

The Assange Case: Common Misconceptions - ajanuary
http://amiobjective.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/assange-case-common-misconceptions.html?m=1

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rizla
Can anyone verify the statements in this post?

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e12e
Well, I found this overview from the Swedish prosecutor to be very helpful:

[http://www.aklagare.se/In-English/Media/The-Assange-
Matter/T...](http://www.aklagare.se/In-English/Media/The-Assange-Matter/The-
Assange-Matter/)

Obviously this is "biased" -- but I've not been able to spot any "overt"
errors here. I've been looking at Norwegian and Swedish media in addition to
the (pretty fact starved) international media coverage -- and I was also under
the impression that Assange wasn't considered a suspect -- he is.

I have no idea why apparently no media source has managed to get this right --
as presented it has appeared that Assange has been wanted extradited to
testify -- which makes absolutely no (legal) sense. It would appear that's not
what has happened.

My (personal, IANAL etc) interpretation of the events is that a complaint was
filed against Assange -- the prosecutor that handled the case found no reason
to prosecute. Then (probably due to political pressure -- although I have no
evidence of this) -- the head prosecutor picks up the case again, and an
arrest warrant is issued.

The whole affair dovetails a little to nicely with CIA procedure for
discrediting inconvenient persons, eg:

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Webb>
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COINTELPRO>

That being said, it's not inconceivable that Assange is a misogynistic pig --
he certainly appear to have a bit of an ego -- and I don't think anyone would
be against him being sentenced in a fair trial.

However, the political pressure involved in this case seems rather extreme --
I do think there's a real danger of Assange disappearing into a black bag at
some point -- after all _if_ the US wants him, it would be for espionage --
and kidnapping a single individual is nothing compared to drone strike
assassinations.

It is of course inconvenient that this dissident is white, articulate and
currently in a country that has a working government.

A Swedish English language media source I discovered recently might also be of
interest:

<http://www.thelocal.se/42424/20120804/>

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rizla
Awesome info hunting work there. :)

The one thing that strikes me as a bit batty from the 'CIA is going to kidnap
him camp' is that in the cases of rendition the victims generally do not end
up on US soil, in US courts.

Much rather in another country who's legal is system is more opaque (or
transparent depending on your version of crime and punishment)

Given the US desire to put Assange on trial you'd figure they'd do the public
legal stuff.

~~~
e12e
Thanks - I've been rather frustrated by the poor journalistic handiwork
associated with this case for some time.

It does seem a bit far fetched that the CIA would grab him from either London
or a large town in Sweden. It might not be so far fetched for them to do
something if he is serving time in a Swedish prison.

At least the CIA does fly some of its rendition flights through Sweden -- and
it's a shorter trip from there to a few choice black sites in Eastern Europe.

Either way, I'd guess the US' motivation at this point is to make sure Assange
gets punished and discredited -- and maybe even the discrediting and
splintering of Wikileaks.

