The Powers Siege Of Julian Assange.

[sevenOP]

http://johnpilger.com/articles/the-siege-of-julian-assange-is-a-farce-a-special-investigation

[DTCwordfan]

despite the legality of what they did, sounds like Assange committed treason against the States though. He would be nailed in this country under the Official Secrets Act.

[sandyRoe]

Is he an American citizen? If not,can a foreigner commit treason against another country.

[DTCwordfan]

It comes under ETJ - which the US have pulled before, The US Criminal Code asserts the following items to fall within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States, much of which is extraterritorial in nature and under the two following sections.

Any place outside the jurisdiction of any nation with respect to an offense by or against a national of the United States

Offenses committed by or against a national of the United States in diplomatic missions, consulates, military and other missions, together with related residences, outside the US

[sandyRoe]

I wonder if he would have run the story if he'd known the consequences for Manning and himself?

[DTCwordfan]

You would think that he had taken legal advice before he did.......

[bibblebub]

it's now going to be a sitcom http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-30079241

[ichkeria]

I can't understand why so many people think John Pilger is such a great journalist.
He's an idiot as this article amply demonstrates

[ToraToraTora]

the whole things stinks to high heaven.

[janbee]

I have no time for this jelly spined person. I know it's a petty and irrelevant point but he looks like the love child combination of John Inman and James Dyson.
I think he has done wrong and IF he's as sweetly innocent as he says, then face up to it and deal with it. A guilty and weak person runs away and hides... in a foreign embassy!

[ToraToraTora]

Pilger's article covers all if you cannot see through through what's happenning here then you are either a US puppet or thick as ***!

[ichkeria]

Pilger's article is a masterpiece of conspiracy theory and propaganda, as are most of his pieces.
You would not, reading that article, be any the wiser as to the real issues surrounding the Assange affair.
The only bit he has got right is that the whole thing is a farce, but the photo at the top, Assange gagged by an American flag, sets the tone for the spurious propagandising that follows.
Assange is a flea in the hair of the US administration, but to hear him and his apologists talk you would think there were wild-eyed US attorneys chasing him with electric chairs.
He IS however wanted on charges by the Swedish authorities. But it seems to suit his agenda to pursue the persecution theme. I can only think he must partly believe his own hype, or be very worried about his prospects of avoiding Swedish justice to have put up with the Ecuadorean embassy for that long. On the other hand, look at the legend that is building up around him because of it: must be at least worth a place in the Guinness Book of Records: longest time someone called "Julian" has ever been inside a South American Embassy. Or something :-)

[sandyRoe]

If he was ever to find himself in an American courtroom what length of sentence would he face on conviction?

[Zeuhl]

He could get out of the embassy any time

But getting safely out of the UK would be the issue

The American security services have a long reach

[ludwig]

// If he was ever to find himself in an American courtroom what length of sentence would he face on conviction? //

Knowing how the Americans do their sentencing probably about 293 years.

[Zeuhl]

/Assange is just another criminal on the run/

Well no, he isn't actually - because he has not been found guilty of anything

His greatest 'alleged' crime seems to be 'embarrassing the USA' by washing their dirty linen on the internet

They will expend a lot of resources to try and discredit Wikileaks through fair means and foul

[ichkeria]

Assange hasn't really done an awful lot wrong indeed.
Neither is the guardian of free speech he claims to be.
He is just a self-publicist

[Zeuhl]

/He is just a self-publicist/

He needs to be

If the USA could close down wikileaks and dispose of him without anyone noticing they no doubt would

[Zeuhl]

/a fugitive from justice then/

Not really that either

He has repeatedly offered himself up to meet Swedish prosecutors.

It is a well established procedure for them to travel to other countries (including UK) to interview 'persons of interest'

For some reason the Swedish prosecutors have declined in this case despite growing frustration from the Authorities here and public criticism back in Sweden.

And apparently, the two alleged victims aren't claiming a rape took place anyway.

Odd don't you think?