Julian Assange Arrested In London

[Johnsie]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11937110

Hackers around the world are already planning campaigns to 'avenge' him. There are quite alot of posts about this on facebook and 4chan etc. This could be very damaging for companies like Paypal and Amazon during the Christmas rush.

Could this be the first big information war?

[Helkaluin]

By 'hackers' I take you to mean 'skiddies'?

[Sean Moran]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11937110

Hackers around the world are already planning campaigns to 'avenge' him. There are quite alot of posts about this on facebook and 4chan etc. This could be very damaging for companies like Paypal and Amazon during the Christmas rush.

Could this be the first big information war?

I might be out-of-touch with the GMT DST but he'll be in court in around five minutes if DST is not currently inflicted on the UK, I presume.


Mr Assange is expected to appear before a district judge at City of Westminster magistrates court before 1230 GMT, unless special permission is given for a later hearing.

If he does find some way to prove his innocence, I just hope he doesn't have any outstanding parking tickets in Greenland.

[Evil-Ernie]

Julian Assange strikes me as a man who is planning to be a martyr.

[Paqman]

campaigns to 'avenge' him

That's retarded. Arrested != convicted

[del_diablo]

The articel is unclear.
What is the charges he is brought against? And why UK court?

Edit: http://www.vg.no/nyheter/utenriks/artikkel.php?artid=10012183
He showed up at the local police office with his 2 lawyers, apparently scheduled going from this article.

[Evil-Ernie]

From what I have pieced together there is an Interpol extradition request from Swedish police for counts of 'Sexual Molestation' not rape, nor is the extradition anything to do with Wikileaks.

Another interesting tit-bit of infomation is that it is a woman called Anna Ardin bought one of charges, if you Google her name you get some interesting insight into this lady.

[Gremlinzzz]

No more the truth will set you free! the truth will get you arrested or worst.
Elitism

[del_diablo]

http://www.businessinsider.com/reminder-the-sex-crime-that-julian-assange-was-just-arrested-for-wasnt-rape-it-was-2010-12
Found this, slashdot is useful once again.

http://yro.slashdot.org/story/10/12/01/0052227/Interpol-Issues-Wanted-Notice-For-Julian-Assange

Hmmm, blir ikke mye klokere.
Utdrag fra kommentarfeltet:

http://yro.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1890362&cid=34398642



Good question. The whole situation is very unusual. Even if you assume that Assange did suddenly decide, during consensual sex, to carry out a non-consensual act, the issue of prosecution is on shaky ground. The vast majority of rape accusations never make it to court, and the vast majority of those are found "not guilty" (the figure is something like 95% of accused either do not get to court, or walk away free). For a successful prosecution there has to be more evidence than "she says she didn't consent, he says she did". The whole legal issue of being able to predicate consent and retroactively withdraw consent (e.g. consent based on unstated predicate of shared ethnicity [guardian.co.uk]) (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jul/21/arab-guilty-rape-consensual-sex-jew) is fraught with difficulties for a successful prosecution. For a prosecutor to pursue a case, based only on the allegation, is unusual enough. For a prosecutor to issue a request for Interpol intervention, with a view to extraditing a foreigner from a 3rd party country, is highly unusual. For a prosecutor to do this, after the Chief Prosecutor has already stated that the alleged suspect is "no longer wanted" and "is not suspected of rape" and is free to leave the country, is very odd indeed.

Note also that the Interpol notice is apparently not an international arrest warrant - it is just a request for information: "The Interpol notice is not an international arrest warrant but the public is asked to contact police with any information about Mr Assange's whereabouts." (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11880965)[bbc.co.uk]. Putting out such a notice is bizarre, given that the Prosecutor is in contact with Assange's legal counsel in London, and that Assange has agreed to meet at either the Swedish Embassy or Scotland Yard. The prosecutor wants "more information" about him, but is already in contact, and can arrange a meeting in person or via video conference at the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police in London, but instead chooses the Interpol route? This is not normal for a sex crimes case with only alleged victim testimony and no other evidence. If you or I had unprotected sex with a girl, and she subsequently said her consent had been predicated on use of a condom, the case would never go to court. Certainly it would never become an international police issue. There is the issue of there maybe being two alleged victims, but apparently only one actually complained to the police? I guess we will find out what really happened - if the case ever makes it to court.


http://yro.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1890362&cid=34398382

In a statement earlier this month, Assange’s British counsel said that his client repeatedly offered to cooperate with local investigators while he was in Sweden, and has offered to answer questions remotely from Britain since then.

“All of these offers have been flatly refused by a prosecutor who is abusing her powers by insisting that he return to Sweden at his own expense to be subjected to another media circus that she will orchestrate,” wrote attorney Mark Stephens. “Pursuing a warrant in this circumstance is entirely unnecessary and disproportionate.


http://yro.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1890362&cid=34400532

A few things you're missing (or ignoring) here...

First, swedish police had lots of opportunities and offers to interview him while he was still in Sweden. For some reason they didn't do it, probably mostly cause the accusations were vapid.

Second, what he is under investigation of is not 'rape' and is very unlikely to give any prison time at all even if convicted afaik. Well, that is unless they want to throw the book at him to cause as much damage as possible instead of giving out blind justice.

Not unreasonable? Depends on what you really are after.



If he really was innocent why wouldn't he talk to the authorities?
http://yro.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1890362&cid=34398412

I'm not saying he is innocent - I don't think we have enough information to decide in either direction, although the manner in which the initial warrant was produced, then voided, then reproduced does seem a little sketchy - but he has perfectly good reason to be wary of hopping on a plane and putting himself in the hands of the police. It's by no means unreasonable for him to believe he'd find himself thrown in a cell somewhere in the custody of someone he's pissed off. The US, for instance, want him on espionage charges - apparently they're unlikely to stick, but for someone who's caused as much embarrassment as Assange I can quite easily see this resulting in two or three years in a cell while they come to a conclusion one way or another.

All that said, though, he's courted publicity and then gone into hiding, which I'd say is a bad move. Either rely on anonymity or on your high profile - you can't have it both ways. As the Guardian article mentions, there are many (myself included) who think that on balance he'd be better off facing his accusation in as public a forum as he can make.

Hmmmm, opinions?

[forrestcupp]

No more the truth will set you free! the truth will get you arrested or worst.
Elitism

He wasn't arrested for WikiLeaks. But rape and molestation will get you arrested. ;)

[cpmman]

He wasn't arrested for WikiLeaks. But rape and molestation will get you arrested. ;)

An Interpol warrant for arrest and potential extradition will get you arrested in the UK. The Judge will decide if the case against him is sufficient to issue extradition proceedings.

[aeiah]

i don't think he'd have such a high profile arrest warrant if he wasn't the figurehead of wikileaks. it is politically motivated, even if not directly related. that isnt to say he's innocent of course, but that this is perhaps likely to be a ploy by his opponents.

anyway, here is the encrypted .torrent insurance file in case this results in wikileaks closure (http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/5723136/WikiLeaks_insurance)

[Evil-Ernie]

i don't think he'd have such a high profile arrest warrant if he wasn't the figurehead of wikileaks. it is politically motivated, even if not directly related. that isnt to say he's innocent of course, but that this is perhaps likely to be a ploy by his opponents.

I'm not one for conspiracy theories but it does seem that the original allegations are on shaky ground (which is not to say he is innocent) and for an interpol notice to be taken up so rigorously to me is a bit fishy. Coupled with the sudden interest to bring him in coinciding with the Wikileaks outrage it does seem very convenient to have these charges where he can be pinned down somewhere legally rather than enjoy his more clandestine movements around the globe.

[fillintheblanks]

Excellent, now send his *** off to Gitmo! =D>

You mess with the best you lay with the rest.

[Evil-Ernie]

Excellent, now send his *** off to Gitmo! =D>



What to the McDonalds there?

[Paqman]

it is politically motivated

If it is, it's enormously misguided. All it's achieved is massive worldwide publicity for Wikileaks.

[Evil-Ernie]

If it is, it's enormously misguided. All it's achieved is massive worldwide publicity for Wikileaks.

I believe the US critics of Wikileaks have played into their hands with outspoken ranting comments from such luminaries as Sarah Palin (that woman is comedy gold! :D ) only making people check out Wikileaks out of curiosity to see what the fuss is about.

Besides the rhetoric against Wikileaks is missplaced, it is a case of 'shoot the messenger' as all Wikileaks is doing is posting information passed to them from internal sources. If you are going to get angry at anybody it should be the people leaking the information as they are the trusted with the it in the first place.

[Sporkman]

Here's a good description of the facts behind the charges:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1336291/Wikileaks-Julian-Assanges-2-night-stands-spark-worldwide-hunt.html

[MooPi]

Stand to close to the flame and it'll burn you. Jullian Assange fanned the flames then danced in the embers. He really JULLIAN'd up this time.

[MisterGaribaldi]

Betcha this thread gets locked today. ;)

I'm not much for conspiracy theories myself. Someone once said you shouldn't suspect a conspiracy where stupidity or random chance (or, I'd add, dumb luck) would accomplish exactly the same thing.

Too bad for Mr. Assange. I do hope he's got top-notch council or he's liable to be in for quite a rough ride.

Guess we'll just have to wait and see, won't we?

[Gremlinzzz]

Should have pulled a V for Vendetta and stayed unknown.

[forrestcupp]

anyway, here is the encrypted .torrent insurance file in case this results in wikileaks closure (http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/5723136/WikiLeaks_insurance)Darn it. I was expecting a good Rickroll. :)
Now if only we had the 256 digit code.


If you are going to get angry at anybody it should be the people leaking the information as they are the trusted with the it in the first place.
I'm angry at the guy telling the world sensitive info, the guy who leaked the info, and the ignorant people in charge who allowed a Private First Class anywhere near that kind of info. I'm also angry about the stupid things people have said in official cables that we have to be embarrassed about.

Mostly, I'm angry about things like this "insurance policy" that aren't even gaffs or mistakes, but rather critical information that Al Qaeda are very excited about getting their hands on.

[Jay Car]

[...]but rather critical information that Al Qaeda are very excited about getting their hands on.

How do you know this? Not attacking your comment, just curious.

[Evil-Ernie]

Mostly, I'm angry about things like this "insurance policy" that aren't even gaffs or mistakes, but rather critical information that Al Qaeda are very excited about getting their hands on.

Have you read any of the leaked documents? Its too out of date and irrelevant to be of much use to any terrorist organisation and anyway Al Qaeda would rather go for 'soft' targets that are not being talked about or protected.

[Gremlinzzz]

The accusers The allegations involve two women, Miss A and Miss W.
They don't have names.Maybe there out looking for women to volunteer.

[Evil-Ernie]

The accusers The allegations involve two women, Miss A and Miss W.


It is believed Miss A is Anna Ardin, but thats not official

[Gremlinzzz]

It is believed Miss A is Anna Ardin, but thats not official

Got my info from this story
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11937110
but they should check those women's bank accounts.

[uRock]

This topic is political and therefore against the CoC.

Thread Closed.