A United States court has confirmed that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is still being targeted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation more than five years after the anti-secrecy website's first publication of a secret diplomatic cable leaked by US soldier Chelsea Manning.

In a judgment handed down on March 4, 2015, US District Court judge Barbara Rothstein has stated that the FBI and the US Department of Justice are still pursuing an "ongoing criminal investigation of WikiLeaks" arising from the leaks of classified information by private Manning in early 2010.

In largely rejecting an application by the US Electronic Privacy Information Centre for release of documents under US freedom of information laws, Judge Rothstein accepted FBI and Justice Department claims that the disclosure of any information would prejudice a "multi-subject investigation" into WikiLeaks that is"still active and ongoing."

Judge Rothstein found that the FBI and Justice Department's National Security and Criminal Justice Divisions provided "sufficient specificity as to the status of the investigation, and sufficient explanation as to why the investigation is of long-term duration."

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She also confirmed that the WikiLeaks investigation is "separate and distinct" from the investigation and prosecution of private Manning who was convicted by a US military court of espionage and other offences in July 2013 and sentenced to 35 years' imprisonment.

Judge Rothstein accepted claims by the FBI Justice Department that disclosure of any details about the investigation could "expose the scope and methods of the investigation, and tip-off subjects and other persons of investigative interest".

The judge said she gave "appropriate defence to the executive on issues of national security..."

In January it was revealed that that three journalists who have worked for WikiLeaks since 2010 Sarah Harrison, Joseph Farrell and Kristinn Hrafnsson had been informed by Google that all their Gmail account content, metadata, subscriber information, and other content were provided to US federal law enforcement in response to search warrants issued in March 2012.

US laws referenced in the search warrants related to espionage, conspiracy, theft of US government property and computer fraud and abuse.

Excerpt from:
Court reveals FBI still investigating WikiLeaks' Julian Assange

Julian Assange at the Ecuadorian embassy in London in August. Photo: Reuters

Stockholm: Lawyers for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange have filed an appeal to Sweden's Supreme Court seeking to quash the 2010 warrant for his arrest on accusations of rape and molestation.

Mr Assange's lawyer Per Samuelsson said he lodged the appeal with Sweden's top court on Wednesday afternoon to end the stand-off.

The Australian remains holed up in Ecuador's embassy in London to avoid arrest and extradition, while Swedish prosecutors refuse requests he be questioned there.

"We have to end this - the situation is completely stalled, and that's the point we raised in our appeal," Mr Samuelsson said in criticising what he called the "total passivity" of prosecutors who he said "have done nothing in four years".

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With the law requiring judges to decide if they are legally competent to accept the appeal, Mr Samuelsson said "the Supreme Court now has the ball".

The arrest warrant was issued in 2010 by Swedish prosecutors investigating a case based on one woman accusing Assange of rape and another alleging sexual molestation.

Mr Assange, 43, refused to return to Sweden to refute the charges he adamantly denies on fears Stockholm would extradite him to the US to be tried for his role in WikiLeaks' publication of huge stores of classified diplomatic, military and intelligence documents.

In 2012, he sought refuge in Ecuador's British embassy to avoid arrest and likely forced extradition to Sweden.

Excerpt from:
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange appeals to Sweden's Supreme Court

For close to 1,000 days, one of London's most prestigious neighborhoods has been the site of a diplomatic standoff.

On one side: the British government.

On the other: Julian Assange, possibly the world's most-wanted political asylum seeker.

The WikiLeaks founder has been holed up in the Ecuadorean Embassy since June 19, 2012, avoiding extradition to Sweden for questioning concerning sexual assault allegations. Ecuador has granted Assange political asylum, but he cannot get to South America because British police remain stationed around the embassy, ready to detain him if he steps outside.

The situation recently returned to the forefront when a freedom of information request from LBC Radio revealed that maintaining 24-hour guard around his hide-out has cost taxpayers $15.4 million.

"It is sucking our resources," Metropolitan Police Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe told reporters, and a review was underway of "what options we have."

For Assange, the options appear limited. If he leaves the embassy and is caught, he will be sent to Sweden. And once he is in Sweden, he could be extradited to the United States for prosecution on espionage charges related to WikiLeaks' massive release of classified U.S. military documentsand diplomatic records.

If found guilty, he could face life in prison or even the death penalty.

The statute of limitations on the rape case will expire in August 2020, but no one wants the situation to drag on unresolved for that long.

From the start, Assange's team has offered Swedish prosecutors the chance to question him in the embassy.

Originally posted here:
WikiLeaks' Julian Assange leads hidden, busy life in Ecuador's embassy

LONDON, Feb. 12 (UPI) -- Maintaining security for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange at the Ecuadorian embassy in London has cost about $15 million.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe said the ongoing protection for Assange was "sucking our resources" and said he was exploring different options on how to provide security. It's costing about $15,000 a day.

Assange has been at the embassy since June 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden to face sexual assault charges alleged by two women. A court in Sweden upheld an arrest warrant issued for Assange in November.

The WikiLeaks founder claims the charges are orchestrated to ultimately extradite him to the United States where he is wanted for questioning about the release of thousands of classified cables in 2010.

Last year, Scotland Yard confirmed that as of the end of October, U.K. taxpayers have spent about 9 million ($13 million) on Assange's protection. The costs are covered by the diplomatic protection budget that provides security for embassies in the U.K., according to Metropolitan Police.

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UK spending $15,000 a day on security for WikiLeaks' Julian Assange

Published February 10, 2015

LONDON British police say they are reviewing the policy of keeping a watch on WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who has taken refuge at the Ecuadorean Embassy in London.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe told LBC radio Tuesday police are reviewing options because of the resources used to keep tabs on Assange.

He said the round-the-clock guard is "sucking our resources."

Assange has taken refuge at the embassy since June 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden for questioning about possible sexual assaults. He denies any wrongdoing. He says he fears being sent to the United States to face trial for his WikiLeaks work.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said last week that it has cost roughly 10 million pounds ($15 million) to keep a police presence outside the embassy in central London.

Continued here:
UK police reviewing policy on watching WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange because of cost

The UK police says keeping watch on WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is sucking its resources.

We are reviewing how we can do that differently in the future because its sucking our resources in, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe told LBC radio.

Hogan-Howe also said Met is reviewing guarding tactics as it faces funding cuts.

We wont talk explicitly about our tactics, but were reviewing what options we have, he added.

Hefty price tag

Figures disclosed to LBC radio suggest that UK police has spent some 10m on guarding Assange, who has been holed up at the Ecuadorean embassy in central London.

The whistleblower has been locked in the embassy since June 2012 and faces arrest if he leaves the site.

British police have been standing guard outside the embassy to prevent Assange from escaping.

Back in 2014, Scotland Yard confirmed that the security costs reached 9m in the first 28 months. The cost of a further three months policing is estimated to have taken the total figure to about 10m.

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Police: Assange security ‘sucking’ resources