Judge gives Assange's lawyers a window to test sex assault case (by trying again for bail next week)

[Turborama]

Source: Sydney Morning Herald

LONDON: The British judge who sent Julian Assange to prison has left the door open for the WikiLeaks founder's legal team to test the strength of the Swedish case against him, and try again for bail next week.

According to sources reported in London, informal discussions have taken place between US and Swedish officials over the possibility that Mr Assange be delivered to US custody.

This scenario, senior legal sources in London told the Herald, is the ''big fear … that if he is extradited they will send him to America and he will disappear''.

=snip=

The human rights advocate Geoffrey Robertson, QC, will lead a team preparing the case against extradition to Sweden. However, the hearing set down for Tuesday to try to secure conditional bail is the first important hurdle for Mr Assange to fight any forced move to Sweden. His lawyers have already offered that he present himself to Swedish prosecutors on British soil, in London.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/judge-gives-assanges-lawyers-a-window-to-test-sex-assault-case-20101208-18pwm.html?from=smh_sb

---

Related OP: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4648455">Top human rights lawyer to defend Assange

[Uncle Joe]

1. This says a lot about perceptions of American Justice even among our strongest allies.

According to sources reported in London, informal discussions have taken place between US and Swedish officials over the possibility that Mr Assange be delivered to US custody.

This scenario, senior legal sources in London told the Herald, is the ''big fear … that if he is extradited they will send him to America and he will disappear''.

Thanks for the thread, Turborama.

[kgnu_fan]

6. If you travel aboard, you will know how the US is seen by "rest of the world"

We live in a bubble of fantasy called "freedom" and "liberty"

[Uncle Joe]

8. I have and

I agree.

[Ruperto31]

15. The Brits could extradite him to the US themselves....

...without ever sending him to Sweden. Does anyone doubt that they would do this?

[EFerrari]

16. I don't think so because they arrested him on a European warrant.

On the other hand, the rules seem to be very fluid right now. :eyes:

[Ruperto31]

17. Even if the Brits release him on the Swedish charges....

...they would certainly try to arrest him again on an international warrant ginned up by the US on espionage charges or whatever. Assange could even be arrested on such charges while he is in the London slammer on present Swedish charges. Check out this thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4648373&mesg_id=4648373

[EFerrari]

18. You're right and yeah, I saw that thread.

They are going to try to do it. No one is standing up to our government -- well, the Australian FM did a little bit yesterday but who knows how to read that. It could have been to relieve pressure at home.

[TheMadMonk]

20. Just a little too "whiff" I think. /nt

[gateley]

2. Has the US filed charges against him? How can we justify having him come here?

And he's a goner, I agree, if Sweden cooperates. He's already guilty, of course. I'm just waiting for them to maneuver the terrorism charges into place. :grr:

[msanthrope]

9. Two ways--charge him, or otherwise compel his presence via the Manning prosecution.

Actually, the easiest way is to simply request him straight from Great Britian--asking Sweden to either rescind their request, or stay it.

[maddezmom]

3. Lawyers Win Battle To See Assange In Prison

Sky sources have confirmed that Julian Assange's legal team are due to meet him in Wandsworth Prison on Thursday, ahead of a court appearance on December 14.

The information comes after the lawyers for the WikiLeaks founder had complained they did not have access to their client.

The Australian spent Tuesday night in Wandsworth Prison after turning himself into police over sexual assault allegations made against him in Sweden.

He was arrested and refused bail until another hearing on December 14 as the judge considered him a flight risk.

Mr Assange's legal team had voiced their frustration they were not able to speak to him over the phone and would not have access to him for another five days.

more:http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/WikiLeaks-Julian-Assanges-Legal-Team-To-Visit-Him-In-Jail-After-Claiming-They-Were-Denied-Access/Article/201012215849949?lpos=UK_News_First_UK_News_Article_Teaser_Region_0&lid=ARTICLE_15849949_WikiLeaks%3A_Julian_Assanges_Legal_Team_To_Visit_Him_In_Jail_After_Claiming_They_Were_Denied_Access

[hootinholler]

4. "if he is extradited they will send him to America and he will disappear''.

How far we have fallen.

:cry:

-Hoot

[fascisthunter]

5. we live in a totalitarian country with lot's of window dressing

yes, people who aren't political have been paying attention to this BTW... enjoy!

[GliderGuider]

7. Who do we think taught Pinochet and the Argentinian junta how to suck disappearing eggs? n/t

[kpete]

10. Judge gives Assange's lawyers a window to test sex assault case

Source: Sydney Morning Herald

LONDON: The British judge who sent Julian Assange to prison has left the door open for the WikiLeaks founder's legal team to test the strength of the Swedish case against him, and try again for bail next week.

According to sources reported in London, informal discussions have taken place between US and Swedish officials over the possibility that Mr Assange be delivered to US custody.

This scenario, senior legal sources in London told the Herald, is the ''big fear … that if he is extradited they will send him to America and he will disappear''.

The 39-year-old Australian's failure to gain bail on Tuesday after his surrender in London reportedly surprised police after several prominent people, including the film director Ken Loach, the Australian journalist and filmmaker John Pilger and the socialite Jemima Khan, appeared in court and offered £20,000 ($32,000) each towards bail. Another donor, who wanted to remain anonymous,has offered £60,000.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/judge-gives-assanges-lawyers-a-window-to-test-sex-assault-case-20101208-18pwm.html?from=smh_sb

[Taverner]

11. FREE JULIAN!

[mike_c]

12. no amount of money will secure his release because this is about silencing him...

...not about justice of any kind.

[cutlassmama]

19. +100000000000000000000

[midnight]

13. Wow... Glad to read people coming to the court and offering

bail money....

[defendandprotect]

14. Who knows what they're doing to him in custody ...??? FREE JULIAN ...!!!

[TexasObserver]

21. dupe

[TexasObserver]

22. That's probably a head fake. The sucker punch is coming.

Assange's lawyer won't even know he's out of the UK on his way to points unknown and in US custody until after it is done.

This entire charade is designed to do one thing: get Assange and spirit him away.

They're trying to intimidate Wikileaks and all who support it by this very public demonstration of power, but they fail to see the world as it is. Their problem has metastasized. It's grown far and wide, and the more they try to contain it, the more it will grow in other directions. Freedom fighters have numbers on their side.

The forces which demand secrecy for their nefarious deeds can hunt down one man, such as Assange, and brutalize him, but they are not equipped to hunt down 100,000 computer nerds worldwide.

The war for the internet has begun in earnest. The powers that be don't like it, and want to control it more. We are seeing this in their attempts to cut off the legs of Wikileaks. In the end, they're merely demonstrating how incompetent they are at fighting a growing army of online home grown journalists who won't take "behave now" as their lesson.