Guest blogged by Ernest A. Canning
WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, has taken refuge in Ecuador’s Embassy in London, where he has applied for political asylum, stating:
I am grateful to the Ecuadorian ambassador and the government of Ecuador for considering my application.
Ecuador, which, two years ago, offered Assange asylum and which also has an extradition treaty with the U.S., confirmed that it is considering Assange’s asylum application, but stated that its decision to do so, “should in no way be interpreted as the government of Ecuador interfering in the judicial processes of either the United Kingdom or Sweden,” according to CNN.
Assange, an Australian, as we previously reported, has maintained that the sex charges against him, and Sweden’s request for extradition from England where Assange has been staying since the charges were initially filed against him, are being utilized as an excuse to ultimately transport him to the U.S. for political persecution.
Assange suffered a significant legal setback last week when the UK’s Supreme Court dismissed his application to reopen his appeal against extradition. He was scheduled to be extradited to Sweden in nine days.
UPDATE 6/20/12: In a public email, the advocacy group, RootsAction alleges:
The United States reportedly has a sealed indictment prepared for Assange, charging him with crimes against ‘national security.’
The group has an on-line petition requesting that Ecuador grant asylum, which can be signed here.
Meanwhile, the UK’s Guardian reports that Assange’s asylum request could prove an empty gesture. Absent “giving Assange Ecuadorian diplomatic status…there seems no way in which he can get to Healthrow, let alone Ecuador, without being arrested for breach of his bail conditions,” the Guardian reported.
A video containing Democracy Now’s more extended coverage of the event, including London’s announcement that Assange is now subject to arrest and Assange’s prior interview of Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa on RT, is posted below…
UPDATE 6/21/12: OEN has published a thoughtful article — Julian Assange’s Artful Dodge — which provides in depth coverage of this event. The article was written by former CIA analyst Ray McGovern.
Ernest A. Canning has been an active member of the California state bar since 1977. Mr. Canning has received both undergraduate and graduate degrees in political science as well as a juris doctor. He is also a Vietnam vet (4th Infantry, Central Highlands 1968). Follow him on Twitter: @Cann4ing.
‘should in no way be interpreted as the government of Ecuador interfering in the judicial processes of either the United Kingdom or Sweden,” according to CNN. ‘
pity as the UK Sweden and the US would not hesitate to interfere in ecuadoran juducial processes… the case of Assange shows clearly their judicial processes are heavily politicised
I can understand why Mr. Assange has done what he has. There are several points that concern me about this case.
1…He appears to be getting no support from his own government, in fact quite the opposite.
2…As yet, he hasn’t been charged with committing any crime in Sweden – so how can he defend himself when he doesn’t know what the allegations are?
3…It is quite possible that any charges made against him might not even be classed as criminal acts in the UK.
4…The women who have accused him have very questionable motives…and suspect backgrounds.
5…There is a real possibility of him being extradited to the US where he might face the death penalty.
Surely these are valid enough reasons for him to seek sanctuary?
Obama just might decide that firing a Hellfire MAC into the Ecuadorian embassy really wouldn’t be an act of war because they are obviously engaged in material support of infosocialist terrorists…
Here is Julian on the aid the supine aussie regime is giving him:
‘JULIAN Assange says the only contact he has had with Australian authorities over the past 18 months has been via text message.
The Wikileaks founder, who is holed up in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, rejected the Australian government’s claims that he’d received more consular assistance than any other person in similar circumstances.
He said he had not spoken to Australian authorities since December 2010.
Since then, he said the Department of Foreign Affairs had contacted him via SMS asking: “Does Mr Assange require assistance?â€
Speaking from the Ecuadorian embassy, Mr Assange said assurances from Julia Gillard and other senior government ministers that they were helping him were “empty words”.
“These are empty words when they talk about consular assistance,” Mr Assange told ABC Radio.
“I haven’t met with anyone from Australian High Commission since December 2010. I mean what are they talking about?
“The Australian government does not support its people.”
etc
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/in-depth/wikileaks/assange-rejects-pms-assistance-claims/story-fn775xjq-1226404988085
ALSO US regime wants Assad over espionage…the US knows all about espionage:
‘US uses its embassies for espionage’
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/153065.html
Whisleblowin is not esponage…but what the US regimes do is. Will any US president of sec of state be tried for sent to where they spied for trial?
Ecuador offered Mr Assange residency in late 2010 but rescinded the offer after controversy erupted and the US government reportedly made diplomatic representations against such action.
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/roxon-letter-spurs-assange-flight-to-ecuador-embassy-20120620-20olu.html
The US regimes on the other hand have long offered asylum to real spies terrorists and dictators: such as Posada Carriles
http://www.finalcall.com/artman/publish/article_2009.shtml
‘Meanwhile, the UK’s Guardian reports that Assange’s asylum request could prove an empty gesture. Absent “giving Assange Ecuadorian diplomatic status…there seems no way in which he can get to Healthrow, let alone Ecuador, without being arrested for breach of his bail conditions,” the Guardian reported.’
how did Posada Carriles get out of Venezuela to end up in the US?
In London, British police waited outside the embassy a few doors down from the Harrods department story poised to arrest the 40-year-old Australian should he try to leave. [this is clearly political! Given hes notbeen charged with any crime and should never have been under bail]
Assange entered the building to avoid extradition to Sweden for questioning about alleged sex crimes. He was also concerned that he could be sent to the US to face charges related to the release of secret documents. [why cant the swedes go to UK to question him?]
British police said Assange had violated the terms of his bail and was subject to arrest.
He was beyond their grasp, however, as long as he remained in the embassy, which was considered Ecuadorean territory.
Ecuadorean ambassador Anna Alban said she had had “cordial and constructive” discussions with British officials on Wednesday.
Correa was asked in the Telesur interview if he was not worried about hurting relations with Britain. He responded with a characteristic dig at the United States.
“If relations with England are affected by an exile request, relations with the United States of America will be super affected because all the corrupt from Ecuador” have sought asylum there.