U.S. ambassador to Spain made a quid pro quo deal to assist that country in its battle with Odyssey for the treasure.

In exchange for the U.S. siding with Spain in the lawsuit, Odyssey says, Spain was asked for assistance in returning a $20-million Pissarro painting to a U.S. family that says it was unfairly obtained by the Nazis in Germany.

Claude Cassirer is embroiled in a lawsuit with Spain over possession of the painting, claiming that in 1939 the Nazis forced his Jewish grandmother to sell it for about $360 in exchange for an exit visa to escape Germany. The painting is currently hanging in Spain’s Thyssen museum.

Read more: http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2011/01/wikileaks-sunken-treasure/

[Bragi]

1. Wikileaks gets better every day /nt

[Mimosa]

2. More proof information leads to power, as well as justice. n/t

[seafan]

3. WikiLeaks is doing what our "media" will not, and that is speaking truth to power.

More here.

[Uncle Joe]

4. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, IScreamSundays.

[goforit]

5. The US is worse than Russia. Corruption rules.

[No Elephants]

6. As bad as we think things are, turns out, they are worse. And this is only

the material at the lowest level of classification. Imagine what crap gets stamped Top Secret.

[glinda]

9. I wish Wikileaks had that. I wish someone had that and would release it.

[boppers]

10. Top Secret is nothing.

ORCON is where the serious dirt is at.

[fascisthunter]

7. the crooks are running our government

[hardcover]

8. Eduardo Aguirre is the name of the ambassador to Spain

His name should be put out there to become familiar so we can keep a watch on him.

[Ian David]

11. NO ONE Expects The Spanish Treasure Acquisition! n/t