WikiLeaks Changes Web Address To Dodge Foes

It's the Internet version of Whack-A-Mole, with real moles. WikiLeaks popped up on a new, Swiss-based Web address overnight Friday after the company that had been providing it with online services summarily booted the rogue Web site from its servers.

WikiLeaks, previously located at WikiLeaks.org, is now at WikiLeaks.ch. U.S.-based EveryDNS.net was previously providing Internet routing services for WikiLeaks traffic, but said it suspended the service because numerous hacks directed at WikiLeaks was disrupting other customers' sites.

"The services were terminated for violation of the provision which states that 'Member shall not interfere with another Member's use and enjoyment of the Service or another entity's use and enjoyment of similar servicese,'" the company said, in a statement on its Web site.

"The interference at issue arises from the fact that wikleaks.org has become the target of multiple distributed denial of services (DDOS) attacks. These attacks have, and future attacks would, threaten the stability of the EveryDNS.net infrastructure," the company said.

It's the second time this week that WikiLeaks was booted by a services company that provides a link in the Web hosting chain. Amazon Web Services earlier kicked WikiLeaks off its servers, citing violations of its Terms of Services agreement.

Finding cooperative Internet services companies is just one problem facing WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who's become an international fugitive. Some U.S. officials have suggested he may be subject to espionage charges after WikiLeaks last week disclosed thousands of pages of classified diplomatic documents to newspapers around the world.

The leaked documents revealed serious concerns within the U.S. diplomatic community about the resolve and trustworthiness of several key allies, including Afghanistan and Pakistan, in the war on terror.

They also disclosed Saudi Arabia's wish for a U.S. military strike against Iran, and painted unflattering pictures of Western leaders like German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

Interpol has also issued a notice to member countries requesting that Assange be arrested and extradited to Sweden, where he's wanted on charges of alleged rape and sexual harassment following complaints from two Swedish women.