Dec 7, 2010
Assange is in police custody where he will remain until Dec 14.
(REUTERS/Tim Chong)
Julian Assange appeared in court re: the Swedish arrest warrant concerning the folliowing alleged acts comitted against two adult women in Sweden between Aug 13 – 18, 2010.
The UK Guardian gives a more specific and disturbing description of the charges, quoting Gemma Lindfield (Swedish authorities).
Julian Paul Assange is accused of:
1) “Unlawful coercion” – using his body weight to hold “Ms A” down in a sexual manner.
2) “Sexually molested” Ms A – had sex with her without a condom when it was her “express wish” one should be used.
3) “Deliberately molested” Ms A “in a way designed to violate her sexual integrity”.
4) Rape, sexual molestation – had sex with Ms W without a condom, WHILE SHE WAS ASLEEP.
Clear why he doesn’t want to be extradited.
I read a description of the criminal complaint (somewhere on a UK site) which said Assange was allegedly asked to be tested for STDs and he allegedly refused.
No charges were filed today. Just a decision on extradition. Had he agreed – all that would be left is transportation arrangements and paperwork.
As is the safest place for him is in police custody. Where he will remain as long as possible to allow his comrades to dump more illegally obtained classified documents.
The world needs TRUTH! except when it comes to wikileaks itself.
Media initially allowed in then were ordered out. Don’t know why.
Assange’s lawyer MARK STEPHENS (pix below) looks just as crazed as his client, who looks to have dyed and cut his hair. Can’t tell because Mr righteous is hiding.
(Stefan Rousseau/AP)
Only likes media attention from illegally obtained material – most of which has no value other than embarrassment.
And, as expected, the coward refused extradition to Sweden to face his accusers.
ASSANGE: I understand that and I do not consent.
Even though he was told that “it’s been for the sake of the questioning that he’s been detained” and that he wouldn’t be detained until after questioning (if warranted).
So why not clear his name with the same standards of TRANSPARENCY! that he’s demanding of a foreign govt?
Transparency is not conditional – it is absolute. And his not showing up in Sweden proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is a cowardly hypocrite seeking attention – world be damned.
A lifetime of impotence = time to get even with the world. He doesn’t even have the intellectual honesty to admit that he hates the US and that hatred is the true motivation behind his selfish and illegal destructive acts.
The notion of him and wikileaks serving a higher cause is laughable. How is revealing potential sites of danger for Americans abroad helping Americans at home?
After court, a red-faced STEPHENS stood on something and shouted (unconvincingly) to the gathered media – who were described as “protesting” but had more camera/video equipment than signs/masks.
(Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP),
STEPHENS: This is going to go viral! Many people believe Mr Assange to be innocent. I am one of them. Many people believe the prosecution is politically motivated.
Same with Assange.
Why hasn’t he just gone to Sweden to prove the US is beind the rape charges? It is the single most important thing he could do to try and legitimize himself….unless of course he is guilty.
Swedish Director of Prosecution Marianne Ny denies any outside influence.
[Adam Ihse/Scanpix Sweden/ Reuters]
NY: I want to make clear that I have not been subjected to any kind of pressure, neither political nor of any other kind.
I am acting as prosecutor because there are suspicions of sex crimes committed in Sweden in August. Swedish prosecutors are completely independent in their decisions.
At present, the case is a matter for British authorities.
Meanwhile Mr Stephens claims has been under surveillance. Not sure why that is surprising since his client was on Interpol’s Most Wanted List (Nov 30). And rather than walking up to the alleged folks allegedly sitting in vehicles allegedly watching him – Stephens assumes they are “the security services.”
Likewise, Assange continues with his paranoid “the rape charges are an attempt to smear me”. As if any smearing is necessary. One can smell him from across the pond.
Assange first claimed the CIA was behind the rape charges. To prove this, Wikileaks organizer and Icelandic Parliamentarian Birgitta Jonsdottir read Assange’s criminal file (in the original Swedish) and said there was nothing to link it to the US. And then went on to say Assange is a socially inept typical Aussie chauvinist who needs to resign immediately. HERE.
Seems wikifan didn’t read Ms Jonsdottir’s comments. Not that facts or law matter to wikileaks folks.
(Carl de Souza/AFB)
What kind of person is Assange if his own wikleaks people discredited him BEFORE the latest dump?
[Wikileaks discredited itself 2 years ago by publishing Sarah Palin's hacked emails and then refusing to give up the hacker, David Kernell, who was sentenced to 366 days.]
And by keeping Assange, wikileaks opened themselves up for prosecution. They asked him to resign = an acknowledgment they knew something was off, But they went ahead and released the documents, taking on his liability. And now when it means mucho dinero and mucho notoriety wikileaks is behind him again.
Who is asking if Assange is working for China? Soros?
Keep in mind – wikileaks is not a bona fide US media source = NOT protected by US media laws = NOT protected by the First Amendment. wikileaks knows they are posting illegally obtained classified govt documents = trafficking in stolen goods.
So since the US was ruled out by wikileaks own people – Assange is now accusing the Australian govt of helping the US.
The foundation stone of it is an illegal act. Information was taken and that was illegal, so let’s not try and put any glosses on this.
The PM is correct. Fruit of the poisoned tree.
The Australian government unequivocally condemns the action by any of those responsible for the unauthorised release of classified and confidential information and diplomatic communications between states.
Assange in reference to PM Gillard and Atty Gen Robert McClelland:
ASSANGE: [They] have made it clear that not only is my return impossible, but that they are actively working to assist the United States government in its attacks on myself and our people.
["our people" = wikileaks - not his fellow Aussies]
ASSANGE: This brings into question what does it mean to be an Australian citizen — does that mean anything at all?
Australian AG McClelland’s spokesman:
Mr. Assange, like every Australian citizen, has rights, and nothing is stopping him from coming home to Australia. This includes the right to return to Australia and also to receive consular assistance while he is overseas if that is requested.
Sure is a whiny little dude isn’t he?
He’s a victim! People are out to get him! when 4 months ago noone who lived in the physical world knew the alleged rapist. Master of the universe couldn’t even hide himself for a week. And who really wants to claim him? Contrary to media reports – not Ecuador…tho the president was taken hostage by his own police in Sept so who knows.
Like leader like follower – both ashamed to show their faces.
(Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP)
And why the whining about his Australian citizenship when weeks ago he petitioned Sweden for citizenship?
Seems a pretty clear signal of what he thought about his Australian citizenship. Sweden said no to Assange citizenship and yes to wikileaks cash.. And now Sweden wanta help catching Assange even as they are facilitating wikileaks by providing servers. No servers – no wikileaks. No wikileaks – no need for an international warrant for Sweden to catch their alleged rapist.
For the record. Job one for any citizen is not to put ones fellow citizens or ones nation at risk. Attacking Australia’s allies puts Australia at risk. If Australia is attacked – Australia will expect the US to respond. And anything that weakens the US weakens her allies – something Assange’s ego doesn’t care about.
According to Guardian, when Assange was asked his address, he responded:
PO Box 4080.
Asked again:
Do you want it for correspondence or for some other reason?
Later he scribbled “Parkville, Victoria, Australia” on a piece of paper and gave it to the Judge.
[He allegedly was born in Townsville, Australia in 1981, was home-schooled and moved dozens of times as a child.]
No address = bail denied (even though some Brits came forward to vouch for him) = incarceration at least until Dec 14.
Jemima Khan, one such Brit who came forward to get press for herself – she doesn’t even know Assange.
(Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
JemKhan (tweets): I was just in court to provide surety in case bail was granted to Julian Assange of wikileaks. I make no judgment of Julian Assange as an individual as I have never met him. I offered my support, as I believe that this is about the universal right of freedom of information and our right to be told the truth.
Taking Assange and wikileaks at face value. Says alot about Ms Kahn and what her support is worth other than cash. And all they could come up with is £180,000.
What’s next: UK has 21 days to make a decision whether to extradite. Much similar to the Polanski non-extradition farce. Assange can then appeal but to win he has to show that he cannot get a fair trial in Sweden. Hard to do when he refuses to even be interrogated.
Don’t know what type of privileges Assange will have in jail. Awfully ridiculous if they allow him access to any digital device.
These are not the eyes of someone seeking truth.
They are the eyes of a man bent on getting even – no matter the cost to his fellow Australians.
