Julian Assange Arrested by UK Police

scbriml · Thu Apr 11, 2019 10:04 am

I thought this was worthy of a new thread.

Julian Assange has been arrested by UK police. It appears that the Ecuadorians finally got fed up with him and withdrew his political asylum. Presumably they invited the police to collect him.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-47891737

Wikileaks co-founder Julian Assange has been arrested at the Ecuadorian embassy in London.

Mr Assange took refuge in the embassy seven years ago to avoid extradition to Sweden over a sexual assault case that has since been dropped.

The Met Police said he was arrested for failing to surrender to the court.

Ecuador's president Lenin Moreno said it withdrew Mr Assange's asylum after his repeated violations to international conventions.

But WikiLeaks tweeted that Ecuador had acted illegally in terminating Mr Assange's political asylum "in violation of international law".

Home Secretary Sajid Javid tweeted: "I can confirm Julian Assange is now in police custody and rightly facing justice in the UK.

A3801000 · Thu Apr 11, 2019 10:08 am

ChrisKen · Thu Apr 11, 2019 10:13 am

Nice to see, hopefully he'll be charged accordingly for absconding like the coward he is.

scbriml · Thu Apr 11, 2019 10:21 am

A3801000 wrote:

Seven years of living in a single room has taken its toll. He doesn't look very well, but it was entirely self-inflicted.

A3801000 · Thu Apr 11, 2019 10:21 am

Kremlin spokesman: “We certainly hope all of his rights will be respected.”

:rotfl:

ltbewr · Thu Apr 11, 2019 10:26 am

I suspect the USA, and in particular Pres. Trump, will carry out extradition procedures in the UK courts of Assange to bring him back to the USA to face criminal charges long filed against him and a very good chance of ending up in a US Federal jail for the rest of his life.
I know he is a hero to some, and indeed he got some badly needed truth out about US international and domestic policies, but he put who knows how many spy agents of the USA and their connections elsewhere murdered, their covers blown, a major loss of info sources due to his part in distributing such info.

Redd · Thu Apr 11, 2019 10:39 am

ltbewr wrote:
I know he is a hero to some, and indeed he got some badly needed truth out about US international and domestic policies, but he put who knows how many spy agents of the USA and their connections elsewhere murdered, their covers blown, a major loss of info sources due to his part in distributing such info.

I think that would be a good argument if the US's hands were clean. But they're not. Hundreds of thousands of people are dead today since Bush came into power and the US has done a lot of bad things around the world. I find it ironic that people are willing to hang the messenger and ignore the horror their own country has created around the world, in the name of it's own interests, mainly oil.

I'm not a fan of Assange as a person, but people like him are needed to expose the crimes perpetrated by governments, bankers, etc,. It'll be a perverted day with justice if Assange stands in front of a judge but the people responsible for the last sub-prime economic crash, and illegal wars won't see a day in court. That level of corruption is unprecedented in US history, and truly puts America in the same club as some of the worst countries in the world.

VSMUT · Thu Apr 11, 2019 10:52 am

I agree completely with redd. Hang the criminals who perpetrated the crime, not the messenger. If you dont like what he exposed, then stop doing it in the first place.

ltbewr wrote:
but he put who knows how many spy agents of the USA and their connections elsewhere murdered, their covers blown, a major loss of info sources due to his part in distributing such info.

Death is an occupational hazard for spies and agents. It is to be expected. If agents and spies dont like dying, then they should have gone and got a desk job.

Elshad · Thu Apr 11, 2019 11:02 am

Excellent news.

bennett123 · Thu Apr 11, 2019 11:24 am

For him the timing could not be worse.

Apart from the charges he will face in the UK, as I doubt that the US will be slow to start extradition proceedings.

With the UK needing to do a trade deal with the US on leaving the EU, he will be on the agenda.

Furthermore, I have always thought that the UK was more likely to send him to the US than Sweden.

CPH-R · Thu Apr 11, 2019 11:40 am

Scotland Yard has just confirmed that Assange has been arrested as a result of a US request for extradiction.

http://news.met.police.uk/news/update-a ... nge-365565

Dutchy · Thu Apr 11, 2019 11:50 am

CPH-R wrote:
Scotland Yard has just confirmed that Assange has been arrested as a result of a US request for extradiction.

http://news.met.police.uk/news/update-a ... nge-365565

So Assange was right with the Sweden extradiction order.

seahawk · Thu Apr 11, 2019 11:58 am

Dutchy wrote:
CPH-R wrote:
Scotland Yard has just confirmed that Assange has been arrested as a result of a US request for extradiction.

http://news.met.police.uk/news/update-a ... nge-365565

So Assange was right with the Sweden extradiction order.

No, the allegations from Sweden expired during the time he was in the embassy. Sweden would still arrest him if he enters Sweden before August 2020, when the least allegation expires.

Aesma · Thu Apr 11, 2019 12:03 pm

Proving he was right all along.

The US imposing death, destruction, "freedom" and "justice" around the world.

trpmb6 · Thu Apr 11, 2019 12:36 pm

It's a bit of a conundrum. He's almost universally hated. Yet he was just the messenger in what he released. He put many people's lives at risk. Yet exposed many things the public needed to be aware of. Should others who publish leaks be treated in the same manner as what some are suggesting here?

Pyrex · Thu Apr 11, 2019 1:17 pm

So, how exactly will he suicide himself in the upcoming days? Two shots to the back of the head? Hanging? Shanked by another inmate? Or just shot when trying to "escape"?

NIKV69 · Thu Apr 11, 2019 1:25 pm

Pyrex wrote:
So, how exactly will he suicide himself in the upcoming days? Two shots to the back of the head? Hanging? Shanked by another inmate? Or just shot when trying to "escape"?

Going to be fun watching the prep walk when he lands on US soil.

scbriml · Thu Apr 11, 2019 3:16 pm

CPH-R wrote:
Scotland Yard has just confirmed that Assange has been arrested as a result of a US request for extradiction.

http://news.met.police.uk/news/update-a ... nge-365565

It says "Julian Assange, 47, (03.07.71) has today, Thursday 11 April, been further arrested on behalf of the United States authorities..."

So this arrest was in addition to and following his arrest to face UK charges. I don't know if you intended it, but your post reads as suggesting he was only arrested because of the extradition request.

Dutchy wrote:
So Assange was right with the Sweden extradiction order.

We'll never know because he managed to evade that by running away and hiding until the allegations expired.

NIKV69 wrote:
Going to be fun watching the prep walk when he lands on US soil.

He's been found guilty of failing to surrender to the court and faces up to 12 months in prison when sentenced. Then there will be extradition hearings, appeals if upheld, then appeals to the ECHR if further upheld. All that will take a long time and there's no guarantee he will actually be extradited.

MaverickM11 · Thu Apr 11, 2019 3:25 pm

NIKV69 wrote:
Pyrex wrote:
So, how exactly will he suicide himself in the upcoming days? Two shots to the back of the head? Hanging? Shanked by another inmate? Or just shot when trying to "escape"?

Going to be fun watching the prep walk when he lands on US soil.

October 10, 2016 in Wilkes-Barre, PA: "This just came out," Trump said. "WikiLeaks, I love WikiLeaks."
October 12, 2016 in Ocala, FL: "This WikiLeaks stuff is unbelievable," Trump said. "It tells you the inner heart, you gotta read it."
October 13, 2016 in Cincinnati, OH: "It's been amazing what's coming out on WikiLeaks."
October 31, 2016 in Warren, MI: "Another one came in today," Trump said. "This WikiLeaks is like a treasure trove."
November 4, 2016 in Wilmington, OH: "Getting off the plane, they were just announcing new WikiLeaks, and I wanted to stay there, but I didn't want to keep you waiting," said Trump. "Boy, I love reading those WikiLeaks."

Tugger · Thu Apr 11, 2019 3:31 pm

scbriml wrote:
A3801000 wrote:

Seven years of living in a single room has taken its toll. He doesn't look very well, but it was entirely self-inflicted.

Of course "self inflicted" is one thing, no matter what, something was going to be inflicted upon his living situation. As is now the case, back at the beginning no matter what, he was also looking at living in a single room (aka cell) for a long period of time. :boxedin:

Tugg

readytotaxi · Thu Apr 11, 2019 3:44 pm

I feel sure that the Ecuadorian government has gotten something out of this that we might find out later, trade deal or the like, don't see them giving up Sovereignty for 10 minutes without a return.

einsteinboricua · Thu Apr 11, 2019 3:51 pm

MaverickM11 wrote:
October 10, 2016 in Wilkes-Barre, PA: "This just came out," Trump said. "WikiLeaks, I love WikiLeaks."
October 12, 2016 in Ocala, FL: "This WikiLeaks stuff is unbelievable," Trump said. "It tells you the inner heart, you gotta read it."
October 13, 2016 in Cincinnati, OH: "It's been amazing what's coming out on WikiLeaks."
October 31, 2016 in Warren, MI: "Another one came in today," Trump said. "This WikiLeaks is like a treasure trove."
November 4, 2016 in Wilmington, OH: "Getting off the plane, they were just announcing new WikiLeaks, and I wanted to stay there, but I didn't want to keep you waiting," said Trump. "Boy, I love reading those WikiLeaks."

Based on all of this, Trump might give Assange US citizenship and give Coats the boot to make him DNI.

It will be interesting if Wikileaks begins leaking Trump items...I'd like to see this admiration turn to hatred.

787Driver · Thu Apr 11, 2019 4:10 pm

readytotaxi wrote:
I feel sure that the Ecuadorian government has gotten something out of this that we might find out later, trade deal or the like, don't see them giving up Sovereignty for 10 minutes without a return.

I doubt it. Their president would be a very good liar if all he said in the video statement was not true. I actually believe that they were just tired of Assange’s behavior. He even sued the Ecuadorian government at some point.

bennett123 · Thu Apr 11, 2019 4:13 pm

IMO, the chances of him ending up in the US in 2019, are somewhat greater than an extradition from Sweden to the US in 2012.

A3801000 · Thu Apr 11, 2019 5:48 pm

MaverickM11 wrote:
NIKV69 wrote:
Pyrex wrote:
So, how exactly will he suicide himself in the upcoming days? Two shots to the back of the head? Hanging? Shanked by another inmate? Or just shot when trying to "escape"?

Going to be fun watching the prep walk when he lands on US soil.

October 10, 2016 in Wilkes-Barre, PA: "This just came out," Trump said. "WikiLeaks, I love WikiLeaks."
October 12, 2016 in Ocala, FL: "This WikiLeaks stuff is unbelievable," Trump said. "It tells you the inner heart, you gotta read it."
October 13, 2016 in Cincinnati, OH: "It's been amazing what's coming out on WikiLeaks."
October 31, 2016 in Warren, MI: "Another one came in today," Trump said. "This WikiLeaks is like a treasure trove."
November 4, 2016 in Wilmington, OH: "Getting off the plane, they were just announcing new WikiLeaks, and I wanted to stay there, but I didn't want to keep you waiting," said Trump. "Boy, I love reading those WikiLeaks."

You must be mistaken, no really, here is what Trump says now:

https://twitter.com/MyDaughtersArmy/sta ... 5400639488

Reporter: “Do you still love Wikileaks?"

Trump: "I know nothing about WikiLeaks. It’s not my thing."

NIKV69 · Thu Apr 11, 2019 6:11 pm

scbriml wrote:

He's been found guilty of failing to surrender to the court and faces up to 12 months in prison when sentenced. Then there will be extradition hearings, appeals if upheld, then appeals to the ECHR if further upheld. All that will take a long time and there's no guarantee he will actually be extradited.

Yes he will. The US will take death off the table and the UK will oblige. His time is coming. Hopefully he gets offed in jail. Wipe that smug look off his face. Obama isn't in office to set him free either like Manning.

bennett123 wrote:
IMO, the chances of him ending up in the US in 2019, are somewhat greater than an extradition from Sweden to the US in 2012.

winginit · Thu Apr 11, 2019 6:14 pm

A3801000 wrote:
MaverickM11 wrote:
NIKV69 wrote:

Going to be fun watching the prep walk when he lands on US soil.

October 10, 2016 in Wilkes-Barre, PA: "This just came out," Trump said. "WikiLeaks, I love WikiLeaks."
October 12, 2016 in Ocala, FL: "This WikiLeaks stuff is unbelievable," Trump said. "It tells you the inner heart, you gotta read it."
October 13, 2016 in Cincinnati, OH: "It's been amazing what's coming out on WikiLeaks."
October 31, 2016 in Warren, MI: "Another one came in today," Trump said. "This WikiLeaks is like a treasure trove."
November 4, 2016 in Wilmington, OH: "Getting off the plane, they were just announcing new WikiLeaks, and I wanted to stay there, but I didn't want to keep you waiting," said Trump. "Boy, I love reading those WikiLeaks."

You must be mistaken, no really, here is what Trump says now:

https://twitter.com/MyDaughtersArmy/sta ... 5400639488

Reporter: “Do you still love Wikileaks?"

Trump: "I know nothing about WikiLeaks. It’s not my thing."

This is, objectively, hilarious and in no way unexpected.

einsteinboricua · Thu Apr 11, 2019 7:08 pm

A3801000 wrote:
You must be mistaken, no really, here is what Trump says now:

https://twitter.com/MyDaughtersArmy/sta ... 5400639488

Reporter: “Do you still love Wikileaks?"

Trump: "I know nothing about WikiLeaks. It’s not my thing."

You know, for a guy that boasts to have the greatest memory of all time, he seems to be forgetful.

scbriml · Thu Apr 11, 2019 7:11 pm

NIKV69 wrote:
Yes he will. The US will take death off the table and the UK will oblige.

Correct, the UK Government will not extradite to the US if there's any chance of the death penalty.

If the Government decides that his case merits extradition after he's served his UK sentence, he will have the right of appeal to a court. Judges will then decide if the extradition can go ahead. That legal process can take years with multiple appeals to increasingly higher courts, including the ECHR. His extradition is far from guaranteed and will almost certainly be very drawn out.

PlymSpotter · Thu Apr 11, 2019 7:46 pm

UK Media is reporting he faces up to five years in prison in the US, if found guilty of the charges they wish to extradite him to face.

So he's spent seven years hiding in the Ecuadorian Embassy, to avoid a maximum 5 year sentence. Seems like a smart move to me...

45272455674 · Thu Apr 11, 2019 8:09 pm

scbriml wrote:
NIKV69 wrote:
Yes he will. The US will take death off the table and the UK will oblige.

Correct, the UK Government will not extradite to the US if there's any chance of the death penalty.

If the Government decides that his case merits extradition after he's served his UK sentence, he will have the right of appeal to a court. Judges will then decide if the extradition can go ahead. That legal process can take years with multiple appeals to increasingly higher courts, including the ECHR. His extradition is far from guaranteed and will almost certainly be very drawn out.

Based on previous comments, Trump loves Wikileaks, so he will likely be pardoned. There is no denying what Trump has said.

Wikileaks could well dig up stuff on Trump if Assange is under threat from the USA now. Even if Assange is not around, the organisation will carry on.

E2 · Thu Apr 11, 2019 8:22 pm

PlymSpotter wrote:
UK Media is reporting he faces up to five years in prison in the US, if found guilty of the charges they wish to extradite him to face.

So he's spent seven years hiding in the Ecuadorian Embassy, to avoid a maximum 5 year sentence. Seems like a smart move to me...

I rather suspect that the US is using this charge just to get him extradited, after all they can point out that it only carries a 5 year sentence. Once he touches US soil they can unseal all of their sealed indictments and lock him away for a few hundred years.

787Driver · Thu Apr 11, 2019 8:38 pm

E2 wrote:
PlymSpotter wrote:
UK Media is reporting he faces up to five years in prison in the US, if found guilty of the charges they wish to extradite him to face.

So he's spent seven years hiding in the Ecuadorian Embassy, to avoid a maximum 5 year sentence. Seems like a smart move to me...

I rather suspect that the US is using this charge just to get him extradited, after all they can point out that it only carries a 5 year sentence. Once he touches US soil they can unseal all of their sealed indictments and lock him away for a few hundred years.

Exactly. That way the US also avoids some protests from free speech movements etc until he’s actually extradited.

MaverickM11 · Thu Apr 11, 2019 9:03 pm

einsteinboricua wrote:
A3801000 wrote:
You must be mistaken, no really, here is what Trump says now:

https://twitter.com/MyDaughtersArmy/sta ... 5400639488

Reporter: “Do you still love Wikileaks?"

Trump: "I know nothing about WikiLeaks. It’s not my thing."

You know, for a guy that boasts to have the greatest memory of all time, he seems to be forgetful.

The new GOP platform: lies? Dementia? Both?

A3801000 · Thu Apr 11, 2019 9:26 pm

cpd wrote:
scbriml wrote:
NIKV69 wrote:
Yes he will. The US will take death off the table and the UK will oblige.

Correct, the UK Government will not extradite to the US if there's any chance of the death penalty.

If the Government decides that his case merits extradition after he's served his UK sentence, he will have the right of appeal to a court. Judges will then decide if the extradition can go ahead. That legal process can take years with multiple appeals to increasingly higher courts, including the ECHR. His extradition is far from guaranteed and will almost certainly be very drawn out.

Based on previous comments, Trump loves Wikileaks, so he will likely be pardoned. There is no denying what Trump has said.

Wikileaks could well dig up stuff on Trump if Assange is under threat from the USA now. Even if Assange is not around, the organisation will carry on.

Wikileaks digging up stuff is long gone, they now just publish stuff provided by Russia

A3801000 · Thu Apr 11, 2019 11:44 pm

In 2016, Julian Assange declined to publish 68 gigabytes worth of leaked Russian docs that could have helped exposed the Russian government’s corrupt activities in Ukraine, even as it selectively leaked thousands of files designed to harm Hillary Clinton.

https://foreignpolicy.com/2017/08/17/wi ... -campaign/

This is what I mean with russian mouthpiece.

Aaron747 · Thu Apr 11, 2019 11:46 pm

VSMUT wrote:
I agree completely with redd. Hang the criminals who perpetrated the crime, not the messenger. If you dont like what he exposed, then stop doing it in the first place.

ltbewr wrote:
but he put who knows how many spy agents of the USA and their connections elsewhere murdered, their covers blown, a major loss of info sources due to his part in distributing such info.

Death is an occupational hazard for spies and agents. It is to be expected. If agents and spies dont like dying, then they should have gone and got a desk job.

Not so fast, since the National Security Act passed in 1947, it is a serious crime to distribute classified materials of national security import without authorization. We don't just ignore a few hundred instances of this because someone puts on a 'Truth' t-shirt and does friendly web interviews.

Pyrex · Thu Apr 11, 2019 11:56 pm

Killing a journalist in an embassy in Istanbul? Not ok. Kidnapping a journalist from an embassy in London? Tots cool.

Aesma · Fri Apr 12, 2019 12:11 am

Aaron747 wrote:
VSMUT wrote:
I agree completely with redd. Hang the criminals who perpetrated the crime, not the messenger. If you dont like what he exposed, then stop doing it in the first place.

ltbewr wrote:
but he put who knows how many spy agents of the USA and their connections elsewhere murdered, their covers blown, a major loss of info sources due to his part in distributing such info.

Death is an occupational hazard for spies and agents. It is to be expected. If agents and spies dont like dying, then they should have gone and got a desk job.

Not so fast, since the National Security Act passed in 1947, it is a serious crime to distribute classified materials of national security import without authorization. We don't just ignore a few hundred instances of this because someone puts on a 'Truth' t-shirt and does friendly web interviews.

Will the US be fine and dandy when a US citizen is accused of such things elsewhere ? Maybe extradite US citizens to such countries ?

Aaron747 · Fri Apr 12, 2019 12:41 am

Aesma wrote:
Aaron747 wrote:
VSMUT wrote:
I agree completely with redd. Hang the criminals who perpetrated the crime, not the messenger. If you dont like what he exposed, then stop doing it in the first place.

Death is an occupational hazard for spies and agents. It is to be expected. If agents and spies dont like dying, then they should have gone and got a desk job.

Not so fast, since the National Security Act passed in 1947, it is a serious crime to distribute classified materials of national security import without authorization. We don't just ignore a few hundred instances of this because someone puts on a 'Truth' t-shirt and does friendly web interviews.

Will the US be fine and dandy when a US citizen is accused of such things elsewhere ? Maybe extradite US citizens to such countries ?

Irrelevant - I was talking about clear precedent for the US enforcing its national security laws. The US rejecting the ICC and refusing to extradite its own citizens is another topic - a worthy one, but not at all the same.

Redd · Fri Apr 12, 2019 4:09 am

787Driver wrote:
readytotaxi wrote:
I feel sure that the Ecuadorian government has gotten something out of this that we might find out later, trade deal or the like, don't see them giving up Sovereignty for 10 minutes without a return.

I doubt it. Their president would be a very good liar if all he said in the video statement was not true.

I know eh? It's Unheard of for a politician be a liar, isn't it?

787Driver · Fri Apr 12, 2019 6:11 am

Redd wrote:
787Driver wrote:
readytotaxi wrote:
I feel sure that the Ecuadorian government has gotten something out of this that we might find out later, trade deal or the like, don't see them giving up Sovereignty for 10 minutes without a return.

I doubt it. Their president would be a very good liar if all he said in the video statement was not true.

I know eh? It's Unheard of for a politician be a liar, isn't it?

Haha good point

TheFlyingDisk · Fri Apr 12, 2019 6:22 am

Pyrex wrote:
Killing a journalist in an embassy in Istanbul? Not ok. Kidnapping a journalist from an embassy in London? Tots cool.

Assange is not a journalist. Argue all you like, but he's not a journalist.

Assange helped give the world Trump. Now Hillary might be bad, but at least she's only bad for certain Americans. Whereas Trump is bad for the whole world....

scbriml · Fri Apr 12, 2019 7:34 am

Pyrex wrote:
Killing a journalist in an embassy in Istanbul? Not ok. Kidnapping a journalist from an embassy in London? Tots cool.

Except he wasn't kidnapped. :sarcastic:

777Jet · Fri Apr 12, 2019 9:02 am

I say this holding dual citizenship of Australia / USA.

It serves him right for being kicked out and I would have kicked him out ages ago. He is a weird, arrogant, attention seeker and should have been thanking them for giving him asylum and should have volunteered to work in there cooking, cleaning or whatever to earn his cost to the embassy, not make threats to the people who protected him. What an idiot he is. The fool! Serves him right. He was, however, right all along about his extradition to the US fears. As for wikileaks, he is just a messenger. The weirdo Manning is the real traitor. I feel whatever happens to Assange should be less than Manning's punishment. As much as I find Assange annoying, I appreciate him exposing some of the stuff he did. The stuff he exposed about the USA says a lot about the place. The potential punishment he gets if extradited there will say even more... Interesting events to come...

ThePointblank · Fri Apr 12, 2019 9:47 am

787Driver wrote:
readytotaxi wrote:
I feel sure that the Ecuadorian government has gotten something out of this that we might find out later, trade deal or the like, don't see them giving up Sovereignty for 10 minutes without a return.

I doubt it. Their president would be a very good liar if all he said in the video statement was not true. I actually believe that they were just tired of Assange’s behavior. He even sued the Ecuadorian government at some point.

Considering what's being reported as his increasingly erratic behaviour, not surprising the Ecuadorians finally lost patience:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-12/ ... m/10999232

As the asylum dragged on, his relations with his hosts soured and his behaviour became more erratic.

Embassy staff complained of him skateboarding at night, playing loud music and walking around in his underwear with no apparent concern for others in the tiny embassy.

One senior Ecuadorian official described his room as a "sovereign territory within a sovereign territory" that none of the staff at No 3 Hans Crescent could enter.

But the stench from going weeks without a shower, and dental problems born of poor hygiene, was a constant nuisance, according to the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he is not authorised to discuss details of Assange's behaviour.

Then there was the issue of Assange's faeces, which authorities said he spread across embassy walls on at least one occasion in an act of open defiance showing how little he thought of his hosts.

BN747 · Fri Apr 12, 2019 10:09 am

TheFlyingDisk wrote:
Pyrex wrote:
Killing a journalist in an embassy in Istanbul? Not ok. Kidnapping a journalist from an embassy in London? Tots cool.

Assange is not a journalist. Argue all you like, but he's not a journalist.

Assange helped give the world Trump. Now Hillary might be bad, but at least she's only bad for certain Americans. Whereas Trump is bad for the whole world....

Couldn't have said it better, ...yes, the entire world!

BN747

Pyrex · Fri Apr 12, 2019 11:26 am

TheFlyingDisk wrote:
Pyrex wrote:
Killing a journalist in an embassy in Istanbul? Not ok. Kidnapping a journalist from an embassy in London? Tots cool.

Assange is not a journalist. Argue all you like, but he's not a journalist.

Assange helped give the world Trump. Now Hillary might be bad, but at least she's only bad for certain Americans. Whereas Trump is bad for the whole world....

Just because WikiLeaks' track record for accuracy is vastly superior to that of any journalistic organization anywhere in the world, it doesn't make him not a journalist.

Also, funny thing, in the U.S., which is seeking his extradition, the government does not have the power to say who is and isn't a journalist - the writers of the U.S. Constitution were smart and prescient enough to figure out just how dangerous it would be to give government that power.

Pyrex · Fri Apr 12, 2019 11:29 am

scbriml wrote:
Pyrex wrote:
Killing a journalist in an embassy in Istanbul? Not ok. Kidnapping a journalist from an embassy in London? Tots cool.

Except he wasn't kidnapped.

Oh, right, the Nuremberg excuse - just police officers following orders. In that case, everything that happened to that Saudi journalist was on the up and up as well - it was their territory (their embassy), so their rules (whoever pisses off the King has to go) apply.

scbriml · Fri Apr 12, 2019 12:00 pm

Pyrex wrote:
Oh, right, the Nuremberg excuse - just police officers following orders. In that case, everything that happened to that Saudi journalist was on the up and up as well - it was their territory (their embassy), so their rules (whoever pisses off the King has to go) apply.

Good try, but no prize for you. Trying to compare the case of Assange’s lawful arrest and Kashoggi’s unlawful murder takes a special kind of logic. :crazy:

Facts don’t support your case - Ecuador revoked his status and invited the police in to remove him. He was not kidnapped.

Did he leave voluntarily? Absolutely not, but to suggest he was kidnapped is the stuff of tin foil hats. :rotfl:

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