Most Popular This Week
- Eve of Destruction (or How to Destroy a Planet Without Really Trying)
- 'Beyond Orwellian': Outrage Follows Revelations of Vast Domestic Spying Program
- The World Economy Is a Ticking Time Bomb (and The Fuse is Burning)
- The Bill of Rights Exists: An Open Letter to Dianne Feinstein
- 'We Are Movement, Not a Moment': North Carolina Peaceful Uprising Continues
- Eve of Destruction (or How to Destroy a Planet Without Really Trying)
- The World Economy Is a Ticking Time Bomb (and The Fuse is Burning)
- Is Enbridge Building a Secret Keystone Pipeline?
- 'Beyond Orwellian': Outrage Follows Revelations of Vast Domestic Spying Program
- The Bill of Rights Exists: An Open Letter to Dianne Feinstein
Popular content
Today's Top News
WikiLeaks' Assange Granted Bail by London Court
LONDON - London's High Court granted WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange bail Thursday after rejecting an appeal to keep him in jail while he fights extradition to Sweden to answer allegations of sex crimes.
The 39-year-old Australian was in court to hear the judge reject an appeal on behalf of Swedish prosecutors against a ruling Tuesday by a lower court that he be bailed.
"I am going to grant conditional bail," judge Duncan Ouseley said.
He endorsed the stringent bail conditions imposed by the lower court, that Assange's supporters must pay a 240,000-pound (283,000-euro, 374,000-dollar) surety and he be subject to electronic tagging and a curfew.
The judge made a slight change to the arrangements for Assange to report regularly to police near a supporter's country mansion in eastern England where he must stay.
Bail was also only granted on condition that 200,000 pounds in cash of the surety is made available to the court by the end of the day.
Assange's lawyer, Mark Stephens, earlier indicated that he would have the money in time.
Sweden wants Britain to extradite Assange for questioning over claims of rape and sexual molestation against two women in Stockholm in August, offences which he denies and which his lawyers argue are politically motivated.
They cite the timing of his arrest, which coincided with the release by the whistle-blowing website of thousands of confidential US diplomatic cables that have caused huge embarrassment and anger in Washington.
Assange's mother, Christine, and supporters including campaigning journalist John Pilger, had packed out the courtroom for the hour-and-a-half hearing along with hordes of journalists.
"I appreciate all the support," Christine Assange told reporters afterwards.
Other supporters gathered in driving rain outside the Gothic court house shrieked with delight at news of the ruling and chanted "exposing war crimes is no crime".
Inside, the judge rejected the assertion by British lawyers acting on behalf of Sweden that Assange was a flight risk.
"The court does not approach this case on the basis that this is a fugitive from justice who seeks to avoid interrogation and prosecution," the judge said.
Another condition of bail was that Assange live at the country estate of Vaughan Smith, an ex-British army officer who founded the Frontline Club, a media club in London where WikiLeaks has based part of its operations.
He must stay there during the extradition proceedings, which may take months.
Speaking before the court hearing, Pilger said: "I hope he will be released -- he should be, he is an innocent man until proven otherwise."
Thailand's royal family was the subject of the latest WikiLeaks revelations Thursday, as a memo from the US embassy in Bangkok showed top palace officials expressed concern about the prospect of the crown prince becoming king.
Three influential Thai figures, including two senior advisers to revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej, "had quite negative comments about Crown Prince (Maha) Vajiralongkorn," said the memo dated January 2010.
Another leaked cable also revealed that an oil platform in Azerbaijan operated by BP suffered a well blowout and a huge gas leak around 18 months before the Gulf of Mexico spill.
US President Barack Obama has led worldwide condemnation of WikiLeaks, dubbing their actions as "deplorable", and Washington is pursuing an investigation into how the website obtained the information.
But WikiLeaks and its founder have also won global support -- hackers have attacked credit card and payment firms who restricted funds to the website, and more than 660,000 people have signed an online petition of support.
- Posted in
Comments
Note: Disqus 2012 is best viewed on an up to date browser. Click here for information. Instructions for how to sign up to comment can be viewed here. Our Comment Policy can be viewed here. Please follow the guidelines. Note to Readers: Spam Filter May Capture Legitimate Comments...
46 Comments so far
Show AllAssange a hero and a Charismatic Leader.
Harrison " I will be as harsh as the Truth"
Here's the crack in the Global Corporate armor.
Its up to you to widen it.
John Shade for someone who claims Assange is of little consequence you spend alot of time making your leaky case.
Glenn,
That's what one can expect from follow-the-mainstream-media-DLC-Party-Obamabot.
So BHO, CEO of the global US murder machine killing people all over the world for much of its history, now, from deep in his troubled conscience, declares the release of some of the inside shop talk of the ruling class to be "deplorable". So what is this constitutional lawyer's moral and ethical assessment of the empire's endless murder, torture, devastations? One begins to wonder if BHO's mental state is now such that he is unable to question or doubt any of the empire's endless crimes. Guess he is in full corporate CEO mode, where whatever crimes are necessary for the bottom line profits are indeed necessary and any doubts or resistance is "deplorable".
that word leaped out of the page to me too c.j.
there's just no fathoming the minds of such decadent people.........
The end is perpetuating the US Empire using any means whatsoever. That's the very longstanding gameplan. They actually teach about it in schools but it's called Manifest Destiny.
Sweden - forget a =fishing expedition= with Julian Assange; cough up your specific charges, and your (literally) fucking EVIDENCE.
This matter embarrasses the fine history of your nation's jurisprudence, and the law professionals of your country know this.
Trylon,
Indeed!
" He must stay there during the extradition hearings which may take months ". Translation: He must stay there as long as it takes to have Julian Assange extradited to the U.S.
Link please.
Postscript
Still awaiting link, with no surprise at its absence. Misinformation, disinformation, imagination.....
What is really "deplorable" is the mendacious, prevarication by Barry in this statement about Wikileaks! Our Government has become an abomination to our nation in order to hide their secret and nefarious dealings from the public. What we have from the people that are calling Wikileaks " deplorable " are in my estimation luddite, terrorists that are full of panic,overreaction, and fear that they are now finding it more difficult to hide their deceitful secrets under the canard of national security." ONE OF THE MAJOR REASONS FOR GOVERNMENT SECRECY, IS TO PROTECT THE GOVERNMENT FROM ITS OWN POPULATION ". Noam Chomsky.
Paul Revere,
Well stated.
Congress’ first hearing regarding WikiLeaks
http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/297115-1
Built 4 walls around congress and call it a prison. Don't let anyone in or out. Turn their offices into solitary confinements. Criminals, all of them, no exceptions.
Yes, most all deserve Fortunato's fate.
Our very own Axis of Evil-doers, for the endless US wars of imperial fascist corporate aggression and murder around the Earth and for their never-ending attempts to supress the truth: Obama, Clinton, Lieberman, Feinstein, the CIA, the US Dept.of Offense, PayPal, VISA and MasterCard. Supported by the fascist governments of Sweden, Switzerland and Britain...
The actions of the US in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan are
worse than deplorable. They are serious war crimes.
The failure of the US to take significant climate action take us all further down the path to permanent damnation.
It is good and great service to humanity, that Bradley Manning has extracted data from the US and that Wikileaks is publishing this material that highlights the nature of the crimes of the US.
It is about time that the US was brought to trial for its crimes against the biosphere, and its crimes against humanity. The US government needs much more than a slap in the face.
The US needs to be kicked out of the world control room, and thrown into prison, and granted bail for many trillions dollars with strictest conditions on future behaviour, including nuclear disarmament.
Long live Julian Assange and Wikileaks!
Yes. And that is a tragedy that defies proper description.
And what do you think would happen to Assange if he got extradited to the US?
If American oligarchs charge and extradite Assange, we have to be ready to take to the streets. A "release Bradley Manning march" is overdue.
Sorry, but it does look like much ado about nothing. Hero's? For exposing political tittle-tattle?
Can anyone here cite one real example of anything of significance? One?
Obviously if the leaks had had any significance whatsoever, the US Government would have said something...
Oh wait -- look -- they have all gone ape-shit crazy over nothing.
Does not exposing war crimes (ala "Collateral Murder") count as anything?
Face it - the US Government has been deeply embarrassed because the leaks show just how incompetent and crooked these CRIMINALS all are.
I think that ,with so many more cables to be vetted and made public, any conjecture as to relevence might await further developments.
The importance of Wikileaks lies with the knowledge that the walls of secrecy surrounding our government's actions are not impenetrable. Why, I wonder, do you seek to minimize Wiki and Assange? Why, I wonder, do you seem to support a continuation of said secrecy?
Are you freaking kidding me? You post the most absurd statistical nonsense repeatedly and think to have any credibility here.I have, on several occasions, posted links that absolutely challenge your absurdities and you scurry away from the light of truth like the vermin you appear increasingly to emulate. One is obligated to post links to information that only you seem to have, of course you are a total fraud, if not something worse.
You made certain specific charges against Great Britain and its intent in the Assange matter, charges that only you seem privy to, and now you think to skate away on the thin ice of your made up little world? Sweden doesnt want Assange, Britain wants to hold onto him? The moon is made of green cheese and youre a wack job. Our nation and our world are in serious trouble here. I think people come here for solidarity, information, support and to see that we are not alone. You, in your fictional little world, defeat that purpose, deflect from solutions and are a hindrance to progress.
That little story about WalMart rang a bell, and the change in syntax showed that you had apparently cut and pasted another's work. I recall that exact same tale on another forum some two years ago, and I believe that was exposed there as crap as well.
Take your meds.
Sweden pushing a "law" that no other nation has on
sexual relationships ....
and obviously pushed by our US warmongering nation -- !!
.
"According to all myth, the female - not the male -- gives life"
240,000-pound (283,000-euro, 374,000-dollar) ,,, bail .
For a condom breaking,,
i wonder how much Julian can get suing the united states on false charges of terrorism.
Or Amazon and paypal for not releasing his funds.
Are there any lawyers in the USA that are not part of infragard, or the Stazi ,that will fight for freedoms, abuse by this government,and kill the patriot act and all fusion center activity , whats it going to take.
A Senator , or Judge to be falsely charged. Here , lets make citizens arrests of the supreme court, for they are guilty for not protecting the constitution and allowing cointell pro, torture and warrant less surveillance programs to run amuck in America.
Freedom of speech, ha, every time I post, I wonder if my door will be kicked down , and the stazi take me away.
Shame on all of us , for allowing fear to bend our back bones so that we are grabbing our ankles and just waiting for a good reaming.
Ooops, dont ask, dont tell, lets keep everything a secret. What we dont talk about , just makes us more cowardly, and what constitutional freedoms we wont fight for, just makes us an embarrassment to our troops , who are risking their lives to fight in two illegal wars of occupation, because they have been told they are protecting our way of life, liberty,freedoms.
Funny, i thought that the Constitution also protects our way of life, liberty, and freedoms.
We Americans are not doing our jobs here in our own homeland, protect the constitution, stop the stazi, freedom of speech is true accountability.
If what I have just stated makes me a Terrorist, then let my accusers step up and take the first shot, but dont miss, cause I will shoot back.
bornfreemen said "Funny, i thought that the Constitution also protects our way of life, liberty, and freedoms."
Here's a poem I wrote many years ago:
I read somewhere
That people have a right
To speak, and assemble and petition.
I think I saw it written
In the back of a text
Which has been discontinued.
Has the ACLU been quiet on the issue??
Because the ACLU does not deal outside the USA. They deal with US Constitutional issues which are not involved because Assange is not a US citizen, does not live in the US and has never been charged with any crime. He has only been unofficially accused of a rape in Sweden but not even charged there so far.
Our constitution provides for the freedom of the press and of speech and in past cases our courts have clearly stated that the keeping of such secrets is entirely the responsibility of government, not of the media.
As far as things stand now there is no legal issue or constitutional issue within our borders to concern ACLU.
HOW can being (under house arrest) "...subject to electronic tagging and a curfew..." and "...another condition of bail was that Assange live at the country estate of Vaughan Smith, an ex-British army officer who founded the Frontline Club, a media club in London where WikiLeaks has based part of its operations. He must stay there during the extradition proceedings, which may take months..." translate into him being "...an innocent man until proven otherwise..."?
Does anyone see the lunacy and insanity of this?
There is nothing that a government fears more then a people able to speak their minds. For ideas of freedom are the states greatest enemy.
Thank you Julian Assange and the people working with you.
By the way, Time names a young (Mark Zuckerberg, CEO and creator of Facebook), man of the year. What a distorted view of importance this society has. But then again, who reads Time anymore?
NBC’s, The Today Show made the announcement. NBC's parent company is of course General Electric.
You know "we bring things to life". And, manufacturer of nuclear weapons components.
But we will leave that part out!
It is good to learn that there are still judges in the world who will not be intimidated by their own government and its puppeteers in the USA.
The House Judiciary Committee is holding hearings on Wikileaks and the Espionage Act of 1917. They are worth while watching because they bring out so glaringly that it is again the advocates of "smaller government" that want to increase the power of the Federal Government. They also demonstrate that it is not the "New Deal" or other "Deals" that increase the power of the Federal Government. Only wars increase that power hence "endless wars" will increase that power exponentially and irreversibly resulting in the total erosion of civil rights.
200,000 pounds.
Is this to help defray the costs of his assassination?
Does anyone believe the sadists of empire are not considering this option?
"US President Barack Obama has led worldwide condemnation of WikiLeaks, dubbing their actions as "deplorable", and Washington is pursuing an investigation into how the website obtained the information."
I just sent my own strongly worded concern about our nations positions in all of this including the fact that keeping secrets is a government responsibility, not a responsibility of the media.
Assange never stole a single secret document and has no legal obligation to not publish them. He is not an American and does not live on US Soil.
My take on this situation includes links to help both Assange and Bradley Manning.
http://www.joethevoter.org/wiki-leaks.html
Watching the hubbub over Wiki Leaks is funny. Mainstream media is helping, those who are being leaked about, to circle the wagons in the hope that their inadequate investigative reporting, which is being inadvertently exposed, will go unnoticed.
"i wonder how much Julian can get suing the united states on false charges of terrorism. Or Amazon and paypal for not releasing his funds."
I was thinking same thing after watching the C-span panel. If there are no laws on the books to effectively go after Assange and Wikileaks, and any new law changes cannot be enacted because it would be "after the fact". Then wouldn't what he did be legal and the trouble caused by businesses such as Amazon, PayPal, MasterCard and Visa be a disruption of his business and he could go after them civilly for damages?