(Adds details and background)
By Jack Stubbs
LONDON, Dec 6 (Reuters) - Internet discussion site Reddit
said on Friday the leak and distribution of classified UK-U.S.
trade documents during Britain's election campaign was tied to a
previous Russian information operation.
Reuters reported on Monday that the way the documents were
initially shared online resembled a disinformation campaign
known as Secondary Infektion, which was uncovered earlier this
year and stemmed from accounts Facebook said originated in
Russia.
"We were recently made aware of a post on Reddit that
included leaked documents from the UK," Reddit said in a
statement. "We investigated this account and the accounts
connected to it, and today we believe this was part of a
campaign that has been reported as originating from Russia."
The company said it has also identified more accounts which
had attempted to promote the original post with the leaked
documents.
"All of these accounts have the same shared pattern as the
original Secondary Infektion group detected, causing us to
believe that this was indeed tied to the original group."
The release of the documents, which appeared to detail the
back-and-forth of how the United States and U.K. were
positioning themselves ahead of Britain's exit from the European
Union, caused a stir when they were picked up by Britain's
opposition Labour Party on Nov. 27.
Labour said the files showed the ruling Conservatives
plotting to offer the state-run National Health Service for sale
in trade talks with Washington. It was an explosive allegation
to make in a country which is heading to the polls on Dec. 12
and generally treasures its public health care system.
The British government said in a statement that "online
platforms should take responsibility for content posted on them,
and we welcome the action Reddit have taken today." It said
authorities were already looking into the matter and would have
no further comment.
Moscow has denied previous allegations of election meddling,
despite mounting evidence on both sides of the Atlantic that its
intelligence services are implicated in hack-and-leak
operations.
(Reporting by Jack Stubbs; Editing by Daniel Wallis)