WikiLeaks' Assange says "door open" to end London stand-off

[Zorro]

Source: Reuters

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said on Thursday the "door was open" for talks to end his refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, where he holed up six months ago to avoid extradition to Sweden for alleged sex crimes.

However, Assange, 41, making his first public appearance for months, vowed to stay where he was while he remained under threat from U.S. authorities and said his website's work would continue with the release of over a million more files.

"Six months ago - 185 days ago - I entered this building. It has become my home, my office and my refuge," he said from a narrow balcony on the ground floor of the red-brick block in the affluent Knightsbridge area of London.

"Thanks to the principled stance of the Ecuadorian government and the support of its people, I am safe in this embassy and safe to speak from this embassy," he told media from around the globe and 200 cheering supporters.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/wikileaks-assange-says-door-open-end-london-stand-011014801.html

---

I sense Julian may be wearing out his welcome.

[freshwest]

1. This sounds like a 'water is wet' report. Not much detail there. Interesting, though.

[cstanleytech]

15. @struggle4progress, spamming like that is rude.

@freshwest In what way is it "interesting"? Seems like same ole same ole.

And @OP, what makes you say "wearing out his welcome."? Doesnt seem that way to me offhand.

[freshwest]

16. Divide your complaints to the people you want to talk to.

I don't speak for them. Address them, not me, it's not logical to ask me to defend them.

But to do you courtesy, I found the timing of the announcement and the comment interesting and as I said, not much details.

I was not rude to anyone. Your comment to me and demand I speak for them is rude.

[cstanleytech]

27. But what about it was interesting? Assage apparently hasnt reached any

sort of deal to turn himself and it largely seemed to be a rehash of the same demands he has been making.

Anyway that aside I apologize if you thought I was demanding that you to speak for the others I addressed in my post.

[struggle4progress]

37. ?

[struggle4progress]

2. Assange Addresses Dozens in London

December 20, 2012, 6:45 pm
By ROBERT MACKEY

... Mr. Assange took to the balcony of the embassy in London on Thursday night to read some prepared remarks to read some prepared remarks to about 80 supporters and a large number of police officers gathered on the street below the first-floor balcony ...

http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/20/assange-reappears-on-the-embassy-balcony/

[freshwest]

17. A little more detail, but I'm not going to take the time to watch the video at the link.

He says that his life has been threatened.

Did the video give details as to who it is, other than the USA as some claim to want that?

I've not heard this from him directly, just his supporters.

[struggle4progress]

3. O come, let us adore him! Faithful break into song for Julian Assange

After six months inside, the WikiLeaks founder gives speech on embassy balcony
CHARLIE COOPER FRIDAY 21 DECEMBER 2012

... His appearance last night was viewed by many as a bid to reclaim the limelight after several months in which the world has largely forgotten about him. Supporters, many of whom came with candles and musical instruments, serenaded their hero with Christmas carols before his balcony appearance. A rousing chorus of “O come, let us adore him” raised a wry smile from one of the police officers stationed outside the embassy ...

He made a brief reference to allegations that he sexually assaulted two female former Wikileaks employees in 2010, pointing out that he had never been charged with a crime and insisting that “his door was open” to anyone who wanted to talk to him.

But not, of course, to anyone who wants to arrest him ...

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/o-come-let-us-adore-him-faithful-break-into-song-for-julian-assange-8428134.html

[struggle4progress]

4. Some Anonymous Members Disavow Assange

Posted by: Linda Carbonell on December 20, 2012.

... My first piece as a member of the staff of LezGetReal was a rant about the way the victims in Sweden were being forgotten in all the whining over poor, poor persecuted Assange. Just a half-hour’s research into the extradition treaties between Great Britain and the United States, and those extradition treaties that Sweden is part of puts a huge hole in Assange’s claim that he would be extradited to Sweden to expedite his transfer to America ...

The final straw was the pop-up, almost a pay wall that WikiLeaks has erected in association with Assange’s comments on President Obama’s 2008 victory speech. 2008? Gee, that’s just so relevant, isn’t it? The pop-up can be removed by donating to the site or sharing the site’s fundraising campaign through Twitter or Facebook. WikiLeaks claims that it needs the money for defending itself in “military trials” but no one is aware of any military trials that WikiLeaks is involved in. They certainly can’t mean Bradley Manning’s court martial, because Manning has never said that WikiLeaks bribed him, coerced him or tricked him into stealing the documents or opening a portal so they could hack the documents.

WikiLeaks was blocked from receiving donations through Visa, Mastercard and PayPal, but they have always had alternative means to receive donations if they chose to set them up. Anyone ever heard of paper checks, mail orders and snail mail? How about secondary receivers? How about two years of Assange’s legal bills? Anyway, WikiLeaks is begging for donations and their means of doing so has upset so of their supporters.

... “To this day, not ONE single WikiLeaks staff are charged or incarcerated. However, Anonymous has 14 indicted (facing 15 years) for online protests defending WikiLeaks – and one [Jeremy Hammond] in prison and facing 20 years for allegedly supplying the Stratfor GI Files…Despite that fact, WikiLeaks has chosen to dishonor and insult Anonymous and all information activists by prostituting the Stratfor Files…Anonymous has had enough. No longer will Anonymous risk prison to defend WikiLeaks or Julian Assange from their enemies…Anonymous turns it’s <sic> back on WikiLeaks. We are preparing for the media a detailed dossier of all the un-ethical actions perpetrated by WikiLeaks that we have ignored for so long” ...

http://lezgetreal.com/2012/12/some-anonymous-members-disavow-assange/

[freshwest]

19. Oh, this is pretty rough stuff there. I don't see Obama's 2008 speech has to do with it.

Does this mean that Anonymous did hacking for hire for Wikileaks? Are these groups companies?

That other post about Assange having to cut payments to his staff - what kind of money are we talking about here?

I thought he was in a bind and being given free room and board as part of his asylum deal. What money would he have, since the banks cut the money off. that he can pay anyone?

This story is teaching me about things that are far out of my realm. Just a peasant, I guess.

[freshwest]

18. 'But not, of course, to anyone who wants to arrest him ...'

Meow! What a catty reporter! But hey, no one wants to be arrested... It still all feels like a movie to me in lovely locales with exciting scenes.

Someone wants to answer for you upthread. So please answer his questions. That's not my job.

And the full version of the song since we're getting close to the big day:

[treestar]

33. His appearance last night was viewed by many as a bid to reclaim the limelight after several months

in which the world has largely forgotten about him."

Says it all.

I cannot believe they serenaded him!

[struggle4progress]

5. Julian Assange plugs Senate bid from Ecuadorian embassy balcony

AAP December 21, 2012 8:00AM

... "In Australia, an unelected senator will be replaced by one that is elected," Mr Assange said of his recent announcement he would stand for a Senate seat at the 2013 election.

Mr Assange criticised the Australian government's lack of support for the "freedom-fighting" actions of WikiLeaks, which he said remains under investigation by the US Department of Justice.


"My work will not be bowed. While this immoral investigation continues and while the Australian government will not defend the journalism and publishing of WikiLeaks, I must remain here," Mr Assange said ...

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/in-depth/wikileaks/julian-assange-plugs-senate-bid-from-ecuadorian-embassy-balcony/story-fn775xjq-1226541589659

[freshwest]

20. Wait, I thought this was settled earlier. That he could not run from London. And there are laws in

Australia that would not allow him to run because of his legal troubles. Someone posted those laws. I don't know why he is bringing this up. The OP didn't have many details, and the ones you are giving me don't make a lot of sense.

[treestar]

32. How can an investigation be "immoral?"

This from the King of Transparency.

[Coyotl]

34. Easily. Just think about it for 10 seconds.

[struggle4progress]

6. WikiLeaks' Assange gives Christmas speech

THURSDAY 20 DECEMBER 2012
Julian Assange marks six months in his gilded Knightsbridge cage with a Christmas address from the balcony of London's Ecuadorian embassy.

... Despite his commitment to free speech and his promise that his door would always be open, Mr Assange has refused to give an interview to Channel 4 News for six months. When Channel 4's Inigo Gilmore (see video, above) tried to ask Mr Assange a question, Mr Assange ignored him ...

A Senate run would cap a surreal six months, even by Julian Assange's standards. He was sharing Mr Smith's country home in Norfolk while on bail fighting extradition to Sweden to be questioned on allegations related to rape. But he fled to the embassy after exhausting his UK legal appeals ...

... Mr Assange has likened his situation to the jailing of the Russian punk collective Pussy Riot ...

http://www.channel4.com/news/wikileaks-assange-to-give-christmas-speech

[freshwest]

21. '...gilded Knightsbridge cage..' Oh, that's a bit much. Is this common with media in the UK?

Sure, the English have a patent* on the language, but that's taking poetic license a bit far. This is looking like theater more and more.



*Best not push that idea. The Queen might start charging us by the word. A great revenue stream in this copyright police world.

[SamKnause]

7. Julian

I didn't sense that in the least.

[struggle4progress]

8. Julian Assange praises Bradley Manning in rare speech

December 20, 2012, 6:34 PM

... the biggest cheers came when he praised Bradley Manning, the alleged source of WikiLeaks' most earth-shaking revelations ...

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57560360/julian-assange-praises-bradley-manning-in-rare-speech/

[struggle4progress]

9. Julian Assange says 2012 a 'huge' year for WikiLeaks

Founder of whistleblower website makes 'Christmas address' from Ecuador Embassy in U.K.
CBC News Posted: Dec 20, 2012 9:56 AM ET
Last Updated: Dec 20, 2012 5:01 PM ET

... Assange said his organization was preparing another million documents that will be released in 2013 ...

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2012/12/20/wrd-wikileaks-julian-assange.html

[struggle4progress]

11. Should You Believe Julian Assange's New One-Million Document Promise?

ALEXANDER ABAD-SANTOS 273 Views3:32 PM ET

Julian Assange, the silver-haired enigma, founder of WikiLeaks, and soon-to-be politician, re-emerged today for a Christmas address outside his makeshift home at the Ecuadorian embassy in London promising a leak guaranteed to affect "every country in this world." Fine, we'll bite. Maybe ...

... you have to remember this man's hype over the last big WikiLeaks dump, back in July, when the group released 2.4 million Syrian e-mails. "The material is embarrassing to Syria, but it is also embarrassing to Syria’s opponents ... It helps us not merely to criticise one group or another, but to understand their interests, actions and thoughts," he promised. Now, quick (and no cheating), do you remember anything those e-mails told you? ...

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/global/2012/12/should-you-believe-julian-assanges-new-one-million-document-promise/60224/

[struggle4progress]

10. Julian Assange tells London supporters he's 'open' to talks over extradition to Sweden

Julian Assange has addressed his supporters from Ecuadorean Embassy in London, saying he's "open" to talks to end his extradition standoff.
Freya PetersenDecember 20, 2012 17:25

... According to the Guardian, Assange recently said that the Pentagon had claimed the existence of WikiLeaks was an "ongoing crime" ...

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/europe/united-kingdom/121220/julian-assange-wikileaks-london-ecuador-ecuadorean-embassy

[freshwest]

22. Now *that's* news. Maybe he can spend Christmas in Sweden or Australia.

[struggle4progress]

12. Ecuador censures Britain for Assange deadlock

21 December 2012 | last updated at 11:32AM

... Ecuador has been pushing for its "full right to offer asylum to Assange," but has failed to get cooperation from Britain, Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino said in an interview with the state-run Gama TV ...

"The situation has much to do with Britain's decision," Patino said. "We are concerned that after six months his right to asylum continues to be violated."

Patino said he didn't rule out the possibility of taking the case to an international court after exhausting diplomatic channels ...

http://www.nst.com.my/latest/ecuador-censures-britain-for-assange-deadlock-1.189662

[JackRiddler]

13. You don't sense, you hope.

[struggle4progress]

14. Assange Statement after Six Months in Ecuadorian Embassy

Friday, 21 December 2012, 1:15 pm

... What a sight for sore eyes ... Our buildings can only be as tall as their bricks are strong ... Our societies are intellectual shanty towns ... The quality of our discourse is the limit of our civilization ...

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO1212/S00346/assange-statement-after-six-months-in-ecuadorian-embassy.htm

[freshwest]

23. That is truly inspiring stuff there. I liked it. Hope this gets resolved soon.

[AntiFascist]

24. Assange also seems to cite this Washington Post article...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/in-vas-eastern-district-us-attorneys-reach-transcends-geographic-bounds/2012/12/15/a3f8f992-4625-11e2-9648-a2c323a991d6_story_1.html

Federal prosecutors working for MacBride are also handling a critical aspect of the biggest leak case in U.S. history. The investigation is focused on whether the anti-secrecy Web site WikiLeaks and its founder, Julian Assange, violated U.S. laws in posting hundreds of thousands of military and diplomatic cables on the group’s Web site and sharing them with mainstream news organizations.

...

Another factor that draws cases to Alexandria’s courthouse is that trials move fast there. The court is known as the “rocket docket” because its judges follow procedural rules that move cases through much more quickly than other courts, said MacBride, who clerked in the district as a young lawyer.

Some of the highest-profile cases of homegrown extremists have landed on the rocket docket. A Virginia man, Amine El-Khalifi, was sentenced in September to 30 years for plotting to carry out a suicide bombing on the U.S. Capitol; Yonathan Melaku, a former Marine Corps reservist, admitted to shooting at the Pentagon two years ago; and Farooque Ahmed, a Pakistani-born Virginian. admitted plotting to blow up Metro stations.

...

“Criminals today aren’t confined by borders, and neither are we,” MacBride said. “A criminal organization is as much a threat to us from across the ocean as it is across the street. That’s why we made the strategic decision to go after networks and their leadership wherever they are found.”

[Dems to Win]

25. I don't really see why the governments involved would care about resolving this stand-off....

If Julian's waiting for them to bend to his will, I think it will be a long wait. He can rot in the embassy, as far as they are concerned, I would think.

I get the sense Assange is frustrated that he's not getting lots of attention and urgent meetings etc to resolve this. Not going to happen, I'd say.

just my opinion. hard to know what's going on.

[randome]

29. The only thing the U.K. cares about, perhaps, is the expense of guarding the embassy.

It's a little annoying to not be able to check Assange off their list of things to attend to but that's probably minor.

Other than that, yeah, I don't think anyone particularly cares if Assange stays where he is for the next decade.

[Swagman]

26. there are not victims as these are allegations not yet tested in court despite

Assange presenting himself for questioning in Sweden and being given permission to leave the country.

Not that these facts are of interest to the vocal anti-Assange crowd who still claim he is an egotist and despite him now spending going on 3 years of incarceration when even if convicted in Sweden he would have received approx 8 months in a Swedish prison farm.

But hey..we know the US government never lies, never renditions innocents, never incarcerates people without trial for years on end at GITMO, never perverts the course of justice, never invades countries and kills tens of thousands on lies (WMD) or for oil and who the hell is Julian Assange to declare he is frightened when US politicians have lined up to say he should be shot, murdered, jailed for 'treason'....etc etc ad finitum.

And some Americans wonder why they are hated with a vengeance throughout the world because of the Goddamned pig headed arrogance and refusal to accept their leaders commit hideous murderous acts in their name.

as for the alleged victims : one is still adamant she does not want Assange tried.

[Puzzledtraveller]

28. Wasn't most of DU all Assange crazy before he openly criticized the administration?

Just wondering.

[treestar]

31. No

He's a true divider of DU. He has critics and followers on DU. Don't think his followers were ever big supporters of the administration to begin with.

The administration's DU supporters are generally no-drama people who would tend to find Julian to be an OTT drama monarch regardless.

[treestar]

30. "while he is under threat from US authorities?"

What a drama monarch. And his followers fail to question him. So he gets away with it and we have people truly believing he is persecuted.

He pops up every once in a while when he hasn't been in the news.

[snot]

35. I stand with Assange and Wikileaks.

I have followed the story closely. There are a few here who post like crazy, trying to discredit Assange and Wikileaks. To me, it's clear that Assange and Wikileaks have done the world tremendous good; and if you look into the facts for yourselves, I believe you'll agree.

[struggle4progress]

36. His role in Climategate was certainly an inspiration to us all!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021162614

[snot]

38. WL publishes truth, regardless of who's embarrassed.

Assange believes secrecy is more often than not a sign of corruption. Yes, WL's publications have occasionally discomforted "good guys"; but it's exposed a lot more bad guys.

[struggle4progress]

39. In this case, there was no real scandal but there was a gigantic

amount of rightwing noise, produced by sifting thru the huge email release for little snippets that, once taken out of context, could be used to support dishonest conspiracy narratives. The timing of all this was politically very cunning, since it helped scuttle the Copenhagen summit -- which of course was the aim of the rightwingers

Julian Assange helped set the stage for this dishonest rightwing handwringing, and he ought to be ashamed of his role in it: but he's not got the decency to be embarrassed