Julian Assange allegedly plotted to steal the book behind 'The Fifth Estate'

It has been revealed by ex WikiLeaks associate, David House, that Julian Assange had him try to steal his former second-in-command Daniel Domscheit-Berg's book, 'Inside WikiLeaks'.

“He wanted me, and in fact told me, to get to Berlin … and obtain access to Daniel Domscheit-Berg’s apartment and to get access to the manuscript of the book that was being published, and to take this manuscript with me back to the London so he could see it before it came out,” says House, publicly discussing his experience for the first time.

House says he had no intention of going through with the caper, but he wanted to make it look to Assange as though he’d made a serious effort. That meant he’d have to visit Domscheit-Berg and act suspicious. “It’s important to go through the motions in a case like this.”

He made it to Berlin the same day and began looking for the German hacktivist. He’d met Domscheit-Berg briefly at the Chaos Communications Conference, but he hadn’t exchanged contact information. On this trip he took a train and then walked to the Berlin hacker space called the C-Base and asked around. A hacker gave him directions to the Chaos Computer Club, where he finally met up with someone who knew Domscheit-Berg personally. That person took House to Domscheit-Berg’s apartment.

“I went in and had a lovely dinner with him and his wife,” says House, who says he’s writing a book about his experiences. “And the apartment was quite nice.”

...

House says he needed to be able to describe the apartment to Assange upon his return to Ellingham Hall. That meeting did not go well.

“Hey man, I tried, but I couldn’t get it,” House allegedly told Assange. “It wasn’t going to happen.”

Assange simmered with rage, House says. “He got pretty red in the face and started to talk pretty quickly and then left the room,” House says. “He came back later and started yelling about the book.”

www.wired.com...

I will reserve judgement until WikiLeaks makes a statement. What does ATS think?

daaskapital
What does ATS think?

I think most people would at least thinking of doing much the same.

1. You have a friend, work together on many projects for many years.
2. Then after you get famous you have a falling out, and the other guy announces that he's going to rat you out to the world and hang all your dirty laundry out for everyone to see.
3. "What's he going to write about me?" is a natural thought.
4. "Can I see a copy of the book before it gets released?" is also a natural thought.


Edit - and as if to rub salt into the wound, your new friend is now also ratting you out to the world and hanging all your dirty laundry out for all to see.

...says House, who says he’s writing a book about his experiences.

reply to post by daaskapital


The intrigue deepens, it reads like a best selling fictional novel... yet has more lies, deception, complexities and truth that the general public will probably never be privy to.

It could be speculated that David House was a plant/operative from the onset and continues to play out his role to further muddy the waters of truth and implicate Assange/Wikileaks.

Many of Houses' assertions seem convenient and somewhat unlikely without the benefit of rebuttals being offered.

Seems to match up pretty well with Assange. Both the asking someone to steal the book and the reaction of it not happening.

alfa1

daaskapital
What does ATS think?

I think most people would at least thinking of doing much the same.

1. You have a friend, work together on many projects for many years.
2. Then after you get famous you have a falling out, and the other guy announces that he's going to rat you out to the world and hang all your dirty laundry out for everyone to see.
3. "What's he going to write about me?" is a natural thought.
4. "Can I see a copy of the book before it gets released?" is also a natural thought.


Edit - and as if to rub salt into the wound, your new friend is now also ratting you out to the world and hanging all your dirty laundry out for all to see.

...says House, who says he’s writing a book about his experiences.

edit on 20-10-2013 by alfa1 because: (no reason given)

I like your analogy, although Assange is the most famous rat around? Unless he let out negative information about himself.

(The following is a generalized comment).

Hard line to live with comfortably.

In life, the most important thing is character and loyalty. When the higher ups choose to betray your character, where does your loyalty lie?

I think Assange is the target of people at what are the very highest levels of dirty tricks and things no one ever admits happened, afterward.

Anything which 'pops up' to make him look bad, I'm suspect of...while he's stuck in exile in plain sight. Is it logical for Julian Assange to let curiosity overpower self preservation and direct criminal activity from within his place of sanctuary? That's completely insane, in my view. We need to recall where he's at right now and why, I think. Just my humble thoughts.

Wrabbit2000
I think Assange is the target of people at what are the very highest levels of dirty tricks and things no one ever admits happened, afterward.

Anything which 'pops up' to make him look bad, I'm suspect of...while he's stuck in exile in plain sight. Is it logical for Julian Assange to let curiosity overpower self preservation and direct criminal activity from within his place of sanctuary? That's completely insane, in my view. We need to recall where he's at right now and why, I think. Just my humble thoughts.

I agree.

I do find it hard to believe that Julian was extremely concerned about the manuscripts of 'Inside WikiLeaks', when he himself had much more troubling problems to deal with at the time. I also find it unlikely that he would directly organise criminal activity. The reason being that it would be disastrous for WikiLeaks and Julian Assange, if any criminal planning had been exposed.

I am interested to hear WikiLeaks'/Julian's response, but it will probably just be the average reply, denying all involvement. I do find it interesting, if not suspect, that Mr House has broken his NDA with WikiLeaks only to write a book and publicly disclose this information in 2013...

Daas.

reply to post by daaskapital


Makes one wonder why he felt he had to go so far to concince Assamge he tried. That tells me he was a little concerned with the possible consequences of telling Assange no. Not enough to fear he'd be offed, but enough that he felt he needed to travel to Berlin to create the illusion that he tried.

Also it shows what a vain, controlling, person he is. He has an inflated sense of importance if hes ordering people to travel to another country so he could read a book about himself before it came out. I wonder if he's obnoxious in real life. What did he expect when he made himself the face of WL?

Wrabbit2000
I think Assange is the target of people at what are the very highest levels of dirty tricks and things no one ever admits happened, afterward.

Anything which 'pops up' to make him look bad, I'm suspect of...while he's stuck in exile in plain sight. Is it logical for Julian Assange to let curiosity overpower self preservation and direct criminal activity from within his place of sanctuary? That's completely insane, in my view. We need to recall where he's at right now and why, I think. Just my humble thoughts.

Exactly. Also I could be wrong, but I though 'The Fifth Estate' is actually about what has happened to Assange, and the machinations of politics and law against him, so it is difficult to see what connection there is to whatever this old colleague is writing. Anyway Assange has 'Mediastan' out now, and I think he said some remark, (whether joking or not) that 'Mediastan' is the real 'Fifth Estate' and so it must be.

Wow..people doubt Assange would direct criminal activity or be involved in it?
Really?

I mean, really now? Are you guys serious?

The guy hacked into military and other government computers and networks. THAT is a criminal activity.
THAT, along with what he has leaked, is why they are after him.
He is a criminal, no matter how well intentioned his crimes.

iBallinU
Wow..people doubt Assange would direct criminal activity or be involved in it?
Really?

I mean, really now? Are you guys serious?

The guy hacked into military and other government computers and networks. THAT is a criminal activity.
THAT, along with what he has leaked, is why they are after him.
He is a criminal, no matter how well intentioned his crimes.

He was a teenage hacker, that's nowt to do with Wikileaks though. As far as I know there are no charges of hacking against him, all the material he published had been submitted to him.
That includes Bradley Mannings contributions. Note that Manning was found not guilty of aiding an enemy, he was found guilty of theft and espionage, and computer fraud.

reply to post by daaskapital


I highly doubt this theory of him attempting to steal such a work.

I mean, unless ya kill the guy writing it, he can always write another, then another,

It would only make him (Assange) a fool to even consider this ridiculous feat.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


I was thinking the same thing.... why would he do all he's done, if he had something to hide. He had to of known he'd be in the spotlight. I know I would've seen it coming.

I will be highly suspect of any information of this nature coming out against Julian assange.

Well put wrabbit.

reply to post by daaskapital


It's crap, and i'll tell you why.

I send you to Berlin on an special mission to locate, steal and deliver the manuscript...so, you return to the UK, secretly never having any intention of stealing the book, have a meeting with me, Assange, and later report i was simmering with rage and very red in the face.

Can you tell me, why wouldn't I already know you didn't get the book?

The scene with Assange boiling over with rage is a concoction...there's a well known device that allows people to communicate over long distances in real time...a phone.

If I (Assange) were THAT interested in getting the book, enough to almost burst a blood vessel...i would have had you phone me the moment you'd left the flat. I would have found out you didn't have the book right away..over the phone, making the 'rage scene' redundant.

smurfy

iBallinU
Wow..people doubt Assange would direct criminal activity or be involved in it?
Really?

I mean, really now? Are you guys serious?

The guy hacked into military and other government computers and networks. THAT is a criminal activity.
THAT, along with what he has leaked, is why they are after him.
He is a criminal, no matter how well intentioned his crimes.

He was a teenage hacker, that's nowt to do with Wikileaks though. As far as I know there are no charges of hacking against him, all the material he published had been submitted to him.
That includes Bradley Mannings contributions. Note that Manning was found not guilty of aiding an enemy, he was found guilty of theft and espionage, and computer fraud.

Yeh, and what was passed on to him, was obtained by BREAKING THE LAW.
By publishing it for the world to see, instead of handing it over to the proper authorities, he is also guilty of a crime.

You've got to ask your self...why those who passed information on to Assange, chose Assange.
Why not you and me?

Don't sit there acting like Assange is some saint who has never committed a crime in his life.

I must admit, it is hard to know for sure, but I think Mr. House's account is false. In one hand, there's 25% of chance that Mr. House was really ordered to break in and steal the book; and that would prove that Assange is A): really stupid for doing that while he tries to clear his name, and B): someone not that trustful. However;
On the other hand, there's 75% of chance that it's just a publicity stunt by Mr. House to gain popularity as "the other guy who exposed Mr. Assange's secrets". Ordering an associate to steal a book is a pretty stupid action for a man who tries to prove that he's not a criminal. I know he hates Daniel Domscheit-Berg's book, but to order to hack in his apartment just to take a look at it...
He can read it just by hacking in a website, no need to risk his reputation just to look at the "original".

No, it's rare that I'll agree with Assange, but I really don't believe what Mr. House wrote is true. It strangely coincides with The Fifth Estate being released in theatres, at a moment where Mr. House could receive some publicity.

P.S.: And frankly, who would say to his boss "Hey man"??!! And in my opinion, Mr. House's description of Assange's reactions is not really convincing: "He got pretty red, then talked pretty quickly, then left the room, then came back and yelled about the book".