Oopsie... 'Diplomatic Cables Reveal Australia Expects U.S. To Charge Julian Assange' - RawStory

[WillyT]

Diplomatic cables reveal Australia expects U.S. to charge Julian Assange
By Stephen C. Webster - RawStory
Friday, August 17, 2012 12:39 EDT

<snip>

Declassified diplomatic cables from Australia’s embassy in Washington D.C., obtained through freedom of information requests filed by The Sydney Morning Herald, reveal that Australian officials have already begun laying the groundwork for the U.S. to pursue charges against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

The cables show that diplomats in Assange’s home country anticipate receipt of an extradition request for Assange once a secret U.S. grand jury wraps up its investigation. They expect it so fully that embassy staff even reached out to U.S. officials for “early advice” on the potential indictment and extradition request.

The American response was redacted, the paper noted, “on the grounds that disclosure could ’cause damage to the international relations of the Commonwealth.’” Other material blacked out of the cables pertains to the prosecution of Pvt. Bradley Manning, who U.S. military prosecutors say participated in a conspiracy with WikiLeaks to steal and publish classified information.

The Herald also added that diplomatic briefings given to Foreign Affairs Minister Bob Carr and Prime Minister Julia Gillard showed they have “no in-principle objection to extradition.”

A U.S. State Department spokesperson said on Thursday that there is “no information to indicate” that the U.S. is behind Assange’s most pressing and current legal woes. “It is an issue among the countries involved and we are not planning to inject ourselves,” spokesperson Victoria Nuland said. “With regard to the charge that the U.S. was intent on persecuting him, I reject that completely,” she added.

<snip>

More: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/08/17/diplomatic-cables-reveal-australia-expects-u-s-to-charge-julian-assange/

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And...

US intends to chase Assange, cables show
Philip Dorling - SydneyMorningHerald
August 18, 2012

<snip>

AUSTRALIAN diplomats have no doubt the United States is intent on pursuing Julian Assange, Foreign Affairs and Trade Department documents obtained by the Herald show.

This is at odds with comments by the Foreign Affairs Minister, Bob Carr, who has dismissed suggestions the US plans to eventually extradite Assange on charges arising from WikiLeaks obtaining leaked US military and diplomatic documents.

The Australian embassy in Washington has been tracking a US espionage investigation targeting the WikiLeaks publisher for more than 18 months.

The declassified diplomatic cables, released under freedom of information legislation, show Australia's ambassador, the former Labor leader Kim Beazley, has made high level representations to the US government asking for advance warning of any moves to prosecute Assange.

Briefings for the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, and Senator Carr also suggest the Australian government has no in-principle objection to extradition.

<snip>

More: http://www.smh.com.au/national/us-intends-to-chase-assange-cables-show-20120817-24e1l.html

[Amak8]

1. What exactly is his crime?

Whistleblowers are supposed to be protected. No wonder they have to weasel out of an actual trial with secret tribunals. Holder would get his ass kicked again.

[freshwest]

8. Those laws were eviscerated during the Bush reign of terror. I saw it up close, it's been done.

It isn't right and it is widespread now. Those protections and FOIA were passed when we had a progressive majority in the congress and judiciary. This is pure GOP shutting down the opposition. It's part of the monstrous Patriot Act that was passed while congress was intimidated. And there are millions of people who support it and it's hard to work around them. I'm glad that an Australia paper was able to use the FOIA to reveal this. More disclosure and not less is good.

[xchrom]

2. Ooopsie! Du rec. Nt

[WillyT]

4. LOL !!!

[struggle4progress]

3. Australia's secret Assange files

PHILIP DORLING
19 Aug, 2012 02:30 AM

... In a recent freedom of information decision, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed to Fairfax Media the existence of at least two intelligence reports concerning WikiLeaks and Mr Assange from Australia's embassy to the US in February and March this year.

The secret Washington embassy cables, one running to 10 pages, have been withheld from release because they are "intelligence agency documents" ...

Australia's intelligence agencies are represented in Washington and liaise closely with their American counterparts. Other freedom of information decisions have revealed Australian intelligence interest in WikiLeaks and Mr Assange. In December 2010, the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, received a "top secret" ASIO briefing on WikiLeaks that was accompanied by media talking points concerning ''WikiLeaks release of ASIO-derived information.''

The deputy secretary at Foreign Affairs and Trade, Gillian Bird, consulted with the Australian Secret Intelligence Service when preparing a briefing about WikiLeaks for the former foreign minister Kevin Rudd in December 2010. The entire brief has been withheld on national security grounds. Other diplomatic cables relating to WikiLeaks and Mr Assange sent from the Washington embassy in late 2010 and 2011 have also been withheld.

http://www.portlincolntimes.com.au/news/national/national/general/australias-secret-assange-files/2651610.aspx?storypage=0

[villager]

5. Gosh, what will the MIC apologists here say now?

[The Doctor.]

7. "You crazy conspiracy theorists!

Using flimsy things like reason, logic, and proof to cobble together some 'international conspiracy' that powerful people would want to shut the guy who embarrassed them up."

- Pretty much something along those lines, I think.

[villager]

12. I think, good Doctor, you've nailed it

[Robb]

6. And, it appears, no sealed indictment against Assange.

Curiouser and curiouser.

[freshwest]

9. If this is about Bradley Manning, they should just say so and put him in that case. Then there'd be

Something to defend against. Without firm charges by the US in place, public opinion will never favor him being sent to the US.

[sabrina 1]

10. And that is why Assange refused to accept any 'help' from the Australian

Embassy. Gillard, puppet of the Corporations tried to defend herself re her infamous early statements on an Australian citizen by claiming, in response to condemnation of her government's refusal to help him, that he had been offered help by the Australian Embassy in London.

Yesterday, this was brought up here in an effort to contradict Assanges' legal adviser, Judge Gaston, who believes that Assange fits the category of a 'refugee' who is without a state. No doubt Assange was aware of all of this and this is merely confirmation. Most of it has been alleged and backed up by Gillard's cowardly behavior throughout all of this.

So, it appears Gaston was right and may now be able to have Assange categorized as a person without a state, which apparently will provide him with other legal options.

Shame on Gillard, but then, she has already disgraced herself and I hope her behavior in this case will get her thrown out of office as soon as possible.

[WillyT]

11. + 1,000,000,000... What You Said !!!

[WillyT]

13. Kick !!!