- WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange fears he will be extradited to US
By Angus Hohenboken and Alison Rehn
WIKILEAKS founder Julian Assange said it was "increasingly likely'' the US would try to extradite him on charges related to leaked cables as he savoured his first day on bail.
WikiLeaks chief fears US indictment
The founder of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange says he fears the United States is getting ready to indict him
Mr Assange said he was concerned about potential moves from US authorities.
"The big risk, the risk we have always been concerned about, is onwards extradition to the United States. And that seems to be increasingly serious and increasingly likely,'' the Australian said.
The 39-year-old founder of the whistle-blowing website is fighting extradition to Sweden, where he is wanted for questioning over allegations that he sexually assaulted two women, which he denies.
But Mr Assange said his lawyers believed a secret US grand jury investigation had been started into his role in WikiLeaks' release of thousands of leaked US diplomatic cables - a probe he condemned as "illegal''.
Looking relaxed, he said the mansion was a "big improvement'' on the London jail where he was held in solitary confinement for nine days before his release on bail Thursday.
Media reports suggest that US prosecutors are trying to build a case against Assange on the grounds that he encouraged a US soldier, Bradley Manning, to steal US cables from a government computer and pass them to WikiLeaks.
"I would say that there is a very aggressive investigation, that a lot of face has been lost by some people, and some people have careers to make by pursuing famous cases,'' Mr Assange said.
The renewed push to snare Assange comes as Prime Minister Julia Gillard admitted the WikiLeaks founder had not breached Australian law in the leaking of US diplomatic documents on the website.
The admission was an embarrassing backflip from Ms Gillard, who last month condemned the publishing of embarrassing US cables as "an illegal thing to do".
Yesterday, she stood by those comments and branded WikiLeaks as being "grossly irresponsible". "I know there are a number of people who are fans of WikiLeaks," Ms Gillard said.
"Let me make it very, very clear - I am not. The release of all of this documentation has been grossly irresponsible."
Meanwhile Manning, who spent his 24th birthday behind bars yesterday, has already served more than four months jail since being charged with disseminating a US military video showing a US helicopter attack that killed 17 people in Iraq, including two Reuters employees.
He is also suspected of leaking military logs about other incidents in Iraq and Afghanistan and more than 250,000 diplomatic cables to WikiLeaks, which has created a diplomatic nightmare for the US Government, and he faces 52 years in jail if convicted.
However in reports yesterday, authorities were hoping to enter a plea bargain with Manning whose health is said to be declining in jail, if he names Assange as a co-conspirator. After securing his release from custody in the UK yesterday Assange said he feared he may have already been indicted in the US for espionage.
Arriving at the mansion home of journalist Vaughan Smith in Suffolk, Assange said he considered rumours of US legal action as "extremely serious".
"We have heard today from one of my US lawyers that there may be a US indictment for espionage for me coming from a secret grand jury investigation," he said.
The US Justice Department has refused to comment on any grand jury activity.
US prosecutors would be able to form a much stronger case if Manning gave evidence that Assange had encouraged and helped him disseminate classified material.
Adrian Lamo, the former hacker who turned Manning over to the Government after the soldier bragged to him about his role in the leaks, is thought to have told the FBI that Assange had spoken to the soldier over an encrypted internet service while he was downloading government files.
Manning's supporters have maintained he is not co-operating with authorities.
------------------
By Raphael G. Satter
WIKILEAKS founder Julian Assange fears the US Government is preparing to extradite him from the UK to face espionage charges.
Mr Assange, who was released in London on bail on Thursday, yesterday revealed he was more concerned about being sent to the US than to Sweden, where he is accused of sexually assaulting two women.
Mr Assange insisted in a series of television interviews broadcast in the US that he was being subjected to a smear campaign and "what appears to be a secret grand jury investigation against me or our [WikiLeaks] organisation".
"We have heard today from one of my US lawyers, yet to be confirmed, but a serious matter that there may be a US indictment of espionage for me coming from a US grand jury investigation," he said.
Mr Assange is living in the English countryside in the family home of a friend awaiting extradition to Sweden.
Mr Assange has repeatedly voiced concerns that US authorities are getting ready to press charges over WikiLeaks' continuing release of about 250,000 secret US State Department cables, which have angered and embarrassed officials worldwide.
US officials are investigating WikiLeaks and considering laying charges against Mr Assange.
Bradley Manning, the former US intelligence analyst suspected of leaking the diplomatic cables, has been held at a military base in Virginia and faces court martial and up to 52 years in jail if found guilty.
Mr Assange appeared to come close on Friday to acknowledging Manning was one of his sources, calling him "a young man somehow embroiled in our publishing activities".
Mr Assange described his detention as a "black hole". Although he can't leave the 10-bedroom property in which he is staying, he has access to the internet.
"I hope to continue my work and to continue to protest my innocence in this (Swedish) matter and to reveal, as we get it, as we have not yet, the evidence from these allegations," he said.
A High Court judge freed Mr Assange on bail on Thursday on condition that he live at the estate in eastern England, wear an electronic tag and report to police daily.
Mr Assange spent more than a week in prison after handing himself in to British police on December 7.
He is wanted in Sweden for questioning about sex allegations levelled against him by two women he spent time with while visiting the country in August. Swedish officials - and the lawyer for the women involved - have denied accusations from Mr Assange and his supporters that the allegations are politically motivated.
Mr Assange also claimed more "smears" were on their way but did not elaborate.
Mr Assange promised to focus on clearing his name, he said his first priority was to his work which he said would continue at a faster pace now that he's back in charge.
"Now that I am back to assist the directing of our ship, our work will proceed in a faster manner," he told the BBC on Thursday.
WikiLeaks chief fears US indictment
The founder of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange says he fears the United States is getting ready to indict him
Mr Assange said he was concerned about potential moves from US authorities.
"The big risk, the risk we have always been concerned about, is onwards extradition to the United States. And that seems to be increasingly serious and increasingly likely,'' the Australian said.
The 39-year-old founder of the whistle-blowing website is fighting extradition to Sweden, where he is wanted for questioning over allegations that he sexually assaulted two women, which he denies.
But Mr Assange said his lawyers believed a secret US grand jury investigation had been started into his role in WikiLeaks' release of thousands of leaked US diplomatic cables - a probe he condemned as "illegal''.
Looking relaxed, he said the mansion was a "big improvement'' on the London jail where he was held in solitary confinement for nine days before his release on bail Thursday.
Media reports suggest that US prosecutors are trying to build a case against Assange on the grounds that he encouraged a US soldier, Bradley Manning, to steal US cables from a government computer and pass them to WikiLeaks.
"I would say that there is a very aggressive investigation, that a lot of face has been lost by some people, and some people have careers to make by pursuing famous cases,'' Mr Assange said.
The renewed push to snare Assange comes as Prime Minister Julia Gillard admitted the WikiLeaks founder had not breached Australian law in the leaking of US diplomatic documents on the website.
The admission was an embarrassing backflip from Ms Gillard, who last month condemned the publishing of embarrassing US cables as "an illegal thing to do".
Yesterday, she stood by those comments and branded WikiLeaks as being "grossly irresponsible". "I know there are a number of people who are fans of WikiLeaks," Ms Gillard said.
"Let me make it very, very clear - I am not. The release of all of this documentation has been grossly irresponsible."
Meanwhile Manning, who spent his 24th birthday behind bars yesterday, has already served more than four months jail since being charged with disseminating a US military video showing a US helicopter attack that killed 17 people in Iraq, including two Reuters employees.
He is also suspected of leaking military logs about other incidents in Iraq and Afghanistan and more than 250,000 diplomatic cables to WikiLeaks, which has created a diplomatic nightmare for the US Government, and he faces 52 years in jail if convicted.
However in reports yesterday, authorities were hoping to enter a plea bargain with Manning whose health is said to be declining in jail, if he names Assange as a co-conspirator. After securing his release from custody in the UK yesterday Assange said he feared he may have already been indicted in the US for espionage.
Arriving at the mansion home of journalist Vaughan Smith in Suffolk, Assange said he considered rumours of US legal action as "extremely serious".
"We have heard today from one of my US lawyers that there may be a US indictment for espionage for me coming from a secret grand jury investigation," he said.
The US Justice Department has refused to comment on any grand jury activity.
US prosecutors would be able to form a much stronger case if Manning gave evidence that Assange had encouraged and helped him disseminate classified material.
Adrian Lamo, the former hacker who turned Manning over to the Government after the soldier bragged to him about his role in the leaks, is thought to have told the FBI that Assange had spoken to the soldier over an encrypted internet service while he was downloading government files.
Manning's supporters have maintained he is not co-operating with authorities.
------------------
- Assange's US prison fear
By Raphael G. Satter
WIKILEAKS founder Julian Assange fears the US Government is preparing to extradite him from the UK to face espionage charges.
Mr Assange, who was released in London on bail on Thursday, yesterday revealed he was more concerned about being sent to the US than to Sweden, where he is accused of sexually assaulting two women.
Mr Assange insisted in a series of television interviews broadcast in the US that he was being subjected to a smear campaign and "what appears to be a secret grand jury investigation against me or our [WikiLeaks] organisation".
"We have heard today from one of my US lawyers, yet to be confirmed, but a serious matter that there may be a US indictment of espionage for me coming from a US grand jury investigation," he said.
Mr Assange is living in the English countryside in the family home of a friend awaiting extradition to Sweden.
Mr Assange has repeatedly voiced concerns that US authorities are getting ready to press charges over WikiLeaks' continuing release of about 250,000 secret US State Department cables, which have angered and embarrassed officials worldwide.
US officials are investigating WikiLeaks and considering laying charges against Mr Assange.
Bradley Manning, the former US intelligence analyst suspected of leaking the diplomatic cables, has been held at a military base in Virginia and faces court martial and up to 52 years in jail if found guilty.
Mr Assange appeared to come close on Friday to acknowledging Manning was one of his sources, calling him "a young man somehow embroiled in our publishing activities".
Mr Assange described his detention as a "black hole". Although he can't leave the 10-bedroom property in which he is staying, he has access to the internet.
"I hope to continue my work and to continue to protest my innocence in this (Swedish) matter and to reveal, as we get it, as we have not yet, the evidence from these allegations," he said.
A High Court judge freed Mr Assange on bail on Thursday on condition that he live at the estate in eastern England, wear an electronic tag and report to police daily.
Mr Assange spent more than a week in prison after handing himself in to British police on December 7.
He is wanted in Sweden for questioning about sex allegations levelled against him by two women he spent time with while visiting the country in August. Swedish officials - and the lawyer for the women involved - have denied accusations from Mr Assange and his supporters that the allegations are politically motivated.
Mr Assange also claimed more "smears" were on their way but did not elaborate.
Mr Assange promised to focus on clearing his name, he said his first priority was to his work which he said would continue at a faster pace now that he's back in charge.
"Now that I am back to assist the directing of our ship, our work will proceed in a faster manner," he told the BBC on Thursday.
No comments:
Post a Comment