I suspect that if someone did source research by breaking the security of your computer, you would want them prosecuted, too. Journalists can't be persecuted for what they write, but they're not above the law.

Persecuting journalists for what they write is becoming more and more common.

"[Reporters Without Borders] is also still troubled by the arrest of journalists during #Blacklivesmatter protests in Baltimore and Minneapolis."

https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/04/20/475017281...

I have to remember that one if I ever feel like burgling someone’s house. “Ah yes yer honor, I did try to break in for research purposes!”

> So for doing source research.

Sure, in the same sense that the same description could apply to torturing someone with relevant knowledge.

Freedom of the press is the right to publish, not an exemption from all criminal law so long as the object of the crime is acquisition of material for publication.

No, for conspiracy to break into DoD computers.

This actually seems like great news for journalists. The fact that this is the only charge implies that prosecutors have decided that wikileaks’ core activity of publishing classified information obtained by others was actually legal.

The fact that assisting someone to break into a DoD computer turns out to be illegal probably shouldn’t surprise anyone. If someone asked for your help breaking into a DoD computer would you say “oh sure, that sounds like a perfectly legal thing that can’t possibly get me into trouble”?

I wouldn't underestimate the US. They could be laying this nice, comfy-looking trap to ease the extradition process from UK. Then once on US soil, the real charges are unveiled.