Assange Calls on U.S. to End 'Witchhunt' Against WikiLeaks

Assange Calls on U.S. to End 'Witchhunt' Against WikiLeaks

www.wired.com

Standing on a first-floor balcony of the Ecuador embassy in London, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said the United States must “renounce its witchhunt against WikiLeaks.”
“The United States must dissolve its FBI investigation, the United States must vow that it will not seek to prosecute our staff or our supporters. The United States must pledge before the world that it will not pursue journalists for shining a light upon the secret crimes of the powerful.”

Assange said the U.S. was facing a momentous choice: “Will it return to and reaffirm the revolutionary values it was found

(visit the link for the full news article)

First off let me say I searched this and didn't see that it was posted if it has I am sorry and mods please shut it down.

Assange stood on the embassy balcony, while dozens of UK police waited to arrest him if he left the embassy. Assange has a warrant out for his arrest for breach of bail if he leaves the embassy offices.

I think WikiLeaks is a great source for information that the general public didn't have access to before, as I am sure most of ATS will agree with this. But really? He's calling on the U.S to stop their "witch hunt" against him and his staff? I really do not see the U.S taking this seriously

What did Assange think would happen if he exposed their secrets? That they would leave him alone and let him keep doing it? Well obviously not. Granted what he was doing was for good purpose I think he should have planned a little better for what was coming. I mean surely he knew this was coming?

So what say you ATS?

www.wired.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

reply to post by SloAnPainful



Question
Did Assange say hes going to release all the data, he has?

reply to post by sonnny1


I don't think it was mentioned in the article, but if he was smart enough he would use that to his advantage. At least I would.

If it was mentioned in the article I must have over looked it, but I cannot recall reading it.

-SAP-

live stream
rt.com...://fms5.visionip.tv/live&file=RT_3.flv&autostart=true

reply to post by xavi1000


Link didn't work for me...

-SAP-

Ladies and gentlemen. The very word “secrecy” is repugnant in a free and open society. And we are as a people, inherently and historically, opposed to secret societies, to secret oaths, and to secret proceedings. We decided long ago, that the dangers of excessive and unwarranted concealment of pertinent facts far outweigh the dangers which are are cited to justify it.

Even today, there is little value in opposing the thread of a closed society by imitating its arbitrary restrictions. Even today, there is little value in assuring the survival of our nation if our traditions do not survive with it. And there is very grave danger that an announced need for increased security will be seized upon by those anxious to expand its meaning

JFK

What have we allowed our country to become...

Originally posted by benrl

What have we allowed our country to become...

I know we need a change...

Assange was only doing the right thing by showing the American people and the world what was really happening, and now he's being hunted down...So sad...

ETA: Not really hunted considering they know where he is now...I hope he finds a way to get free.

-SAP-

reply to post by SloAnPainful

.I hope he finds a way to get free.

I saw one news article that said Ecuador could make him their ambassador to the UN, if they do that he would get instant immunity from arrest anytime he was operating under that capacity.

Would allow him to leave England and escape, The UN of course could unseat him but by than he would hopefully be in Ecuador .

reply to post by benrl


Interesting. That would be a slap in the face for TPTB alright. Good deal. Hopefully that happens.

-SAP-

1. Most CRITICALLY, Assange had exposed the presumed ' safe' communications of the US administration network. This alone is a mistake that not only President Obama must address, but the ENTIRE officers in charge and responsible for the presumably 'safe' channels of communications.

At least, Assange had not sought for blackmail, something like billions of dollars many would have done, or in the case of foreign agencies, to use those cables to threaten and hinder american policy. Furthermore, he was only reflecting and exposing the TRUTH of what went on in those cables and said by officials.

A mistake had been exposed, and thus US should be thanking Assange, an australian, but sadly his home country had instead criminalized him, usual of the current extreme right wing govt Gillard rules today - money and nothing else even though it is a lucky country in the world. No wonder Australians are not happy. No human can be happy when right wingers rule.


2. There is NO clear and explicit evidence that US seeks for the extradiation for Assange, although the suspicions are strong, espacially when Sweden refused to take his testimony or question him in UK, when he is not even a criminal as charged in a court of law.

Anyone in that position would have fears, and like any human, it is better to be safe than sorry, and thus his flight to Ecudor.


3. Thus, US must come clean and honestly explain its position. Want him and give the honest reasons for it, as well as the penalties involved or let him go. Americans had been forthright for centuries. Let today not be that change seen in our world.

UK have absolutely NO REASON to deny him diplomatic status in the Ecudorian embassy. He is NOT a criminal, or charged as one. For the sake of diplomacy, UK should let him leave the embassy UNHARMED, and even PROTECT his leaving to avoid a diplomatic embarassment and accusations.

Assange is a 'suspected' problem of the USA, and nothing to do with UK, as it had not shown its charge against him. He is not worth the anger the world now has on UK and UK citizens over the threatened 'storming' stupidity by Willam Hague.


4. Assange has NO right to demand what President Obama or USA MUST do. He is no american citizen. But he does have the right to implore and voice his grivences against the US govt to the general public, heads of states and UN over his treatment, for he is only a fellow human.

Appealing honestly , humbly and sincerely, is better than DEMANDING. He is not to be blamed, for he is certainly no diplomat experienced with words. He is only a common man, facing perceived unstated but rational threats against his life. Even a mouse would bare his teeth when cornered.

When the US affects the world, so much, and walks with Heavy boots over everyone else, the world's citizens should stand up and demand their say in this. Its about time to speak up. Anyone can give advice or communicate their wishes and communicate and even stress heavily, with anyone else, anywhere in the world. If I want to write to Obama and/or Putin, I will, and no one is going to stop me.

Originally posted by SeekerofTruth101


UK have absolutely NO REASON to deny him diplomatic status in the Ecudorian embassy. He is NOT a criminal, or charged as one. For the sake of diplomacy, UK should let him leave the embassy UNHARMED, and even PROTECT his leaving to avoid a diplomatic embarassment and accusations.

Well actually the UK does :-

(a) The UK, along with most of the world, does not recognise diplomatic asylum .

(b) Even if the UK did it is not intended to assist fugitives from justice.

(c) The UK, as a fellow member of the European Union, is obliged to act on the European Arrest Warrant issued by Sweden who want Assange in connection with sexual offences.

(d) Assange has committed offences in the UK by failing to adhere to his bail conditions and refusing to surrender to the police.

@Unity: So please if Julian Assange had dipped into your private emails and medical records and school records, and anything else that you felt was supposed to be secure and private, you would have no problem with it?

That's the crux of the issue here, just because it's a Government communication does not mean that it's for public consumption, there was an expectation of privacy, and he violated that, end of story, but in the end, that's not even what the Interpol notice is about..

It's about 2 girls that are claiming rape, and that's what it should be about, not some vast conspiracy to kill off Asssange but about the girls who have been the victims of horrible smear campaigns and other defamation because they brought this to the police's attention.. I hope you never have to go thru that, I have and it's not fun being the victim having to come forward, you immediately begin to be treated differently and a lot of times you're scorned, funny how he didn't even mention them in his speech today.

And I'm so sick of the know it alls that claim Sweden has no charges against him.. On Feb 17th of this year Sweden confirmed they intend to prosecute for the sexual crimes, end of story, face your day in court Julian, if you didn't do anything, you will be acquitted and move on.. Anyone else, and you'd be calling for their head I'm sure Unity...

Wait..releasing corrupt things the government does to the public is like rape?? Did I read that right??

Originally posted by TheJourney
Wait..releasing corrupt things the government does to the public is like rape?? Did I read that right??

No you did not read it right.. The extradition request from Sweden is ONLY about the two girls that are pressing charges, it's not about Wikileaks, it's not about Bradley Manning, it's not about conspiracies to extradite to the US, it's ONLY about those girls...

That's is what was being said..

Originally posted by vkey08
@Unity: So please if Julian Assange had dipped into your private emails and medical records and school records, and anything else that you felt was supposed to be secure and private, you would have no problem with it?

Except that we pay the government in taxes to do what they do, and when we find that they are conducting illegal and inhumane activity...it makes us the criminal? I don't think so, Julian Assange is the bravest man in the room for exposing their corruption.

Sweeden is being pressured into bringing Assange in, they have dropped the charge and then mysteriously picked it back up again...hmm I wonder if the US had anything to do with that. Not to mention that they claim they just want to question him, which legally they can in the UK as well...so why not?

reply to post by TheJourney


Do you know that Assange is aledgedly raped two women in Sweden?

The TPTB are prolly using that as a way to issue a warrant for his arrest... But I am unsure if he actually did it...

-SAP-

reply to post by sonnny1


Sonny, how did one guy come up with all this dirt on everybody? I'm not buying into the whole story.

reply to post by rebellender


He must have a inside source. Was there a private in the U.S military that leaked some secrets to Assange? Granted that wouldn't account for everything..But it is a little bit.

He must have had a "higher up" insider though, just my opinion.

-SAP-