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Sweden drops Julian Assange rape investigation

bbc.co.uk

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Re: Sweden drops Julian Assange rape investigation

#41

Post by SideburnsOfDoom »

mootothemax wrote: post #11
sschueller wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He still can't leave. The US is just going to kidnap him off the streets of London. Wouldn't be the first time.

>He still can't leave. The US is just going to kidnap him off the streets of London. Wouldn't be the first time. When was the last time the US kidnapped someone from London's streets?

> When was the last time the US kidnapped someone from London's streets?

I don't think that they'd need to really. Much easier to have a quiet word with the co-operative British authorities who would assist with the matter and then hand over the individual in question. All soft language and avoidance of publicity, you see. But the same result.

Re: Sweden drops Julian Assange rape investigation

#42

Post by [deleted] »

matt4077 wrote: post #31
mootothemax wrote: post #16

Five years living in a single room, not able to leave or walk outside. Millions of pounds/dollars spent enforcing the same. A gigantic show of idiocy from both sides.

That strikes me as slightly unbalanced. The investigation may be debatable, but certainly not on the same level of idiocy as Assange self-imposed golden cage. And once the investigation had started, there really wasn't an option to drop it when the subject raised the stakes: there's just no concept of "oh well, if he really doesn't want to stand trial..." in any sane system of justice.

[deleted]

Re: Sweden drops Julian Assange rape investigation

#43

Post by grabcocque »

chx wrote: post #39

Is there a good article -- does even anyone know? -- on how did Wikileaks turn from a whistleblower into a mouthpiece of the Kremlin? Edit: some examples: http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/war_stories/... https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2017/03/...

Assange had a very personal vendetta with Hillary Clinton, the Kremlin were merely another weapon.

Re: Sweden drops Julian Assange rape investigation

#44

Post by ginko »

k-mcgrady wrote: post #36
_fizz_buzz_ wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do they really exist though? Assange travelled to the US on several occasions before the Swedish charges came up ...

Not sure about 'secret charges' but there are these recent charges. [1] [1] http://edition.cnn.com/2017/04/20/politics/julian-assange-wi...

What base do these have? Assange isn't a US citizen, so he can't be charged for treason like Snowden and Manning. He just gained information and published it.

Re: Sweden drops Julian Assange rape investigation

#45

Post by grabcocque »

wbhart wrote: post #37
grabcocque wrote: post #21

The UK police will arrest him for obstruction of justice the moment he tries to leave the wardrobe he's hiding in. He'd probably be convicted, which carries a maximum sentence of [EDIT] 1 year in prison.

Can seeking asylum be used as a reason for bringing charges against someone? As far as I understand, exercising legal options cannot ever be interpreted as an illegal act. I think it's much more likely the UK will pick Assange up on behalf of the US, who have threatened to charge him.

IANAL, but fleeing from an arrest warrant is very definitely illegal in the UK.

Re: Sweden drops Julian Assange rape investigation

#46

Post by mootothemax »

scandox wrote: post #38
mootothemax wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>I think you're being a tad literal there. The last case I remember was Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr who was kidnapped in Italy and brought to Egypt by the CIA in 2005. Italy's streets are not less intrinsically sacred than England's. I'm being literal on purpose. Look at the other replies to me; everyone talks about the CIA, yourself included, and ignores the fact that Italy was working hand-in-hand with the CIA: https…

Ok, so is it your contention that the UK would not co-operate in similar fashion? And, if so, why? Genuine sense of political autonomy or PR?

> Ok, so is it your contention that the UK would not co-operate in similar fashion? And, if so, why? Genuine sense of political autonomy or PR?

My contention is that the US would not kidnap him from London's streets.

Word choice is important; I'm sick to the back teeth of hyperbole backed up with "wouldn't be the first time."

Re: Sweden drops Julian Assange rape investigation

#47

Post by Sephr »

k-mcgrady wrote: post #36
_fizz_buzz_ wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do they really exist though? Assange travelled to the US on several occasions before the Swedish charges came up ...

Not sure about 'secret charges' but there are these recent charges. [1] [1] http://edition.cnn.com/2017/04/20/politics/julian-assange-wi...

They don't specifically state what they are charging him with in that article, just that they "seek to put him in jail".

Re: Sweden drops Julian Assange rape investigation

#48

Post by zrth »

chx wrote: post #39

Is there a good article -- does even anyone know? -- on how did Wikileaks turn from a whistleblower into a mouthpiece of the Kremlin? Edit: some examples: http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/war_stories/... https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2017/03/...

What makes you think that WL is a mouthpiece of the Kremlin?

Re: Sweden drops Julian Assange rape investigation

#50

Post by k-mcgrady »

ginko wrote: post #44
k-mcgrady wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not sure about 'secret charges' but there are these recent charges. [1] [1] http://edition.cnn.com/2017/04/20/politics/julian-assange-wi...

What base do these have? Assange isn't a US citizen, so he can't be charged for treason like Snowden and Manning. He just gained information and published it.

AFAIK they could try and charge him under the Espionage Act but it would be difficult and unlikely to succeed. I think there are one or two other possible charges but both are also unlikely to succeed. As long as they can make his life a living hell though (long trial, loss of freedoms until found innocent) that would hopefully (from the USG perspective) discourage other leakers.
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