London's Metropolitan Police arrest Julian Assange Julian Assange has been arrested by London cops at the Ecuadorian Embassy after the nation revoked the asylum it had given him for nearly seven years. BREAKING: #Assange removed from embassy - video pic.twitter.com/qsHy7ZVPg5 — Ruptly (@Ruptly) April 11, 2019 The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) issued a statement this …
there is certainly a lot more to this story than the first bunch of El'reg commentards have mentioned, either deliberately, or accidentally lightweight in world news 'actuality'
I suggest you all do some more reading, unless you are offical typists just doing your job, in which case "well done men, now he can go and get Trumped!"
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/16/us/politics/julian-assange-indictment-wikileaks.html
First the US have to get their hands on him, and once the Met are finished with him for bail jumping, it looks like he's off to Sweden to face his original charges. He's less likely to get extradited to the US from Sweden than he is from the UK.
Hopefully the Swedes just ship him back to Australia where he can live in ignominy (and maybe pay some child support). He'd hate it much more if it turned out the world doesn't actually give a shit about him.
"there is certainly a lot more to this story than the first bunch of El'reg commentards have mentioned, either deliberately, or accidentally lightweight in world news 'actuality'"
I see everyone who disagrees with me as either a government stooge or an imbecile as well, it's always a good way to have a calm discussion.
I think they'd rather take ROFL back.
Rolling on the Floor Laughing???
or did you mean R. "Plaster of Paris"???
I still enjoy the Goodies Scatty Safari
>> ... either a government stooge or an imbecile.
Also my first impulse when someone disagrees with me.
Unfortunately I can be wrong as often as not.
As far as Mr. Assange, I just don't know what to believe. At one extreme I have the image of an essential whistle-blower who has had his character assassinated. Detractors would have me believe in a boorish, entitled, narcissistic, borderline psychopath who simply enjoys causing trouble for others?
I doubt we'll ever know the truth in my lifetime.
One thing I feel sure of is that Julian Assange in no Abbie Hoffman.
I really wonder how the Merry Pranksters might have run a Wikileaks.
Even though they were troublemaker who enjoyed tormenting the US government, I thought there was something to admire in their humor.
As far as Mr. Assange, I just don't know what to believe. At one extreme I have the image of an essential whistle-blower who has had his character assassinated. Detractors would have me believe in a boorish, entitled, narcissistic, borderline psychopath who simply enjoys causing trouble for others?
No reason it can't be both.
Personally, I think it's pretty clear that Assange is at the very least an egotistical self-promoter. He's also assisted - at least as a figurehead for the real workers to rally around - in some very important whistle-blowing, though many of his most ardent supporters like to ignore the many others who've done that work for decades (e.g. Cryptome1).
I wouldn't be surprised if the sexual-assault charges are true. I wouldn't be surprised if they were concocted by his enemies. I'd be rather surprised to ever see any definitive evidence one way or the other.
1Of course, Cryptome is also a testament to the fact that these whistle-blowing sites generally aren't run by the warmest and fuzziest of folks, as many who've conversed with John Young can attest.
Sweden dropped those charges
Tenjeska,
Nope. They didn't.
Firstly because they never charged him. Apparently Swedish law requires a pre-charge interview - and he left/fled the country the evening his lawyer informed him that that interview was booked for the next morning.
And secondly, they haven't dropped the case. But the Swedish Prosecutor lost a case in their supreme court for continuing to pursue Assange when there was no realistic chance of getting anywhere - as he was hiding in the Ecuadorian embassy. They can re-start that any time.
The handful of less serious charges expired a few years ago - statute of limitations being 5 years. The 2 rape charges time out after ten years, in 2020 as the article says.
Source: http://news.met.police.uk/news/update-arrest-of-julian-assange-365565
How about a month's notice?..
https://www.mintpressnews.com/ecuadors-cooperation-bought-imf-loans-washington-waxes-optimistic-assange-extradition/255942/
and this on the 21st Feb..
https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/Ecuador-IMF-Loan-Yet-to-Be-Granted-Austerity-Measures-a-Condition-for-Agreement-20190221-0009.html
Some additional background info in this article from yesterday on mintpress (that looks like a good site)..
https://www.mintpressnews.com/julian-assange-ecuador-extradition-noose-tightens-with-ina-papers-as-latest-slipknot/257175/
Which shows that the USA could have simply sought to extradite him from the UK all along and that he actually jumped bail to avoid questioning in Sweden over sexual misconduct allegations. Whilst trying to fool the "world" that Sweden would somehow funnel him away to Uncle Sam, in a barrel of pickled herring now doubt. Red Herring more like!
"He'd hate it much more if it turned out the world doesn't actually give a shit about him."
Yeah, he's a bit like Kevin Mitnick huh? (not in the detail, but to some extent, in the public image 'things')
In truth, having Assange 'available' for extradition to the USA might play out well (for him AND the rest of the world) with respect to D&CDNC e-mails leaked in 2016. Hannity did an interview with Assange a while back regarding this specific thing. And now that "certain investigations" are complete, it's time to open a few *NEW* ones, and Assange COULD be a key witness...
Aside from that, the Manning releases probably weren't a crime so long as Assange was only involved in their release to the world. If he had attempted to influence Manning to break the law, it'd be conspiracy of something-or-other. Most likely the DOJ would grant him immunity to get more information regarding the DNC e-mails, something that is likely to become very important over the next year.
I smell some behind-the-scenes activity. This timing is _very_ suspicious! [then again it's probably best for all concerned at this point, especially the Ecuadorians not having to put up with him any more]
If Assange suborned or conspired with Manning to get the leaks, then he's in trouble, yes. If not, then the US will never get him, because they'd have to show some such evidence to a UK court in order to extradite him.
(Discounting of course the possibility that the allegations relate to some other episode, such as the DNC hack.)
As for the timing - can you think of a time when it wouldn't have been "very suspicious"?
I suggest you all do some more reading, unless you are offical typists just doing your job, in which case "well done men, now he can go and get Trumped!"
And in what way does any of this change my oft-expressed opinion (including an earlier comment below) that by acting thoughtlessly he's put himself into a corner he can't get out of? He ran from Sweden. He jumped bail. He had cases to answer in both Sweden and the US neither of which were political and there was no indication at that point of any proceedings planned in the US. My view was that the then current US government would be smart enough to punish him by refusing to stroke his ego by pursuing him. An evolution of that position was that the current bull-in-a-china-shop administration would lack such finesse and that he'd missed his opportunity long ago. I find the report which you link verifies that view.
Good try at shilling, A/C, but you really need more cogent arguments if you come to this forum.
> My view was that the then current US government would be smart enough to punish him by refusing to stroke his ego by pursuing him. An evolution of that position was that the current bull-in-a-china-shop administration would lack such finesse and that he'd missed his opportunity long ago.
Exactly my take on it too.
The smart thing for the US to do, as soon as he ran to Ecuador's embassy was always to let him make all his noise about the US's conspiracy to get him, and then when he became available, do nothing. He'd perfectly discredit himself by looking like a paranoid lunatic.
But, he's holed himself up for a long time, and in the process supported the election of a new administration who simply aren't that smart (and care more about looking like hardliners).
This is a rod he's made for his own back. There's a very good chance if he'd just faced the Swedish charges he'd be out and free again by now, with the US having show no interest.
Instead, now he's the guy who had to be officially warned to tidy up his cat's litter and to wash himself, and now is being pursued by a nationalistic US administration that he helped put into power.
Since he was never charged, he outlasted two of the charges due to statute of limitations.
IIRC there is one charge left.
Will Sweden still want him? Maybe.
He still faces charges in Britain for jumping bail.
And if the US wants to extradite him... it would be very interesting.
Assange could fight it, but he would have to stay in a UK jail while he appeals the charges. (Like they're going to give him bail after the last time...)
Or he goes back to Australia. Because he jumped bail and caused a bit of a political mess costing millions in overtime for the plod, they can send him there w guards and probably in cuffs.
There the US would have an easier time extraditing him if they want him.
Ah there you are Sir Gumby, good to see you, I thought I'd find you here. Now the little freak is set to pay for its misdeeds, eh?
A friend of mine commented that his condition was reminiscent of Saddam when he was wrested from his hidey hole, whilst others have said he resembles a character from the BBC show Only fools and horses.
Whatever, these are interesting times; prime ministers who cannot be taken seriously, people who ought not to be taken seriously... ...taken seriously. (boggle)
Now there's a name from the past.
Yes, looks like he's going to get his just dessert. Finally.
After I wrote the stuff this morning I heard that the US did finally unseal the Grand Jury indictment. It was as I suspected. They have evidence that he assisted in the theft
If true, he's facing 5-15 years. No death penalty.
He's going to rot in the UK while they sort things out.
A friend of mine commented that his condition was reminiscent of Saddam when he was wrested from his hidey hole, whilst others have said he resembles a character from the BBC show Only fools and horses.
So will he suddenly "die" from some condition while in custody? And in reality be whisked away to some place.... dungeon perhaps?
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