Wikileaks and Julian Assange (1 Viewer)

[Mormon Nailer]

So. what do people think?

The CNN journalist who had the temerity to ask him a couple of awkward questions last week is being trolled pretty badly on facebook. I've been following along and dipping my oar in now and again, but it's depressing stuff.

Anyone have any strong opinions?

Why do I find him so creepy?
Have I just been brainwashed by some smear conspiracy, or perhaps he just is a creep?
If he is, does it matter?
What is with the weird messianic devotion people have for this man. (One lad on the facebook page refers to him constantly as Mr. Assange)?

 

[therealjohnny]

"ASS" ange

hahhahaa

 

[therealjohnny]

ahem...sorry

I haven't been following too closely but I'm not surprised that there seems to be a smear campaign against him.
He'll be venerated as a hero by some, ...for a while anyway

I don't buy the "the truth kills innocent soldiers" line I've been hearing

 

[rettucs]

hes useful, at the very least.

Last weekend hundreds of thousands of documents leaked telling of how the US of A knew about, but ignored torture by Iraqi forces and police

Hillary Clintons response? How dare he leak these documents and risk the lives of Americans.

wonderfully reassuring

 

[rettucs]

in principle, leakin shit is bad.

but leakin bad shit is good

 

[Mormon Nailer]

People seem to be outraged that at the end of an interview about the Iraq leak he was asked.

A. There seem to be a lot of discord in the organisation at the moment?
B. Is there a smear campaign against you?

These seem perfectly normal questions to me and questions I would like to see him answer. But fuck... the notion that he be asked these things at all seem to drive his fan club nuts. Surely they are relevant questions? If Tony Hayward was accused of rape in the middle of the BP Horizon disaster would the same people be howling in his defence. And I doubt the same people were so circumspect in discussing Loofah Boy O'Reiley's sexual harassment case.

Am I the only person who thinks (aside from the usefulness of Wikileaks) that the man himself is a pompous cunt?

And all this talk of how historic the leak is - it may be in scope and scale, but does it really do anything but confirm what we all knew about Iraq already and does it tell us anything that proper investigative journalism couldn't have.

While I like the idea of wikileaks, it seems to me that the media in the US have abandoned all notion of investigative journalism and handed responsibility over to wikileaks. The media get the info without the cost or the fear of being sued. The authorities know that a leak on wikileaks can be dismissed/ignored/debunked in the way a front page of the Washington Post can't. It's a win win for everyone except the public.

I also wonder, why do people think Assange's opinion on the content of the leak is relevant? Surely wikileaks is just the conduit and should be, in some sense, aloof from the political ramification of the leak? When I see him pontificating about individual leaks and what they signify, I wonder - does he just release everything or is there some sort of sifting according to an agenda the organisation has?

 

[rettucs]

I also wonder, why do people think Assange's opinion on the content of the leak is relevant? Surely wikileaks is just the conduit and should be, in some sense, aloof from the political ramification of the leak? When I see him pontificating about individual leaks and what they signify, I wonder - does he just release everything or is there some sort of sifting according to an agenda the organisation has?

I agree with that. I don't know him and that makes his opinion both irrelevant and pointless to me.

perhaps Assange is the latest manifestation of the pro vs anti-American debate. Like Assange = hate America and vice versa.

He seems an awful attention seeking prick on the face of things. But I still think this stuff getting into the public domain is good.

why can't everyone just climb up here on the fence with me?

 

[Mormon Nailer]

It's the fucking wiedest thing....

Americans claiming an Indonesian journalist has blood on her hands and is the next incarnation of Joseph Geobbels, for questioning an Australian about something that happened in Sweeden instead of discussing the deaths perpetrated by Americans in Iraq.

 

[Psycho Punk]

“Four Corners”, an Australian Broadcasting Corporation current affairs program, this week broadcast an exposé of the frame-up of WikiLeaks editor Julian Assange on allegations of sexual misconduct in Sweden. Assange remains inside the Ecuadorian embassy in London, seeking political asylum from the threat of being removed to Sweden, which would in turn facilitate extradition to the US.

Sex, Lies and Julian Assange

...Four Corners reporter Andrew Fowler examines in detail what happened in those crucial weeks while Julian Assange was in Sweden. What was the nature of his relationship with the two women who claim he assaulted them? And what did they tell police that led the authorities to seek his arrest?

Both Assange and his supporters believe the attempt by authorities to force his return to Sweden is simply the first step in a plan to see him extradited to the United States.

Four Corners looks at claims the United States is working hard to unearth evidence that would lead to a charge of "conspiracy to commit espionage" being made against Assange - which in turn would be used in his extradition from Sweden. The program also documents the harassment experienced by Assange's supporters across the globe - including his Australian lawyer - and the FBI's attempts to convince some to give evidence against him.

"Sex, Lies and Julian Assange", reported by Andrew Fowler and presented by Kerry O'Brien, goes to air on Monday 23rd July at 8.30pm on ABC1.

Transcript and full broadcast at: http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/stories/2012/07/19/3549280.htm

Australian TV program exposes Assange frame-up

... The program provided substantial evidence that the allegations against him were false and politically motivated. The unproven accusations were used to blacken his name in Sweden and around the world, and counter the widespread public support that he and WikiLeaks had won for courageously exposing the crimes and machinations of the US and other powers.

Reported by Andrew Fowler, the program recounts that when Assange arrived in Sweden on August 11, he was offered accommodation at the apartment of Anna Ardin. She was meant to be away, but returned on the evening of August 13. That night she had consensual sex with Assange, who continued to stay in the apartment until August 18—five days after the occasion on which the Swedish authorities later alleged Assange had used force against her.

In fact, Ardin several times insisted that Assange stay, rejecting offers from others to have the WikiLeaks’ chief stay with them. On the two nights following the supposed assault, Ardin arranged a crayfish barbecue for Assange and attended a dinner party by his side. During the crayfish party, she had tweeted: “Sitting outdoors at 02:00 and hardly freezing with the world’s coolest, smartest people! It’s amazing!” Later she told a friend she had a “wild weekend” with him.

On August 16, with Ardin’s knowledge, Assange travelled out of town to spend a night with a second young woman, Sofia Wilen. The following day, the two women began exchanging emails. Ultimately, four days later, on August 20, Ardin and Wilen went to a Stockholm police station to see if they could compel Assange to take a sexual health test.

Instead, the police declared that Assange was to be arrested and questioned about possible rape and molestation. Wilen became so distraught at this that she refused to give any more testimony or sign what had been taken down.

That same night, a prosecutor issued a warrant for Assange’s arrest. The prosecutor’s office did not contact Assange. Instead, within hours, it leaked to the tabloid newspaper Expressen the statements made by the two women. The newspaper’s front page read: “Assange hunted for rape in Sweden.”

This was just the first evidence of high-level collusion, involving the police, the prosecutor’s office and the media, to destroy Assange’s reputation.

Within 24 hours of the arrest warrant, there was a further twist. A more senior prosecutor dismissed the rape allegations, leaving only the lesser accusation of molestation. Assange voluntarily went to the police on August 30 and made a statement. During the interview he expressed his fears that whatever he said would end up in the Expressen. The interviewing police officer said: “I’m not going to leak anything.” The interview was nevertheless leaked.

Assange was still not charged with any offence—a fact that remains to this day. Instead, he was assured by the prosecutor that he was free to leave the country while an inquiry continued, an assurance that was later dramatically reversed.

The only conclusion one can draw is that Assange was either deliberately set-up, or that the women later came under significant pressure to testify against him. The current allegations by the two women against Assange are unclear. Their lawyer, Claes Borgstrom, refused to disclose any details of their case. When “Four Corners” suggested to him: “It looks as though they are in fact setting him up,” he replied defensively: “I’m quite aware of that.” ...
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2012/jul2012/assa-j28.shtml

 

[Kermit McDermott]

I'm sure Julian Assange is no angel but his main crime in the eyes of the americans is exposing the ruthless double dealings of the american government & military. They've been interfering in the affairs of other countries for over 60 years and they're still doing it, except now, in the information age they have to be even more careful. And he let the cat out of the bag. So they will destroy his character, call him a rapist, or a pedophile and find some charges to nail him to the wall. The same thing will happen to that young soldier Bradley Manning.

 

[ann post]

already shaping up to be a re-run of my julia lasagne thread.

 

[Ewa]

Julian is cool. Read his "Unauthorised Biography", couldn't help it. Expected it to be complicated, scary and full of conspiracy theories but it's actually very uplifting and written with beautiful clarity that many people lack these days.

 

[adamus]

I'm with Murray.

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[Psycho Punk]

British Authorities May Invade Ecuadorian Embassy To Arrest Assange.

The British are threatening to lift the Diplomatic status of the Ecuadorian Embassy in London to facilitate the arrest of Julian Assange. The law the UK has informed Ecuador it could use in the case is the Diplomatic and Consular Premises Act 1987. It allows the UK to revoke the diplomatic status of an embassy on UK soil, which in this case would potentially allow police to enter the building to arrest Mr Assange for breaching the terms of his bail. This law was intended to deal with terrorist situations - not where someone was seeking refuge.

A BBC correspondent said he could not recall a precedent in which the Diplomatic and Consular Premises Act 1987 had been used in this way. And former government lawyer Carl Gardner told BBC Radio 4's Today programme legal advisers would be "urging the most extreme caution".

Live stream: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/occupynewsnetwork

At a news conference in Quito on Wednesday, Ecuador's Foreign Minister, Ricardo Patino, said a letter from the UK government had been delivered through a British embassy official.

"Today we received from the United Kingdom an express threat, in writing, that they might storm our embassy in London if we don't hand over Julian Assange," he said. "Ecuador rejects in the most emphatic terms the explicit threat of the British official communication."

He said such a threat was "improper of a democratic, civilised and rule-abiding country". He added: "If the measure announced in the British official communication is enacted, it will be interpreted by Ecuador as an unacceptable, unfriendly and hostile act and as an attempt against our sovereignty. It would force us to respond.

"We are not a British colony."

A number of police officers are outside the Ecuadorean embassy, in Knightsbridge, where some of Mr Assange's supporters have also gathered. A small number were handcuffed after minor skirmishes with officers.

Demonstrators also protested outside the British embassy in Ecuador's capital. Images from Quito showed protesters holding signs saying "We are sovereign, not colonies" and a union jack being stepped on.

"Giving asylum doesn't fundamentally change anything," said a spokesperson from the UK Foreign Office. "We must be absolutely clear this means that should we receive a request for safe passage for Mr Assange, after granting asylum, this would be refused."

10:35 GMT: “I think that this point in time, other nations need to stand up and defend Ecuador's right to make this decision. They haven't even made the decision, they're being threatened. Imagine threatening to storm an embassy to this because they're protecting the rights of a journalist. We have to respect Ecuador's sovereignty, something that the UK might like to take on board. This is a serious decision. ” – Christine Assange, Julian Assange's mother, Brisbane, Australia.

10:47 GMT: President of the Ecuadorian National Assembly Fernando Cordero has called a special meeting on the UK’s potential raid of the Ecuadorian Embassy. Although Parliament is in recess for 15 days, he called 124 legislators to attend the meeting. This session will not address the issue of Assange’s bid for asylum, Cordero said.

Follow live updates at: http://www.rt.com/news/ecuador-decides-assange-fate-813/

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/aug/16/julian-assange-ecuador-embassy-asylum-live

 

[pete]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lVCBLfwA5A&feature=player_detailpage#t=482s

 

[magicbastarder]

assange has been granted asylum.

 

[pete]

now they just need to get him out of the building (my previous post refers)

 

[shower another shower]

don't understand why they can't put him car with diplomatic plates...onto a plane. zing.

 

[magicbastarder]

because of this?

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[Deadmanposting]

now they just need to get him out of the building (my previous post refers)

That will be interesting alright.