Um OK. Strange little dream world ya have there wackyleaks.
Posted on 12/11/2010 2:42:42 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
WIKILEAKS founder Julian Assange says Prime Minister Julia Gillard has put his life and freedom at risk by publicly pre-judging his actions as “criminal”.
In written correspondence between Mr Assange and the Australian Government, made available exclusively to the Sunshine Coast Daily, Mr Assange highlights serious fears that Ms Gillard's statements questioning the legality of WikiLeaks would violate his right to a fair trial.
He said he feared he and his staff could be killed as he was aware senior figures in the United States, including politician Sarah Palin, had been calling for his arrest and assassination.
The 39-year-old Queenslander is currently in solitary confinement in Wandsworth Prison in England for his own safety.
He is due to appear in court for a second time on Tuesday after being arrested on a Swedish warrant.
Prosecutors want to question Julian Assange about allegations of rape and sexual molestation made by two women.
WikiLeaks supporters insist the allegations are politically motivated because of the sensitive nature of the leaked cables.
The US Government is considering extraditing Mr Assange for espionage or charges involving obtaining stolen property.
The charge of espionage involves the death penalty. Either charge would be the first of its kind.
Despite pleas from Mr Assange's Sunshine Coast-based mother Christine, the Australian Government has yet to commit to stepping in and bringing him back to Australia or assuring he won't be passed on to a third country.
Prime Minister Gillard was on holiday yesterday, leaving the Attorney-General's Department to answer a series of questions from the Daily about whether the government's stand was putting Mr Assange's life at risk.
But the answers were less clear than the allegations.
“Mr Assange has the same rights as any other Australian citizen,” a department spokesman said.
“That includes the right to consular assistance from the government and the right to return home to Australia.
“The government is ensuring Mr Assange has access to assistance from consular officials in London.
“They are in regular contact with Mr Assange and his lawyers, over the phone and through face-to-face meetings.”
Attorney-General Robert McClelland has specifically requested the Australian Federal Police examine whether any Australian laws have been breached in the release of classified information on WikiLeaks.
“In conversations I was asked yesterday about issues of illegality. This is a matter which clearly the United States' Government has primary carriage of, given it was their secure information,” he said.
Mr McClelland has compared the saga of leaked US diplomatic cables to former Treasury mole Godwin Grech, who sparked the OzCar affair in mid-2009.
Speaking to reporters in Sydney, Mr McClelland pointed out it took the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions almost 18 months to decide against taking legal action. A member of Mr Assange's legal team said he complained he “does not get any recreation” in the prison and “has difficulties getting phone calls out. He is on his own”.
He is not allowed to have a laptop in his cell, but his lawyers have requested one.
Assange was in “very good” spirits but “frustrated” that he could not answer allegations against him, the spokesperson said.
About 50,000 Australians have signed a supporting statement about WikiLeaks, and members of action group GetUp have contributed $250,000 to book a full-page ad in leading world newspaper, The New York Times.
Ditto
Does he imagine he is a head of state perhaps?
This is just a small time punk who uses kids to do his dirty work.
Assange provided the best news coverage of international politics there has been.
No laptop? How can they be so cruel? I’d be willing to guess that his days are numbered, though we may cut a deal to get him extradited that we won’t execute him. Life in a supermax cell looks to be his future.
Oh boohoo and how many lives has he put a risk???
Shoulda stayed out, that way you won't get burned.
Funny, but I don't think the sex offender anarchist from down under worried about the people's lives HE put in danger.
Screw you, Julian...
anarchist scumbags like Assange talk so tough when they are trying to get lots of other people killed, then whine and blubber like babies if they feel the least danger from their own chosen activities
Really. He sounds very whiney. I don’t recall him having much concern for any possible lives he may have put in danger. He needs to put on his big boy pants and man up.
Last that I checked, Sarah Palin was a private citizen, and not actively working as a politician (although perhaps there is a sense in which she could legitimately be called a 'politician', based on some less-common definitions or usages of the word).
I don't recall hearing that she has called for Assange's assassination. Were there any other "senior figures in the United States" who have publicly called for Assange's assassination?
Did he ever release the bank leaks? I notice his real troubles really started when he said he had info about dishonest activity by major banks.
"...You're going to the front, boy. You may get shot, and you may get killed, but you're going back to the fighting. Either that, or I'll stand you up before a firing squad. Why, I ought to shoot you right now, you... "
None as I have seen.He just exposed a bunch of lying politicians if you can call them that.
Here’s a clue for you Julian: Nobody wants to stand around and hold your hand while you piss in a fuse box.
Well he’s the one with all the secret documents. What does he know about Sarah Palin that we don’t know?
“WIKILEAKS founder Julian Assange says Prime Minister Julia Gillard has put his life and freedom at risk by publicly pre-judging his actions as “criminal”.”
Oh, well!
Eric Holder will bring his ass over here and try him in a civilian court...and...um...er...
On second thought...he's got nothing to worry about.
Exactly!!!!
Frankly, I don't think it was funny.
I'd like to take a shot at this guy though. See how he likes it to be on the other end.
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