Julian Assange arrested

[Candlelight]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/europe/4433975/WikiLeaks-founder-arrested-refused-bail

The founder of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, is in custody after a British court denied him bail and he confirmed he would fight any attempt to extradite him to Sweden on allegations of rape.
Judge Howard Riddle, described by London legal sources as "middle of the road, cautious" told Assange that he had "substantial grounds" to believe that the 39-year-old would disappear and not attend any further legal hearings.
The hearing took place just five hours after Assange voluntarily surrendered to the Metropolitan Police Extradition Unit overnight to hear allegations contained in a European arrest warrant - brought by Swedish police - on claims of sexual assault.
Fairfax has confirmed that the full details of the Swedish allegations against him were not made available to Assange until the eleventh hour and he and his lawyers met police yesterday morning.

Bah. TIME's man of the year and he's gonna be in jail for Christmas.

 

[Miss Chicken]

He is reaching hero status among many people in Australia. Others who don't necessarily approve of what he has done i.e. when it come to Wikileaks, are worried that he will become a victim of injustice.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

^ They already tried to pin a rape charge on him, right?

I was hoping he'd never get caught. If he's BSing, meh. If he's accurate, the government(s) need(s) to be exposed. And he must be pretty accurate if all those various governments have their panties in a twist to such an extent.

I hoped he would find info on the Kennedy assassination cover-up.

 

[cultcross]

^ They already tried to pin a rape charge on him, right?

The rape and sexual assault allegations are why he has been arrested - no charges have been filed by any nation relating to Wikileaks itself.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

^ That means I gotta read the stories more closely....or just read them at all

 

[Candlelight]

"Don't shoot the messenger."

 

[Subcommander R.]

Time to state an unpopular sentiment that I'm sure many other people are thinking...

Good. Someone needs to lock him up, funneling classified information into the public sphere exposes not only knowledge best kept private, but also exposes sources of information to enemy counterintelligence organizations.

Its essentially a mass espionage organization catering to no one in particular. I think anyone caught giving wikileaks information should be executed (or imprisoned for life) for treason.

I hope, strangely enough, that for his own sake he won't try to undermine Russia and China. They aren't above making people disappear.

Now thats all I have to say about that.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ This, this, a Thousand times this!!

Assange is not only a criminal and a terrorist, he's a narcissistic jackass with delusions of being some kind of badass revolutionary. All he will accomplish, in the end, is getting a lot of innocent people killed.

The irony is that the same governments which he hates so much will still give him a fair trial. For that he should be grateful.

 

[Miss Chicken]

Should the editors/journalists who work at the newspapers which reprinted what WiikiLeaks published also be charged with criminal offenses?

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ Perhaps.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

Time to state an unpopular sentiment that I'm sure many other people are thinking...

Good. Someone needs to lock him up, funneling classified information into the public sphere exposes not only knowledge best kept private, but also exposes sources of information to enemy counterintelligence organizations.

Its essentially a mass espionage organization catering to no one in particular. I think anyone caught giving wikileaks information should be executed (or imprisoned for life) for treason.

I hope, strangely enough, that for his own sake he won't try to undermine Russia and China. They aren't above making people disappear.

Now thats all I have to say about that.

I wholeheartedly concur. I don't care about whatever noble rhetoric Assange spouts. In the end he is the ultimate hypocrite: he claims to do these things to save lives, but he is CAUSING pain and suffering to others, who have been put at risk by what he has done.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

Should the editors/journalists who work at the newspapers which reprinted what WiikiLeaks published also be charged with criminal offenses?

I would have to see the law on that. I would not expect it to be the same degree of offense, but it's time to teach media outlets the difference between bringing about reform and trying to destroy the country. Leaking politically damaging stuff--fine. I think it's dirty, but fine. Leaking things that put lives at risk...NO. Just NO.

And that is ALL I have to say about that because frankly, I am far, FAR too pissed off.

 

[Miss Chicken]

a) Can you show me one person who has been harmed (rather than just embarrassed) by these leaks.

b) Can you name one person who is now as risk from the leaking of the cables?

c) Can you show me the law that Julian Assange has broken?

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ Anyone who leaks secrets to the media and to the public is, by definition, a lawbreaker.

The simple fact is, secrecy is a fact of life. It's a fact of politics. Governments cannot, and must not, be expected to be completely open about everything to everyone. Governments have the RIGHT to keep secrets. None could operate without that.

Then again, maybe that's Assange's goal...after all, wasn't it Bradley Manning (the soldier who got a lot of those documents *for* WikiLeaks, and who is just as treasonous as Assange - indeed, more so, because Assange is not a soldier) who bragged that there would be "worldwide anarchy" following this?

 

[Miss Chicken]

How can an Australian commit treason against a country that is not his own i.e. the USA?

Assange can only by definition commit treason against Australia.

 

[Rush Limborg]

^Amen!

My $0.02: "Private Manning", Assange's big source, should be charged with high treason, for feeding classified documents for public viewing--while STILL IN UNIFORM, mind you--

And Assange, espionage--for making info public, not caring if our enemies can use said info against the US and NATO.

That's all.

Good night and good luck.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

ASS-ange has probably got it in for Australia as well. Those who hate one government usually hate more than one (and most likely all).

I agree, though, that it might be difficult to pin a charge of plain ol' treason against Assange. That will probably be reserved for Manning (who will no doubt freeze in hell as a traitor). Assange can still be busted for flat-out espionage, though.

As for Russia and China? Hell, I *hope* Assange tries to go after them. They won't leave a piece of him left that's bigger than a matchstick. (Nor would Assange's cellmate, assuming he survives long enough to even reach prison.) Let them handle him - so we don't have to.

Oh, and I would usually be the last person to advocate using computer viruses, but - let WikiLeaks' servers fucking FRY.

One other thing. Whatever one may think about ASS-ange's actions regarding WikiLeaks, I would not be so quick to dismiss the rape charge against him as a fabrication. If he's guilty of that, then let him go to prison for that. I would wager that even those who love Assange and want his man-babies think that rape is not something to be proud of.

 

[Captain Pike]

He is reaching hero status among many people in Australia.

Today's poll in The Age asking "How do you feel about Julian Assange?" is currently running "Benefit to democracy" at 91% (scroll to bottom of article to see poll)

One op-ed piece in today's Age even compared Assange to Ned Kelly.

Similar sentiments are to be found throughout Australian media at this time.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ Well, there's no accounting for taste...

Assange is out to DESTROY democracy, not to save it. Bit hard to be a benefit for something you hate.

 

[Captain Pike]

That's quite a leap, isn't it?