Julian Assange: Home Secretary Signs US Extradition Request • Hacker News Board

Re: Julian Assange: Home Secretary Signs US Extradition Request

#31

Post by gjmacd » Thu, Jun 13, 2019, 4:58 PM UTC

nimbius wrote: post #6

As far as I can tell, the case for this basically hinges on the United States ability to prove Julian Assange is some sort of hacker, not a journalist. Assange hasnt written any code, or published/executed any exploits, so this seems like a pretty tenuous charge. You'd have better luck prosecuting someone like Moxie Marlinspike for hacking. Then again the US has a rather schizophrenic approach to prosecuting 'hackers…

He tried to brute force password hack with Chelsea Manning. Worked with her directly -- to me, that's pretty much a clear and cut case of "hacking". Regardless of the attempt was successful or not.

Re: Julian Assange: Home Secretary Signs US Extradition Request

#32

Post by kmlx » Thu, Jun 13, 2019, 5:00 PM UTC

baby wrote: post #10

I find it really interesting that everyone was so pro wikileaks and supported him until they released the wrong documents: something against hillary. If you like leaks, you have to accept that it is going both ways.

you mean working with the FSB in order to interfere (successfully i might add) in the US election?

fyi i’ve got no problem with leaking emails or whatnot. but i do have a problem when the FSB uses your org in order to further their interests.

Re: Julian Assange: Home Secretary Signs US Extradition Request

#33

Post by amyjess » Thu, Jun 13, 2019, 5:01 PM UTC

nimbius wrote: post #6

As far as I can tell, the case for this basically hinges on the United States ability to prove Julian Assange is some sort of hacker, not a journalist. Assange hasnt written any code, or published/executed any exploits, so this seems like a pretty tenuous charge. You'd have better luck prosecuting someone like Moxie Marlinspike for hacking. Then again the US has a rather schizophrenic approach to prosecuting 'hackers…

> Aaron Schwartz was looking at 35 years prison time for what basically amounted to a wget loop, or he could give the state its prosecutorial pound of flesh and plead guilty for six months house arrest. Faced with this he took his own life in 2013.

Aaron Swartz was charged for his disrespect for other people's private property. He was banned from their network for violating TOS, and he immediately turned right around and got back on and continued doing the same exact thing that got him banned the first time.

I'm okay with making an example out of people who show such flagrant disrespect for other people's property.

Re: Julian Assange: Home Secretary Signs US Extradition Request

#34

Post by kmlx » Thu, Jun 13, 2019, 5:01 PM UTC

jimbob45 wrote: post #24

baby wrote: post #10

I find it really interesting that everyone was so pro wikileaks and supported him until they released the wrong documents: something against hillary. If you like leaks, you have to accept that it is going both ways.

I like leaks and I still like the concept of Wikileaks. I just wish they were less discriminatory about how and what they posted. Honestly, I'd prefer that there wouldn't be a curation staff at all (or at least not one that blocks posts before they're published) and that anything could be published that they could take down if they found it to be spam/meaningless. Honestly, I don't even have a problem with the stuff…

what bad things was Hillary doing? or are you referring to the deaths of US agents by the no-filter leaks of wikileaks?

Re: Julian Assange: Home Secretary Signs US Extradition Request

#35

Post by gjmacd » Thu, Jun 13, 2019, 5:02 PM UTC

baby wrote: post #10

I find it really interesting that everyone was so pro wikileaks and supported him until they released the wrong documents: something against hillary. If you like leaks, you have to accept that it is going both ways.

We have BINGO. WikiLeaks is a GRU agent that's been in business to gain the trust and confidence of the United States citizen.. they did this for years. Then once they got the trust and confidence, they turned into an Anti-US democracy propaganda machine. If you don't believe that. Please show me where the Putin information is to disparage HIS opponent in the elections in Russia? Or better, just find me any WikiLeaks dumps or information that's negative towards the GRU or Putin (in a way in which is as damaging as what happened to our elections).

Assange was a useful idiot that got played OR he was willing and just good at acting. Either way, WikiLeaks is not our friend.

Re: Julian Assange: Home Secretary Signs US Extradition Request

#36

Post by we_love_slon » Thu, Jun 13, 2019, 5:02 PM UTC

staunch wrote: post #22

baby wrote: post #10

I find it really interesting that everyone was so pro wikileaks and supported him until they released the wrong documents: something against hillary. If you like leaks, you have to accept that it is going both ways.

Edward Snowden released incredible evidence of fourth amendment violations, making him an absolute hero in my book. Assange, in all his years, never actually released anything on the U.S. government that I found to be damning or evidence of illegality. I don't think he did any good by leaking that Iraq war video, the embassy cables, or CIA tools. I went from being ambivalent about Assange to thinking he was a terribl…

What does make you believe that documents “almost certainly” came through an intermediary of a Russian state actor?

Re: Julian Assange: Home Secretary Signs US Extradition Request

#37

Post by code4tee » Thu, Jun 13, 2019, 5:04 PM UTC

He’s not being charged with publishing classified data. That is broadly protected by the First Amendment and has been tested many times.

He’s being charged with stealing the information and actively supporting others in doing so. That activity is a crime.

Every US journalist knows if someone secretly gives you some secret document it’s fair game. If you go and steal said document then different story.

Re: Julian Assange: Home Secretary Signs US Extradition Request

#38

Post by dawnerd » Thu, Jun 13, 2019, 5:09 PM UTC

harryf wrote: post #8

nimbius wrote: post #6

As far as I can tell, the case for this basically hinges on the United States ability to prove Julian Assange is some sort of hacker, not a journalist. Assange hasnt written any code, or published/executed any exploits, so this seems like a pretty tenuous charge. You'd have better luck prosecuting someone like Moxie Marlinspike for hacking. Then again the US has a rather schizophrenic approach to prosecuting 'hackers…

Basically Julian Assange is screwed. They may make a show of the trial but you can be sure he’ll spend the rest of his life in prison.

and even if he doesn't spend life in us prison, he'll be passed around the other allied countries he "attacked" and spend time for whatever crimes they come up with.

Re: Julian Assange: Home Secretary Signs US Extradition Request

#39

Post by we_love_slon » Thu, Jun 13, 2019, 5:10 PM UTC

gjmacd wrote: post #35

baby wrote: post #10

I find it really interesting that everyone was so pro wikileaks and supported him until they released the wrong documents: something against hillary. If you like leaks, you have to accept that it is going both ways.

We have BINGO. WikiLeaks is a GRU agent that's been in business to gain the trust and confidence of the United States citizen.. they did this for years. Then once they got the trust and confidence, they turned into an Anti-US democracy propaganda machine. If you don't believe that. Please show me where the Putin information is to disparage HIS opponent in the elections in Russia? Or better, just find me any WikiLeaks…

Similarly you can pinpoint Wikileaks as Chinese or Iranian agent. Or Malaysian. The fact that they hadn’t had a chance to publish anything on Russian establishment does not make them their agents. It’s a very strong accusation.

Re: Julian Assange: Home Secretary Signs US Extradition Request

#40

Post by zepto » Thu, Jun 13, 2019, 5:12 PM UTC

wilhil wrote: post #3

Not taking a stance on what has happened here, but, I just find it weird in this day and age how you can be accused of crimes against a country you aren't in by doing something over the internet. Was it Turkey (I forget) recently that was trying to accuse people of crimes for writing anti-government pieces online and everyone says how bad it is, but, people seem to be cool when it's the USA doing it. I don't understa…

There is a difference between posting anti-government opinions, and aiding and abetting the theft of state secrets. Eliding then into one thing is intellectually dishonest.

I think it’s totally reasonable to argue that Assange did not do what he is accused of, but what he is accused of is not journalism or simply the expression of free speech.