Wired writer Kevin Poulson has unearthed 13 pages of IM chat between Wikileaks founder Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning, captured at the time Manning shared the videotape of a US Army helicopter opening fire on civilians in Baghdad. The video was by far the biggest story Wikileaks broke at the time, and cemented the site’s reputation.

Perhaps the most affecting moment in the conversation:

dawgnet (Manning): learned a lot from the iceland cable on my side.
pressassociation (Assange): oh?
dawgnet: and that is… everyone is too busy to investigate [leaks] too deeply…
dawgnet: or clean up the mess
pressassociation: yes
pressassociation: unless they think there’s a real promotion in it
dawgnet: indeed
pressassociation: after a few days, no one gives a damn

Sadly for Manning, who has been jailed for 35 years for her part in the leaks, someone in this case very clearly did gave a damn.

The chat log was taken from Manning’s computer and submitted as evidence at her trial, and includes Assange urging Manning to invest in a satellite phone for security, and somewhat curiously sharing information about other leaked documents he had received from other sources. At one point, Assange also discusses the funding side of Wikileaks, and suggests selling movie rights to raise funds.

Interestingly, the one movie that has been made about Assange has been thoroughly disowned by its subject.

The full transcript is over here, well worth a read.