CIA drew up 'spy list'

A wish list of information that the US State Department was asked to find out about on Ban Ki-moon, the general secretary of the United Nations, and was described as a "spy's shopping list" was drawn up by the CIA, it was claimed. Information demanded by the list included data such as credit card numbers.

The list is one of the most embarassing documents to emerge from the WikiLeaks saga and the Guardian newspaper now says it has evidence it was the brainchild of the CIA's Humint – human intelligence – section.

US officials have said it is normal for diplomats to try to add to their knowledge of politicians and other figures but critics have said the wish list crosses the line into the realms of spying. Some of the what was listed has been described as potentially against international law.