Monthly Archives: March 2015

Sweden to question Assange in UK

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STOCKHOLM: Swedish prosecutors offered Friday to question WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in London over rape allegations, in a U-turn that could provide a breakthrough in the deadlocked case. One of Assanges lawyers welcomed the prosecutors proposal, saying the interview would be a first step in clearing his client who took refuge in the Ecuadorean embassy in 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden and has been there ever since. He will accept to be questioned in London, lawyer Per Samuelsson told AFP, adding that Assange was happy about the development. We are cooperating with the investigation, he said. Britains Foreign Office pledged its help, saying: As we have made clear previously, we stand ready to assist the Swedish prosecutor, as required. Up to now, Swedish prosecutors have refused to go to London to question the 43-year-old Australian over the allegations. And Assange has refused to go to Sweden to be questioned over the allegations, which he has vehemently denied, saying the sexual encounters were consensual. But the prosecutor in charge of the case, Marianne Ny, said Friday she was dropping her opposition as some of the alleged offences will reach their statute of limitations in August. Nys office said in a statement she had always believed that interrogating Assange at the Ecuadorean Embassy would lower the quality of the interview, and that he would need to be present in Sweden in any case should there be a trial. This assessment remains unchanged, she said, but added now that time is of the essence, I have viewed it therefore necessary to accept such deficiencies... and likewise take the risk the interview does not move the case forward, particularly as there are no other measures on offer without Assange being present in Sweden. Ny has also asked to take a DNA sample from Assange. Sweden issued an arrest warrant for Assange in 2010 following allegations from two women in Sweden, one who claimed rape and another who alleged sexual assault. A lawyer for one of the women urged Swedish authorities to question Assange as soon as possible. For my client, possible charges must come before August, her lawyer Claes Borgstrom told AFP, who noted the statute of limitations in Sweden is five years for sexual assault and 10 years for rape. Elizabeth Fritz, a lawyer for the other woman, told AFP in an email: Assange did not make himself available to be interviewed in Sweden... Thats why it is necessary to change the location of the interview. Assange fears that Sweden would pass him on to the United States, where an investigation is ongoing into WikiLeaks release in 2010 of 500,000 classified military files on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and 250,000 diplomatic cables which embarrassed Washington. A former US army intelligence analyst, Chelsea Manning, is currently serving a 35-year prison term for leaking classified documents to WikiLeaks. In 2012 Assange took refuge in Ecuador Embassy in London, where British police officers stand guard around the clock, at a cost so far to British taxpayers of almost 10.4 million ($15.4 million), according to WikiLeaks.

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Sweden to question Assange in UK

When did they realise Edward Snowden was the real deal? | The Edward Snowden story – Video

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When did they realise Edward Snowden was the real deal? | The Edward Snowden story
Guardian.com editor-in-chief Janine Gibson and head of news Stuart Millar describe how they verified the Snowden story from London and the moment they knew they had something big. Subscribe...

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When did they realise Edward Snowden was the real deal? | The Edward Snowden story - Video

Beyond PRISM: "Plenty" more domestic spy programs to reveal

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Summary:Although Edward Snowden revealed many of the NSA's clandestine activities, Ron Wyden remains one of the only hopes of US intelligence reform from within Congress.

Sen. Ron Wyden talks in April 2011 of secretly-interpreted laws (Credit: AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File)

A number of US surveillance programs that target Americans have yet to be revealed, a Democratic senator has warned.

In an interview with BuzzFeed earlier this month, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) said there are "plenty" of domestically-focused surveillance programs that have not yet been revealed by the Snowden leaks. He declined to discuss the subject further, saying that the programs are still classified.

Wyden has spent years quietly attacking the US intelligence community from his seat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, only to face resistance from not just the intelligence agencies, but also his colleagues and even the president. Although Edward Snowden revealed a considerable portion of the NSA's clandestine activities, Wyden remains one of the only hopes -- even if he is a lone wolf -- of US intelligence reform from within Congress.

The senator's position on the committee gives him access to some of the government's biggest secrets -- who is spying on whom, specific threats to the US homeland, and the details of ongoing surveillance operations and programs. These privileged few committee members are also cursed. They are barred from telling anyone about most of their work, including their fellow lawmakers -- let alone their own staff, most of which do not have "top secret" security clearance.

That poses a problem for members of Congress whose job it is to create new laws based on the information they have -- including privileged information.

"There are other things that need to be disclosed or debated among those who vote on and write the legislation," said Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky-based congressman, in a phone interview earlier this year.

Massie remains concerned about further infractions by the government. Although a great deal has been disclosed about the NSA's activities -- including the PRISM surveillance system and the bulk phone records collection programs -- he said he was acutely aware that Edward Snowden "hasn't disclosed everything."

Massie, who was elected in part thanks to his pro-privacy stance and views on government reform, said he wasn't surprised by the disclosures. He described the news as a "disappointing confirmation" of things he suspected.

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Beyond PRISM: "Plenty" more domestic spy programs to reveal

Is WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange Close to Freedom?

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This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.

AMY GOODMAN: Today marks the 1,000th day that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has spent in Ecuadors London embassy, where he has political asylum. Now, for the first time, Swedish prosecutors have issued a request to question Assange in London. This follows pressure from their own courts, from Swedish courts, and repeated requests by Assanges lawyers. Assange has never been charged over allegations of sexual assault, yet he has been holed up in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London since 2012, fearing that if he steps outside, he would be arrested and extradited to Sweden, which could lead to his extradition to the United States. His lawyers have been asking Swedish prosecutors to question him in London for over four years. On Friday, Assanges attorney in Stockholm, Sweden, Per Samuelson, welcomed the news.

PER SAMUELSON: A bottom line is, after the autumn of 2010, the prosecutor did nothing for more than four years. Thats clear breach of Swedish law. That has hurt Mr. Assange severely. And it has also hurt both the women, who have not had their case tried for over four years. And it hurts the court, because witnesses forget. Time passes on, and all the evidence is much worse now than it was back in 2010.

AMY GOODMAN: In July, Democracy Now! went to London to the Ecuadorean Embassy to speak with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange about the Swedish governments handling of his case.

JULIAN ASSANGE: There has been no movement. Although the Swedish government is obligated to somehow progress the situation, theyve been very happy to keep it a complete stasis. Theyve refused to come here to speak to me here or pick up a telephone or to accept an affidavit. They have also refused to provide a guarantee that I will not be extradited to the United States if I offer to go to Sweden. So, that situation means we have to tackle the Swedish matter, it seems, in Sweden. The only other alternative is perhaps going to the International Court of Justice in relation to the asylum. ... The Swedish government has an obligation under its own law to proceed with maximum speed, with minimum cost, and also with bringing the minimum suspicion on the person whos being investigated. And it is in clear violation of all those points of law.

AMY GOODMAN: That was WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange speaking to Democracy Now! in July from inside the Ecuadorean Embassy in London. To see the whole hour, you can go to democracynow.org.

But right now, were joined by Michael Ratner, president emeritus of the Center for Constitutional Rights. He and CCR are the U.S. attorneys for Julian Assange and WikiLeaks. Hes also the chairman of the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights.

Michael, welcome back to Democracy Now! Talk about the significance of what the Swedish government has now said.

MICHAEL RATNER: Well, its the Swedish prosecutor, really, as you pointed out, being forced to do so because Julians lawyers have gone to the Swedish courts and said, "How can this go for four years with allegations, over four years?" Julian is in custody because he cant leave that embassy without being forced to go to Sweden, and ultimately to the United States. And so, its a victory for Julian, but it also shows the outrage of the Swedish prosecutor and their system. Here its four years. Julian has had to give up his passport, take refuge in the embassy, been given asylum, deprived of any kind of real freedom, no ability to visit his family, etc. Four years later, now the prosecutor says, "I can question Julian about these allegations."

AMY GOODMAN: So I want to go exactly to what she said. On Friday, the director of public prosecutions in Sweden, Marianne Ny, issued a statement. She wrote, quote, "My view has always been that to perform an interview with him at the Ecuadorean Embassy in London would lower the quality of the interview, and that he would need to be present in Sweden in any case should there be a trial in the future. Now that time is of the essence, I have viewed it therefore necessary to accept such deficiencies in the investigation and likewise take the risk that the interview does not move the case forward."

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Is WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange Close to Freedom?

Solidarity Vigil in Support of WikiLeaks Julian Assange 1000 Embassy Days – Video

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Solidarity Vigil in Support of WikiLeaks Julian Assange 1000 Embassy Days
Solidarity Vigil Monday 16th of March 2015 outside the Ecuadorian Embassy in Support of Julian Assange and WikiLeaks, marking his 1000 days under the protection of the Ecuadorian Embassy in...

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Solidarity Vigil in Support of WikiLeaks Julian Assange 1000 Embassy Days - Video

A Double Standard on Leaks? As Whistleblowers Jailed …

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This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.

AARON MAT: With prosecutions of whistleblowers like Chelsea Manning, Edward Snowden, Thomas Drake, John Kiriakou and several others, the Obama administration is by far the most aggressive in history when it comes to punishing leaks. But is there a double standard when it comes to who is punished and who walks free?

Thats the question being raised after a lenient plea deal for David Petraeus, the retired four-star general and former head of the CIA. Unlike the others, Petraeus did not release information to expose perceived government wrongdoing. Instead, he gave classified material to his mistress, Paula Broadwell, who was also writing his biography. Petraeus let Broadwell access his CIA email account and other sensitive material, including the names of covert operatives in Afghanistan, war strategy, and quotes from White House meetings. Petraeus then lied to the FBI, telling investigators he never gave Broadwell any classified information.

After an investigation that raised eyebrows for its slow pace, the FBI and federal prosecutors recommended felony charges. But unlike other leakers, Petraeus was not indicted. Instead, earlier this month, he reached a plea deal, admitting to one count of unauthorized removal and retention of classified information. Prosecutors wont seek prison time, but instead two years probation and a fine. His sentencing is next month. Meanwhile, after being forced to resign in 2012, Petraeus remains an administration insider, advising the White House on the war against ISIS.

AMY GOODMAN: On Monday, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest defended the administrations ongoing consultations with Petraeus.

PRESS SECRETARY JOSH EARNEST: He is, I think, legitimately regarded as an expert when it comes to the security situation in Iraq. So I think itsit makes a lot of sense for senior administration officials to, on occasion, consult him for advice.

REPORTER: And any particular security precautions that you take in this situation, given his legal entanglements?

PRESS SECRETARY JOSH EARNEST: Not that Im aware of.

AMY GOODMAN: As General David Petraeus avoids jail time and advises the White House, a lawyer for imprisoned government contractor Stephen Kim is accusing the Obama administration of blatant hypocrisy and demanding Kims immediate release. In a letter to the Justice Department, Abbe Lowell says, quote, "The decision to permit General Petraeus to plead guilty to a misdemeanor demonstrates more clearly than ever the profound double standard that applies when prosecuting so-called 'leakers' and those accused of disclosing classified information for their own purposes," unquote. Kim was convicted earlier this year for sharing information from an intelligence report on North Korea with a reporter from Fox News.

The famed lawyer Abbe Lowell says prosecutors dismissed his offer to have Kim plead guilty to the same misdemeanor they ended up offering to Petraeus. He writes, quote, "You rejected that out of hand, saying that a large reason for your position was that Mr. Kim lied to FBI agents." But since Petraeus also lied to the FBI, Lowell concludes, quote, "Lower-level employees like Mr. Kim are prosecuted under the Espionage Act because they are easy targets and lack the resources and political connections to fight back. High level officials (such as General Petraeus) ... leak classified information to forward their own agendas (or to impress their mistresses) with virtual impunity," unquote.

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Ewen MacAskill on meeting Edward Snowden | The Edward Snowden story – Video

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Ewen MacAskill on meeting Edward Snowden | The Edward Snowden story
Guardian defence and intelligence correspondent Ewen MacAskill first met Edward Snowden in a hotel in Hong Kong in 2013. Subscribe here http://bit.ly/subgdnmembers Remembering this historic.

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