Kix

Holed up in the Ecuadourian Embassy.

Your thoughts?

Mine? Jumped up charges in Sweden, USA want him cos of the embarrassment of the leaks, which were made by US citizens.

Fair play to him I reckon, hope he gets to Ecuador.

Boomhauer

Yeah, pretty much agree with you. Charges look like trumped up, ladies were pressured/bribed to press charges . Why didn't they press charges after the alleged sexual assault?

Americans put pressure on Sweden and Britain. Why doesn't Britain have any balls....

Oyibopeppeh

Assange is nothing more than a manipulator who is trying to avoid justice by trying to turn this into a political issue. He should be slammed up along with his co-pervert Strauss-Kahn.

Kix

Get off the fence there mate, say what you think.....

Oyibopeppeh

I have a journalist friend in London who was telling me about his press conference rules. It's either a case of listening to him spout his narcissism and shut up...or woe bedite you. You're not allowed to ask a question unless it's already been vetted and anyone who doesn't play along doesn't get another invitation. Double standards, or what?

abbey08

Looks like that little tw*t william hague got things badly wrong with his letter threatening to storm the embassy. Threats like this put the lives of every UK diplomat even more at risk in hostile countries as peoplem will start playing by these standards. Funny though that when his boss found out what a f**k up he had made they immediatelly back tracked.

On Assange himself it is all bullshit - they have not even charged him and he has offered to speak to the Swedish police in london. Once he is in Sweden he is on a rendition flight to the USA, one way or another.

OriginalSunshine

Agreed. And he gives me the creeps (not that it makes him guilty or innocent, it just means he gives me the creeps).

Autonomy

As with most of Julian Assnage's life, nothing appears easy, simple or straight forward...

He's not been found guilty or even been charged with any crime. Although he's been accused of 2 serious offences.

I agree he has to answer to these charges in full to the authorities in the country they are alleged to have occurred - Sweden. They are serious and if proven guilty he should be punished as per the law of that country.

Is there a realistic possibility that these charges were brought after outside influence of the victims and is there the possibility of this being politically motivated from either within Sweden or elsewhere - yes I really think there is that possibility.

Would this massive legal battle have happened for any other Australian citizen accused of such crimes, weeks after the event? I doubt it.

Has Assange manipulated diplomatic immunity - yes I think he has.

He's repeatedly offered to be interviewed in the UK either in person or via video link to Sweden. Sweden has refused. Why? I thought that's all they required...

Sweden and US have refused to answer any question regarding extradition to US.

Nothing Assange has done has been charged or indeed broken US laws (AFAIK). Yet a secret (that word) grand jury has been building a case...

Does Assange and Ecuador genuinely feel his life would be at risk by going to Sweden - yes I think they do.

If you were Assange - what would you have done?

It's really murky, I think he's possibly broken Swedish law and done things to women that should be legally investigated, but I also think this has been manipulated or manufactured and I 100% believe US will do pretty much anything to get him on US soil. Yes, he's really grasping at straws now, like a drowning man would do. I think I'd do the same, but it's unlikely I'll ever find myself in such a situation...

As an end note - I read a quote somewhere that Wikileaks is not Julian Assnage and that Assange is Wikileaks greatest liablity...

If you're interested in his life history it's an interesting read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_assange

Jim Smith

Seems Mr. Assange has deserted those who put up something like 240K quid as bail/bond. Guess they are somewhat piss'd off?

Boomhauer

Maybee not, they are rich folks and they obviously support Assange so they might understand his reason.

Jim Smith

Maybe have to show a stiff upper lip!!!!!!!!!!!!!

auzdafluff

I'm pretty sure they knew they weren't getting that money back anyway.

goonerseba

Good post.

Sweden generally does not have a history of colluding with the US or any other country over such matters. It has a high record of human rights and has stated openly, as has Hague, there is no secret deal to get Assange into the hands of the US.

Would you trust Hague and the US assurances over the Ecudorian and/or Swedish authorities ?

Assange is essentially a rabbit in the headlights and at some point will run out of favours from people like the Ecuadorians. And it does seem very like an iron fist in a velvet glove from the UK over the alleged sex offences in Sweden.

Tough call for Assange on which way to run.

Little Boy

Me too


I considered buying a place in Ecuador last year (the prices for beach front property are so low) but broke off my search due to an unfortunate incident I had down there. I may reopen my search now.

I have regained some respect for the country

hnd

The man speaks:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...n-embassy.html