Wikileaks founder Julian Assange awaits bail hearing

From the BBC site just now

"Julian's supporters have come through for him so we look like we're on target, but we can't give certainty until the banks have opened," he told the BBC.

One of those supporters, veteran journalist John Pilger, who put up a £20,000 surety, said the case against Mr Assange was "ridiculous".

He said: "I hope he will be released - he should be, he is an innocent man until proven otherwise. This is an extraordinary case.

"The amount of bail is ridiculous. Many people have questions to answer, among them the director of public prosecutions."

His mother has said that Assange is quietly furious. Given that a man who may be accused of arranging his wife's murder (not saying the man is guilty - its just a very serious charge) it will be interesting and enlightening to hear that same judge's opinion on Assange.

Ironic that the BBC World Service has just started running a series (Monday nights) on the autonomy of Judges around the world. I don't think they were thinking of the UK's judges when the recorded it - or were they?

This is absolutely classic - tv show 'PM' has been interviewing an American (ex legal advisor to the State Dept.) on how the US might charge Assange.

MARK COLVIN: But in the 20s they locked up a lot of people, mostly socialists, I think and unionists for quite long periods of time under the Espionage Act.

JOHN BELLINGER: Well I think what Mr Assange has done is probably orders of magnitude different from some of those cases. After all he's alleged to have accessed 250,000 classified cables and I think amongst those the government can find probably quite a large number of them that would show serious damage to the national security.

MARK COLVIN: But you say he's accessed them, we've all accessed a lot of them now. How will the United States be able to prove that he conspired to get them rather than just being given them?

JOHN BELLINGER: Well, as I understand it, that's what the government is looking at right now is to see whether he could be charged with conspiracy to gain access to these classified documents in addition to holding them and failing to return them to the government.

PM Interview

'We've ALL accessed them' LOL Time for an 'I'm Sparticus' moment methinks. Solidarity - charge him with this - CHARGE ALL OF US. LOL

reply to post by christina-66


Well it seems he has been granted bail

good news



we just have to wait to hear what the conditions of bail are

reply to post by thoughtsfull


About time too. Now to watch how the US moves?

Justice Ouseley has upheld the decision to grant Assange bail, according to Sky News. There were cheers outside the court.

finnaly good news

This morning I read it was not Sweden who rejected Assange being given bail, now the BBC reporter outside the court is saying it was.....am confused...

Whatever the bail conditions it will take a year or so for extradition, and interestingly

If Mr Assange is extradited to Sweden and the United States wanted to extradite him from there, they would need the consent of the United Kingdom

www.bbc.co.uk...

Originally posted by dizzylizzy
This morning I read it was not Sweden who rejected Assange being given bail, now the BBC reporter outside the court is saying it was.....am confused...

Whatever the bail conditions it will take a year or so for extradition, and interestingly

If Mr Assange is extradited to Sweden and the United States wanted to extradite him from there, they would need the consent of the United Kingdom

www.bbc.co.uk...

There is a huge problem with an extradition to the US as it is.. one of the aspect is that neither the UK or Sweden can extradite someone who might face the death penalty.. or it is feared they might...

Given some of the US politicians comments they have handed the defence a strong reason to fight any extradition. (at least that is what the talking heads on sky infer from both UK and Swedish extradition laws)