BREAKING: WikiLeaks Founder to Talk to UK Police - Lawyer

[Hissyspit]

Source: Reuters

WikiLeaks Founder to Talk to UK Police: Lawyer

LONDON | Mon Dec 6, 2010 3:01pm EST
(Reuters) - A lawyer for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said on Monday he and his client were in the process of arranging to meet British police.

"Julian Assange has not been charged with anything," Mark Stephens told BBC television.

"We are in the process of making arrangements to meet with the police by consent in order to facilitate the taking of that question and answer that's needed."

He could not give details about when that might be arranged.

Assange is wanted in Sweden in connection with alleged sex crimes.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6B552E20101206

---

Guardian:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/blog/2010/dec/06/julian-assange-wikileaks-latest

8.09pm: Julian Assange tonight agreed to meet police in the UK, according to WikiLeaks lawyers.

Jennifer Robinson, a solicitor with Finers Stephens Innocent which represents Assange, said this evening: "We have a received an arrest warrant . The police have been in touch. They have contacted us. We are negotiating with them. We are negotiating a meeting with police."

Swedish prosecutors have sent an international arrest warrant to the Met, seeking the extradition of Assange for questioning on allegations – which he strongly denies – of rape, sexual molestation and unlawful coercion.

Assange, who is staying in Britain, has come under criticism from politicians in the US and around the world after his site started publishing excerpts from a cache of more than 250,000 secret US diplomatic cables last week.

The Swiss bank account of the Australian former computer hacker was today closed by the PostFinance bank. "The Australian citizen provided false information regarding his place of residence during the account opening process," the bank said in a statement.

[NightWatcher]

1. dont do it, they'll never let you out.

[DemReadingDU]

2. Release the info about the banks first!

[gateley]

4. I don't know - his charge with Sweden is pretty tame, but some

other powers (read: USA) might swoop in and try to detain him, so he may need to keep that as insurance (if it works).

[snagglepuss]

11. Not so tame as you might expect. He faces a two year jail sentence. nt

[kgnu_fan]

14. for not wearing condom??????????????

[snagglepuss]

15. Yes. nt

[Hissyspit]

16. He probably actually will most likely end up with: acquittal, a fine, or extradition to U.S.

My money would be on the latter.

But we shall see.

[Pavulon]

31. I wonder if he could be charged in any of the countries he dumped info in?

I assume sweden can not pitch him over to the saudis or egypt..

[24601]

37. Extradition treaties normally are bi-lateral, so it would depend

on Sweden's arrangements. If there is a valid agreement in place and charges preferred, it's always possible. Surely Julian thought all this out...
No he didn't & don't call me Shirley.

[gateley]

18. Whoa -- I read it was a fine and nothing more. That's crazy. nt

[snagglepuss]

34. Letter by his Australian lawyer James Catlin is worth the read.

snip

Apparently having consensual sex in Sweden without a condom is punishable by a term of imprisonment of a minimum of two years for rape.

snip

You need a law degree to know whether you have been r-ped or not in Sweden. In the context of such double think, the question of how the Swedish authorities propose to deal with victims who neither saw themselves as such nor acted as such is easily answered: You’re not a Swedish lawyer so you wouldn’t understand anyway. The consent of both women to sex with Assange has been confirmed by prosecutors.

Proposed reforms of Swedish rape laws would introduce a test of whether the unequal power relations between the parties might void the sincerely expressed consent of one party. In this case, presumably, the politically active Ardin, with experience fielding gender equity complaints as a gender equity officer at Uppsala University, had her will suborned by Assange’s celebrity. The prosecutor coming as she does from a prosecution “Development Unit” could achieve this broadening of the law during Assange’s trial so he can be convicted of a crime that didn’t exist at the time he allegedly committed it. She would need to. There is no precedent for it. The Swedes are making it up as they go along.

A great deal more damning evidence is yet to be revealed about what passes for legal process in Sweden, such as Assange’s lawyers having not received a single official document until November 18, 2010 (and then in Swedish language contrary to European Law) and having to learn about the status of investigations through prosecution media announcements but make no mistake: it is not Julian Assange that is on trial here but Sweden and its reputation as a modern and model country with rules of law.


snip





http://www.crikey.com.au/2010/12/02/when-it-comes-to-assange-r-pe-case-the-swedes-are-making-it-up-as-they-go-along/

[Catherina]

41. The CIA women used a technique that enables them to avoid punishment for making false charges

Catlin states that neither of the women's police statements "complain of rape."

"But then neither complained to the police but rather 'sought advice,' a technique in Sweden enabling citizens to avoid just punishment for making false complaints," Catlin alleges.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/12/sweden-assange-sex-without-condom/

[Joanne98]

3. RELEASE THE CODE KEY!

[Pavulon]

32. That would not be a good idea

for his people who would suffer when our sources suffer.

[Scurrilous]

5. FREE JULIAN! n/t

[Arrowhead2k1]

6. It's a trap!

[Boudica the Lyoness]

7. This is the British police

I trust them much more than I trust the American police. Fingers crossed anyway...

[CoffeeCat]

8. Jesus, I can't stand this!

I hate this cloak and dagger shyte. For the love of Pete, I hope
Assange just quickly releases this stuff. I wouldn't meet with
anyone. Why?

If they charge him with something, ok. But why meet with people
who may want you dead?

Seriously. Assange has to be the most hated and sought-after person
in the past century. The neocons and the other elites are as nervous
as they have ever been.

Assange holds to the keys to bringing them down. They know it. So does he.

Why would he even entertain this idea?

He should stick to being an electronic vigilante, and keep going.

I am so worried about him.

[snot]

9. Assange shoulda hid out with Bin Ladin.

[Downwinder]

10. Acting with legal advice. If you are going to pay somebody

you should listen to them.

[Roy Rolling]

12. I agree

RELEASE YOUR FILES NOW!! :banghead:

[GliderGuider]

13. So is it the end-game or just the top of the third inning?

Looks like we'll know soon enough. Good luck Julian, I hope you're as smart as you are brave.

[Poll_Blind]

27. I actually think top of the third. Hard to tell, obviously.

PB

[NeoConsSuck]

17. NY Times paints a grimmer picture:

LONDON — The legal noose tightened around Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, after his lawyers said Monday that an Interpol notice and European arrest warrant would oblige the British police to arrest him for questioning on accusations of sexual offenses from Sweden.

The BBC, and a message on the WikiLeaks Twitter feed, reported that new warrants had been issued and that his arrest might be imminent.

Mark Stephens, a lawyer for Mr. Assange, told NBC News that a place and time were being negotiated for Mr. Assange to meet with Scotland Yard.

Meanwhile, a Swiss bank account held by Mr. Assange for donations to WikiLeaks and his legal defense has been frozen.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/07/world/europe/07assange.html?_r=1&hp

[Hissyspit]

19. kick nt

[IScreamSundays]

20. WikiLeaks: Julian Assange to hand himself in to police after arrest warrant issued

Source: Telegraph

Mr Assange is expected to voluntarily attend a police station within the next 24 hours, and will then appear in a magistrates’ court. He is wanted over allegations of sexual assault in Sweden.
He is currently in hiding in the south-east of England but police are understood to have the necessary paperwork to arrest him.
Mark Stephens, Mr Assange’s British lawyer, said: “We are in discussions about him going to the police by consent.”

More at link.

Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/wikileaks/8185247/WikiLeaks-Julian-Assange-to-hand-himself-in-to-police-after-arrest-warrant-issued.html

[xchrom]

21. Sigh. Nt

[redirish28]

22. Oh no.... I fear for his life. You never know what type of "accidents" might happen

while in custody.

[BB1]

23. It's a trap!

[Pavulon]

26. maybe,,

?1276373761

[kgnu_fan]

24. I hope independent journalists like John Pilger will film this incident

so that actions of MSM and the state power will be documented

[Pavulon]

25. just like OJ (redux) and MJ, the police will film

it so he cant be all butthurt later and say they beat him with a phonebook.

[Joanne98]

28. Julian Assange to be questioned by British police

Source: The Guardian

• New extradition warrant issued over alleged sexual assaults
• Assange appeals for supporters to put up surety and bail

Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, is expected to appear in a UK court tomorrow after his lawyers said he would meet police to discuss a European extradition warrant from Sweden relating to alleged sexual assaults.

As the legal net continued to close around the whistleblowers' website and US attorney general, Eric Holder, said he had authorised "a number of things to be done" to combat the group, Assange appeared to be reconciling himself to a lengthy personal court battle to avoid extradition.

Jennifer Robinson, a solicitor with Finers Stephens Innocent which represents the Australian freedom of information campaigner, told the Guardian: "We have a received an arrest warrant . We are negotiating a meeting with police."

Another lawyer representing Assange, Mark Stephens, added: "He has not been charged with anything. We are in the process of making arrangements to meet the police by consent in order to facilitate the taking of that question and answer that is needed."

Stephens explained that the interview would happen in the "foreseeable future" but he could not give a precise time. According to other sources, it is thought that Assange would appear before a court to negotiate bail .

Assange is seeking supporters to put up surety and bail for him. He said he expected to have to post bail of between £100,000 and £200,000 and would require up to six people offering surety, or risked being held on remand.



Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/dec/06/wikileaks-julian-assange-police

[Mimosa]

29. It begins.

Even the Guardian is using the term rape, which in this case is erroneous.

From the OP Guardian link:

"He has also said he declined to return to Sweden to face prosecutors because he feared he would not receive a fair trial and prosecutors had requested that he be held in solitary confinement and incommunicado."

[Matilda]

33. Looks very like a denial of rights.

"Solitary confinement and incommunicado" because of a broken condom?

They really are frightened of him.

[Hissyspit]

39. Hey, who cares about rights, due process, the fact that he's not a Swedish citizen. He's arrogant!

:sarcasm:

[Chef Eric]

30. Apparently Assange is a wanted man throughout Oceania.

Ignorance is Strength.

[Matilda]

35. Australian PM Julia Gillard can't name what law Wikileaks has broken.

'Prime Minister Julia Gillard has again been unable to name any Australian laws broken by the controversial WikiLeaks website or its founder Julian Assange.'

And from Opposition Senator George Brandis:

"As far as I can see, he hasn't broken any Australian law," he told Sky News.

"Nor does it appear he has broken any American laws."

"Senator Brandis, a Queen's Counsel, called for any debate about the publishing of the cables to have a well-defined understanding of the difference between something which appeared to be morally wrong and an act that was illegal.

"As far as I can see, nothing Mr Assange has done does break the law," he said.'

http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/pm-cant-say-what-law-wikileaks-has-broken-20101207-18nfn.html

Yet Australia is standing by as Assange faces prosecution on a charge that is spurious at best, and there can be few who don't think he could, further down the track, meet with a mysterious accident or suddenly commit suicide. And our government will be an accessory.

[kgnu_fan]

36. So typical of politicians, They do anything the powerful USA tell them to do

[Hissyspit]

38. Lots of people cannot name what law WikiLeaks has broken.

Demonize them, shut them down, GO AFTER them, persecute them, try the, hang them.

Then, uh, we'll figure out something to charge them with.

[Matilda]

40. In the meantime, sexual assault will do.

It would be pathetic if it wasn't so serious.

[Hissyspit]

46. And THAT is Julian Assange, not WikiLeaks.

And the concept of innocent until proven guilty is conveniently ignored.

[Catherina]

42. Release the key now Julian! n/t

[sabrina 1]

43. The Brits cannot be trusted. A condition made very publicly of this

meeting should be that NO CIA or U.S. intelligence people or anyone connected to the U.S. should be allowed to speak to him.

[Bragi]

44. He should only release the key as a last resort

And I think we are some distance away from the end game here.

If I was him, I would release the key, though, if I was forcibly removed to Sweden.

The Swedish government is in the pocket of the U.S and they will extradite him to the U.S even without any actual U.S law being broken.

See http://www.counterpunch.org/shamir09142010.html

[Turborama]

45. WikiLeaks founder Assange in talks with British officials to come out of hiding

By Anthony Faiola
Washington Post Foreign Service
Monday, December 6, 2010; 8:55 PM

LONDON - Julian Assange, founder of the WikiLeaks Web site, was in negotiations with British authorities late Monday to come out of hiding for what is set to be a high-profile extradition hearing to face criminal allegations in Sweden.

Full article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/06/AR2010120601131.html?hpid=topnews

[maddezmom]

47. BBC reporting Lawyer for Assange in talks at the moment, will decide the course of action later

London (CNN) -- The British lawyer for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said Tuesday he planned to talk with London police about an arrest warrant out for his client.

Mark Stephens siad he planned to finish talks with London's Metropolitan Police mid-morning Tuesday, after which he and Assange will decide their course of action.

Swedish authorities have issued an arrest warrant for Assange so they can talk to him about sex-crime allegations unrelated to WikiLeaks' recent disclosure of secret U.S. documents.

Assange, a 39-year-old Australian, has said he has long feared retribution for his website's disclosures and has called the rape allegations against him a smear campaign.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/12/07/uk.wikileaks.investigation/