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Wikileaks founder Julian Assange arrested in London

Infinite Chaos

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The founder of the whistle-blowing website Wikileaks, Julian Assange, has been arrested by the Metropolitan Police.

The 39-year-old Australian denies allegations he sexually assaulted two women in Sweden.

Scotland Yard said Mr Assange was arrested on a European arrest warrant by appointment at a London police station at 0930 GMT.

He is due to appear at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court later.

Mr Assange is accused by the Swedish authorities of one count of rape, one of unlawful coercion and two counts of sexual molestation, alleged to have been committed in August 2010.
BBC Breaking news

If he's innocent, this is a bad day for the sovereignty of certain European governments and for free speech in general. If he's guilty - lock him up and throw away the key for the sexual charges he faces - however I wonder whether pressure has been put on the two women to make these charges.

Some of the leaks have done the UK population a big favour - however last night's more security oriented leaks on steps to protect Baltic States in case of Russian attack were really dangerous.
 
Some clarification is needed.

1. He turned himself in. He was not "arrested" in the classic form of the term with police hunting him down and throwing him in cuffs.

2. The case for sending him to Sweden is very weak. One of the women in question is a known feminist who believes men dominate women and need to be punished.

3. And the rule of law has to be followed. This has nothing (in theory) to do with the Wikileaks situation and even in Sweden the case against him is very weak to say the least. Many are saying it is an overzealous prosecutor that is going after him.

Also dont count on the US getting him at least legally. The US justice department is looking for something to charge him with that does not involve the death penalty (as many on the right want), since no European country would release anyone to the US with the threat of a death sentence.

And then comes in the lack of credibility the US justice system has in many European countries these days, and the clear political motives behind wanting Assange given over to the US. What law exactly has he broken to be brutally honest? Over 3 million people had access to this information on a daily basis before it was leaked.. it was hardly hugely secret stuff.

As for the latest leaks.. pft, the Russians already knew that lol, so freaking what.
 
Some clarification is needed.

1. He turned himself in. He was not "arrested" in the classic form of the term with police hunting him down and throwing him in cuffs.

2. The case for sending him to Sweden is very weak. One of the women in question is a known feminist who believes men dominate women and need to be punished.

3. And the rule of law has to be followed. This has nothing (in theory) to do with the Wikileaks situation and even in Sweden the case against him is very weak to say the least. Many are saying it is an overzealous prosecutor that is going after him.

Also dont count on the US getting him at least legally. The US justice department is looking for something to charge him with that does not involve the death penalty (as many on the right want), since no European country would release anyone to the US with the threat of a death sentence.

And then comes in the lack of credibility the US justice system has in many European countries these days, and the clear political motives behind wanting Assange given over to the US. What law exactly has he broken to be brutally honest? Over 3 million people had access to this information on a daily basis before it was leaked.. it was hardly hugely secret stuff.

As for the latest leaks.. pft, the Russians already knew that lol, so freaking what.
On the right? LOL you libs have been whining about this guy because he exposed Obama and Hillary for the fools and backstabbers they are. So dont try and throw this on the right as it has only hurt those on the left.
 
-- It sounds incredibly bogus to me.

And that's the Daily Mail saying that too. There's two things that strike me - 1) the first accuser "Sarah" held a party for Assange after they allegedly had sex (or she was raped) so is that Stockholm Syndrome or something else? 2) the two women met after the sexual liasons - was there an element of competition?
 
On the right? LOL you libs have been whining about this guy because he exposed Obama and Hillary for the fools and backstabbers they are. So dont try and throw this on the right as it has only hurt those on the left.

:lol: Wanna bet that I can find more posts calling for his death from conservatives than libs?
 
And that's the Daily Mail saying that too. There's two things that strike me - 1) the first accuser "Sarah" held a party for Assange after they allegedly had sex (or she was raped) so is that Stockholm Syndrome or something else? 2) the two women met after the sexual liasons - was there an element of competition?

Yes, that struck me as very very odd for someone who had just been "raped". I do not know what the laws are there, but I suspect that over here such a case would not stand up in court - no pun intended.... okay - a bit intended.
 
If he's innocent, this is a bad day for the sovereignty of certain European governments and for free speech in general. If he's guilty - lock him up and throw away the key for the sexual charges he faces - however I wonder whether pressure has been put on the two women to make these charges.

Some of the leaks have done the UK population a big favour - however last night's more security oriented leaks on steps to protect Baltic States in case of Russian attack were really dangerous.

By Sarah throwing him a crayfish party, by her own actions she showed that he hadn't raped her. (No jury in the U.S. would believe she was raped and then, a few days later, throws him a party.) I fail to see that he did anything wrong with the other woman. It also sounds like this Sarah lady, by her "How to Get Revenge" posts on her website, is a real piece of work.

Perhaps this is what karma's all about.

Mr. Assange is about to suffer some major inconvenience. Can't say as I feel sorry for him. Hope he's extradited to the States and tried for espionage. In any case, I'm sure he's had the stuffing knocked out of him. Hope this slap-back hurts.

As to Pete's post re "the case for sending him to Sweden is very weak," if Sweden has an extradiction treaty with the UK, I would be surprised if the UK "evaluated" the charges...I don't think that's protocol. He's been charged. They have an extradition treaty. Bye-bye. Also easy to take the death penalty off the table so that the U.S. can get him extradited. That's not rocket science.
 
Wikileaks: Julian Assange's 2 one-night stands spark a worldwide hunt | Mail Online

this is a very detailed account of the two women and their charges against Assanges. It sounds incredibly bogus to me.

It is very bogus.

Here is a photo of his accuser:

anna.jpg


Her name is Anna Ardin. She has worked for several groups connected with the CIA. If the US wants Assange destroyed that badly, they have got a crapload of wrongdoing that they are attempting to hide.

And, BTW, Assange is not charged with rape or molestation, as the mediawhores are claiming. He is charged under a strange Swedish law called sex by surprise, because he did not use a condom. LOL.

Can't wait to see what is in that poison pill that is about to get dropped on us by Wikileaks. I bet it's going to be damn good. :mrgreen:
 
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And, BTW, Assange is not charged with rape or molestation, as the mediawhores are claiming. He is charged under a strange Swedish law called sex by surprise, because he did not use a condom. LOL.


I think women should have the right to not be made pregnant against their will, myself.

But, hey, that's just me.
 
$10.00 says he gets off scott free from the whole Swedish Sex thing. (that is not me condoning any action on his part... just a prediction).
 
I think women should have the right to not be made pregnant against their will, myself.

But, hey, that's just me.

It was their choice to have sex. If they can't take responsibility for their actions, then they should not be having sex.
 
It was their choice to have sex. If they can't take responsibility for their actions, then they should not be having sex.

So this "responsibility" only extends to women, and not men.

Duly noted.
 
It was their choice to have sex. If they can't take responsibility for their actions, then they should not be having sex.

One can make a choice to have sex with a condom. The point of one of the encounters was that the condom came off or broke and Assange didn't listen to the gal's "no."
 
So this "responsibility" only extends to women, and not men.

Duly noted.

No, it works both ways, but if you're a woman you have more to lose therefore if you have a brain you don't take chances.
 
I'm no fan of Assange but the sex extradition things smells pretty fishy to me.
 
Am I the only one who can't smell things through the internet?
 
From the Daily Mail piece linked earlier...
Sweden has an *extradition treaty with the U.S

I think that the proper procedures should indeed be followed. However, I do not think the motivation is to serve justice or to bring closure to these two women. I think the motivation is to get him into a position where he can be extradited to the US... not that I really have a problem with that, mind you.
 
Guilty or innocent this is a complete disaster for the us. When I think of all the teeth gnashing that went on in the valery plame case by democrats/liberals/leftists. With this incident...........intense debate on whether or not assange is guilty of sex without a condom. Nothing about the damage to the country or it's interests. Remarkable.
 
nothing about the damage to the country or it's interests. Remarkable.

Julian Assange is not an American citizen. Exactly what is it that you believe he did? And, what longterm damage do you believe has actually been caused?
 
Julian Assange is not an American citizen. Exactly what is it that you believe he did? And, what longterm damage do you believe has actually been caused?

If he has achieved those files he published illegally then he should expect to sit a lot of time in prison. Life-time long.
 
Julian Assange is not an American citizen. Exactly what is it that you believe he did? And, what longterm damage do you believe has actually been caused?

Oh, just this;
source

November 26, 2010|By Jill Dougherty, CNN Foreign Affairs Correspondent


Wikileaks' Julian Assange shows a page from the release of Iraq war documents at an October briefing in London.A former U.S. ambassador to Russia tells CNN the impending leaks of diplomatic cables by WikiLeaks could contain highly sensitive information that reveals U.S. negotiating positions and sensitive intelligence as well as confidential views, analyses, instructions and strategy.

James F. Collins, ambassador to Moscow from 1997 to 2001, and director of the Russia and Eurasia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said the expected online disclosure has to be taken seriously.

"Leaking information of this kind will be detrimental to building the trust among officials necessary to conduct effective and productive diplomacy. It will impede doing things in a normal, civilized way," Collins said.

He added, "I would think the information they will leak is likely to contain analysis, records of discussions or reporting on confidential conversations between officials or official policy recommendations or suggestions about policy or diplomatic actions."

A threat by Wikileaks to publish new disclosures has sparked a massive review of diplomatic documents by the State Department. A source tells CNN that every diplomatic mission document, from 2006 to 2009, is under review as the website threatens to release millions of pages of classified embassy information soon.

The information blitz from WikiLeaks would offer a glimpse into the worldwide communications of the State Department and its 297 embassies, consulates and missions -- through what commonly are referred to as "cables."

Collins said these are the telegrams used for official instructions, reports and communications from the State Department in Washington to its international posts as well as from those posts back to Washington. Much informal communication today is by e-mail and other kinds of modern communications, he said, "but official instructions to the ambassador tend to come through telegrams which an ambassador can assume have been properly coordinated in Washington."..........

Then of course there is always the treasure trove of information that benefits al qaeda;
source

US says WikiLeaks release gives Al Qaeda a hit list
Cables expose worldwide sites considered vital

British Foreign Secretary William Hague said the disclosure disregarded the safety of millions of people.
By Sharon Theimer
Associated Press / December 7, 2010

Sending your articleYour article has been sent. E-mail| Print| Reprints| Comments (3)Text size – + WASHINGTON — In a disclosure of some of the most sensitive information yet revealed by WikiLeaks, the website has put out a secret cable that lists sites worldwide that the US considers crucial to its national security.

US officials said the leak amounts to giving a hit list to terrorists.

Among the locations cited in the diplomatic cable from Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton are undersea communications lines, satellite communication stations, mines, vaccine and antivenin factories, and suppliers of food and manufacturing materials.

The Pentagon declined to comment yesterday on the details of what it called stolen documents containing classified information. But a spokesman, Colonel David Lapan, called the disclosure damaging and said the 2009 cable gives valuable information to adversaries.

The State Department echoed the Pentagon’s statement. “Releasing such information amounts to giving a targeting list to groups like Al Qaeda,’’ agency spokesman P.J. Crowley said.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague condemned the disclosure, telling the BBC it was a reprehensible act committed “without regard to wider concerns of security, the security of millions of people.’’..............
 
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Oh, just this;
source

Can you synthesize the data you've posted and quantify the damage that has been done? I doubt it.

Are people going to stop negotiating with us? Of course not.

Is this embarrassing? Yes.

Is it detrimental, in any sort of longterm way? Don't be absurd. Of course it isn't.

Every country has dirty laundry. You think they don't have similar secrets?

They need us, we need them, it's a relationship of convenience. This is a minor blip on the radar screen.

You only care because it gives you an axe to grind against Obama.
 
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