Covert gardaí exposed online
Individual gardaí who are clearly identifiable from pictures put up on the US website this week are worried there may be a sinister motive.
The website has a history of revealing secret and classified documents from governments across the globe as well as identifying undercover security agents.
It is the first time it has published photographs of any members of the State's security forces, although the site was one of the first media outlets to publish the name of Belfast republican Alfredo Scappaticci, the alleged IRA informer known as Stakeknife.
Several years ago, the British media was banned from publicising the site's name when reporting stories about Britain's secret services, MI5 and MI6.
There is speculation the photographs may be connected to the recent May Day protests or the upcoming visit of US president George Bush. Anti-globalisation protestors have voiced considerable disquiet at the number of gardaí with cameras who have been filming demonstrators at recent marches.
Gardaí have launched an investigation into the taking and posting of the photographs, which Special Branch sources described as unusual. Officers want to find out where they were taken, by whom and why.
"We have no idea yet why they were taken but there will be an investigation. The photographs will be studied to see if we can find out where and when they were taken," said one Special Branch detective.
However, a spokesperson for the site, John Young, rejected any suggestion that the publication of the photographs posed any threat to individuals identified.
Mr Young said the photographs had also generated a lot of reaction, with many people wanting to find out more. He also promised to remove photos of anyone who may have been wrongly identified as a member of the Special Branch.
