Judge denies WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange bail
LONDON (AP) - A British judge sent Julian Assange to jail on Tuesday, denying bail to the WikiLeaks founder who vowed to fight efforts to extradite him to Sweden in a sex-crimes investigation.
A WikiLeaks spokesman said the flow of secret U.S. diplomatic cables would not be affected by Assange’s legal troubles, nor by the group’s increasingly rocky finances as both Visa and MasterCard cut off key funding methods.
“This will not change our operation,” Kristinn Hrafnsson told The Associated Press. As if to underline the point, WikiLeaks released a dozen new diplomatic cables, its first publication in more than 24 hours, including the details of a NATO defense plan for Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania that prompted an indignant response from the Russian envoy to the alliance.
Assange turned himself in to Scotland Yard on Tuesday morning, and was sent to the City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court in the early afternoon. He showed no reaction as Judge Howard Riddle denied him bail and sent him to jail until his next extradition hearing on Dec. 14.
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Judge denies WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange bail
So, Assange is in custody, in England, facing extradition to Sweden on RAPE charges. That may be ALL he faces for some time to come. It seems that Sweden gets top billing on a rape charge while the United States, and our gigantic breach of national security, are now 2nd seed in the pecking order.
I have read many blogs and heard numerous media stories concerning Julian Assange and WikiLeaks lately. The opinions and suggestions expressed regarding what Assange should face regarding these disclosures, should we get OUR hands on him, are all over the map.
Some of the WikiLeaks release is very critical and classified information. Some is not too terribly important and thus causes minimal damage. Some was undoubtedly of no consequence and had little, if any, value on the market to those that seek to possess American secrets.
Some say that the WikiLeaks release isn’t such a bad thing. To some degree, I have to agree with that analysis it the sense that this debacle points out the drastic need for improved security procedures within the U.S. military.
I heard that there was a $50K reward on Assange. My only question was; Dead or Alive.
I have heard bloggers and TV news talking heads suggest that Assange needs to be tried for treason. I am guessing that those folks either don’t know what treason is, or, don’t realize that Assange is an Australian and NOT a U.S. citizen.
From Dictionary.com
treason — noun
1. the offense of acting to overthrow one’s government or to harm or kill its sovereign.
2. a violation of allegiance to one’s sovereign or to one’s state.
3. the betrayal of a trust or confidence; breach of faith; treachery.
I just can’t see the United States placing Assange on trial for acts of treason. I can however, see the United States charging him, and prosecuting him, under the Espionage Act of 1917.
The Espionage Act
The Espionage Act of 1917 (USC 18, Pt 1, Ch 37) is a United States federal law passed on June 15, 1917, shortly after the U.S. entry into World War I.
It prohibited any attempt to interfere with military operations, to support America’s enemies during wartime, to promote insubordination in the military, or to interfere with military recruitment. In 1919, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled in Schenck v. United States that the act did not violate the free speech rights of those convicted under its provisions. SOURCE
I also believe that the entire staff of WikiLeaks, each and every person involved with the release of this information should be tried under charges stemming from The Espionage Act.
There is one person that, in MY opinion, should be charged with treason AND violation of The Espionage Act. That person being Bradley E. Manning.
Private First Class Bradley E. Manning (born 1987) is a United States Army soldier who has been arrested and charged with the unauthorized use and disclosure of U.S. classified information.
Manning was an intelligence analyst assigned to a support battalion with the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division at Contingency Operating Station Hammer, Iraq. Agents of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command arrested Manning based on information received from federal authorities provided by an American informant, Adrian Lamo, in whom Manning had previously confided. Lamo said that Manning claimed, via instant messaging, to be the person who had leaked the “Collateral Murder” video of a helicopter airstrike on July 12, 2007, in Baghdad. Additionally, a video of the Granai airstrike and around 260,000 diplomatic cables were released to the whistleblower website Wikileaks.
Manning was charged under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) with violations of UCMJ Articles 92 and 134, for “transferring classified data onto his personal computer and adding unauthorized software to a classified computer system,” and “communicating, transmitting and delivering national defense information to an unauthorized source”. Manning is currently awaiting an Article 32 hearing. SOURCE
I have read several article, the above link for one, that says Bradley Manning is a homosexual and his actions stem from his anger against the military and the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy it employees.
That may well be Manning’s rationale for betraying his nation. Be that as it may, it is NO excuse. An American citizen, an American service member, that would betray his nation and endanger countless lives over his HOMOSEXUAL agenda only brings me to the conclusion that our military is NOT vetting it’s personnel well enough before placing them in critical positions that can affect the security of the entire nation, our military and our Intelligence officers.
Manning was a Private First Class, with a TOP SECRET clearance. He was an Intel Analyst. In my opinion, that is indicative of a need to secure this nation and our Intel sources even more.
Assange is a scumbag for releasing this data via WikiLeaks, of that there is no doubt, but as a friend told me today, “The New York Times would have released it if Manning had dropped in their lap…”
I personally wish to see Assange and WikiLeaks put fully, completely and totally out of business from this day forward. I would love to hear that they had been hacked by someone and had their entire operation put into meltdown, but Assange is not the only guilty party in this brouhaha.
Manning, and anyone that was even remotely complicit to HIS act of treason, need(s) to be stood against a wall and shot dead. And our military needs to take a step back, re-evaluate their own security procedures and those that can access it.
Physician heal thyself!
Assange could be charged with Espionage the ultimate penalty for that is death. Manning can be charged with Treason, the ultimate penalty is death.
But under the Kenyan, they both will be given medals.
I agree! I think that Manning should be brought up on charges of treason, and I also think that Eric Holder should file espionage charges against Assange even if we are playing second fiddle here. I wonder if he will though, in a way his arrest has given this administration an out because they can now hope that he will disappear from the public’s mind and will be able to let this embarrassment disappear with him.
All of those documents were classified and to access them you had to have a security clearance. With this many documents in question, there had to be quite a few people involved with releasing them; people with security clearances. I can’t in my mind imagine why an American Citizen would purposely give anyone like this Assange classified documents.
Speaking of treason, here we have a Sailor trying to sell classified documents.
Bryan Minkyu Martin Allegedly Sold Secrets
The military needs to bring back the firing squad for those convicted of treason. Manning and this sailor need to be the first to go on trial.
I think the New York Times is jealous that they didn’t get their hands on the info first…
I posted my opinions on this too Fred and some may disagree with me which is absolutely FINE. As you well know I am 100% America first. And as such find myself torn on this whole deal.
The first leaks you will remember put the lives of our soldiers, CIA agents and Informants in danger. These leaks should have been the last from Wikileaks. They were criticized by the Obama administration but for the most part our medai was oh so happy to publish and comment on them….NOTHING WAS DONE TO STOP THEM!
Now we have a leak that splats egg on the face of Obama and company so NOW there is outrage and action to stop them. I find it incredibly hypocritical and down right stupid of our elected leaders.
The NYT published far worse documents during the Iraq war effort that in many minds caused many deaths of our troops. Geraldo Rivera and his moron film crew jeapordized the war effort and nothing is done….
Manning, the poster boy for DADT…how this kid got a security clearance is beyond me, and how he held onto it is WAY beyond me. Back in the day, the military would hang you out to dry for ANY violation of security, and giving away classified material would probably have earned you a life stretch breaking rocks in Kansas. It still should.
Manning didn’t collect this info all by himself. Needs to be some housecleaning within the intel community. A whole lot of people need to be tried for treason. Assange needs to be tried for espionage not sex crimes. This whole operation was orchestrated from within. Commies at play.
Minuteman “hit it.” Manning is a petty little homosexual twit who got his Skirts Of Esteem in a bunch, but I’m guessing he’s not the only leak in the ship.
Assange seems to think he has a veritable “Doomsday Button” to be plunged but upon his arrest. I’m almost at the point where I’d ask him to hit it — if for no other reason than to create paths to the various leakers involved.
I’ll wager the FBI is working many leads even as I write this.
Unless, of course, our Mr Obaka has FORBIDDEN the alphabet agencies from determining the sources — which I doubt.
BZ
The city of Berkeley, CA is considering honoring Manning as a hero.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/08/AR2010120803057.html
I am much upset with WikiLeaks as anyone….
When few months ago military information was released and obama didn’t do anything about it…I gave him a benefit of a doubt and assumed that a person in his position would take care of it at the same time I don’t particularly need to know about…
it was very interesting to me that a little troll would have the kind of security clearance…
now they are upset finding themselves in uncomfortable position in world diplomacy…
…with Assange being held on some sex questioning issues…
well…they should find more women and finally charge him with elevated sex drive!!
All what is happening in DC is a JOKE!!!
I am just working person, a wife, mother and a grandma …
was born, raised and educated in comminist Poland residing in the Greatest Country on Earth for the past 27 years…just to see, like in some bad nightmare all what I have left behind 30 years ago is coming back in front of my very eyes…
on a course of years all the Presidents made bad decisions, were involved in some kind of deals that weaken our Nation, and were not in the best interests of the people they were swore to protect…
but in the last 2 years I feel like we are in a middle of a highway with semi’s rushing by all around and one coming straight to splatter us to pieces!…
I have the overwhelming feeling of some greater forces behind the so-called president…
I would have to write a long story but everything and anything that he does just simply does not make sense…
starting from his election, sealed records, all the way through WikiLeaks and the latest Walmart “SSSS” campaign…
I have the overwhelming feeling he is not done and we will experience much greater limits of our freedom and prosperity, all in the name of “CHANGE”…
God Bless America !!
It was reported this morning that some of the Wikileaks docs have done much to vindicate George W. Bush of the accusations madem against him. But, with that being said and the fact the I resent the fact that when it was our troops and Intelligence community worldwide put in danger, well, the Socialist in Charge and his minions did nothing… now it’s going after him at all costs because this administration has egg on their face as well as some of their global elitist trash friends! I agree 100% with the idea, even if we never get custody of Assange, we should file espionage charges against him. And there is no reason for Manning to still be breathing the same oxygen as us!
JoAnna? Welcome to AMERICA just in case no one has said that!
We have had a series of half a$$ed leaders recently… HAM? Do you really think that those will be on the lame stream media’s headlines? I really don’t care myself. That jerk compromised OUR security, period. We need to pull out a few retired KGB types with umbrella’s that have immigrated… Put them to work. Not just against that puke a$$, but a whole lot of others. At wikileaks, and other places as well. George Soros comes to mind…
@Patrick,
Thank you Patrick…it is always good to hear it 🙂
@BobF
Berkeley might be considering Manning troll a hero…
and Russians want Assange nominated for a Nobel Price!!!!
how you like that?
btw…
I am in Poland right now taking care of my Mother and it is very interesting having an opportunity to read the “local” newspapers in their oryginal language being polish , german or russian and their view on some world events…
they all support Assange to some degree…
…what can I say?
nothing has changed in this parts of the World in the past 30 years since I’ve left…they just call themselves different names and play a polite, curtious game…
Joanna — All the best to you and your mother…
I am glad you told us that you are in Poland now, I was wondering why I was getting hits on the site from Poland, now I know! 🙂