Wikileaks founder arrested In london

[Jokersvirus]

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was arrested Tuesday in London on a Swedish warrant, London's Metropolitan Police said.
Assange was arrested at a London police station at 9:30 a.m. (4:30 a.m. ET) and will appear at the City of Westminster Magistrate's Court later in the day, police said.
Swedish authorities had issued the warrant for Assange so they can talk to him about sex-crime allegations unrelated to WikiLeaks' recent disclosure of secret U.S. documents.
Assange's British lawyer, Mark Stephens, said his client would fight extradition to Sweden, according to Britain's Press Association.
At court, Assange will respond to the arrest warrant, and the court will then have roughly 21 days to decide whether to extradite him, said Mark Ellis, executive director of the International Bar Association.
Assange will be allowed to appeal and will probably be allowed to go free on bail while the court decides, Ellis said.
Assange, a 39-year-old Australian, has said he has long feared retribution for his website's disclosures and has called the rape allegations against him a smear campaign.
Sweden first issued the arrest warrant for Assange in November, saying he is suspected of one count of rape, two counts of sexual molestation and one count of unlawful coercion -- or illegal use of force -- allegedly committed in August.
Last week, at the request of Sweden's Stockholm Criminal Court, Interpol issued a "red notice" placing Assange on a list of wanted suspects.
British police then asked Swedish authorities for additional details not specified in the initial arrest warrant, a possible indication that the location of the elusive Assange is known. CNN has not confirmed that Assange is in the United Kingdom.
Swedish prosecutors said Monday that they had sent additional information the British requested and that the case was being handled in accordance with European laws.
WikiLeaks, which facilitates the anonymous leaking of secret information, has been under intense pressure from the United States and its allies since it began posting the first of more than 250,000 U.S. State Department documents on November 28.
Since then, the site has been hit with denial-of-service attacks, been kicked off servers in the United States and France, and found itself cut off from funds in the United States and Switzerland.
In response, the site has rallied supporters to mirror its content "in order to make it impossible to ever fully remove WikiLeaks from the internet," with more than 500 sites responding to the appeal by Monday evening, it said.

its kinda screwed up he releases documents that arent meant for our eyes and out of the blue they say he has a warrant for sex crimes. Well.. " sex-crime allegations."

During the time he has been on the news and wanted for what he did I havent heard once about these other crimes, has anyone else? Not saying what he did was correct, even though he was doing right, but if he had a warrant like this, pretty sure all the media sources would have had a copy.

Im not sure what to make of this

[Tofu]

So he has been charged with illegal document and sex crime?

[Jokersvirus]

No he hasnt been charged for wikileaks, yet. He has to answer for these sex crimes first

[Tofu]

Wow, but if you are going to create these kind of website then you have to be prepared for these problem.

[Jokersvirus]

Im not up to date on all my countries with extraction treaties with the US, but im thinking the US has one with London and if so he will be taken to the US to face federal charges.

[Tofu]

He might will face charges in London and US. It all depends on his crime.

[Jokersvirus]

No he will face charges in the US. for leaking very senestive info he can be thrown in federal prison till the day he dies

[Tofu]

One word for him. "Retarded"

[Charlotte]

I heard that the site still continued though. Whose continuing it? I also heard that there is over 500 site hosting it. This is one of it. WikiLeaks (http://wikileaks.ch/)

[Jokersvirus]

His sever is in Sweden, its pretty much the only place that will host it because they are neutral.

[Tofu]

They'll probably drop the host soon.

[Jokersvirus]

If they didnt drop it the moment they heard what he was hosting its not likely they will anytime soon.

[Tofu]

Unless they want to get arrested and shutdown too...

[Jokersvirus]

They cant be shutdown or arrested. The severs in which wikileaks is on is in sweden the government has done nothing wrong. Cant arrest a government or shut them down. That could be seen as an act of war.

I should correct my last statement I made saying if they knew what he was hosting.

If it is his severs they cant touch them or what not. Only thing that can really happen now is the US government sends in hackers to destroy and shutdown the site. that is about it.

[Tofu]

I'm going to be that hacker...:p btw if the hacker get caught then US can be sued o.o

[Jokersvirus]

US cant be sued for the one actions of a hacker.
even if it was traced by to the US, and it wont be, the US can say "top secret information cant be disclosed." and the case will be dropped.

[leica]

Fun fact about Julian Assange: Time Magazine conducts an annual poll for their Person of the Year. Assange won the poll by a landslide, however Time editors chose Facebook's founder, who came in 10th in the poll, as the winner.

Now, do you consider this a form of censorship by Time? Are they afraid to support him because of his actions of dubious legality? As you all know, Wikileaks has had DNS providers and hosts, as well as financial institutions, back out on them. Now journalists are scared they'll be caught in the middle of the sh*tstorm. I believe Assange deserves to be person of the year and this stupid political debate robbed him of this title.

[Jokersvirus]

Someone who has commited acts against the US government wont be backed by anyone. Cause if they do that place will pretty much be black listed and screwed over. He really doesnt you dont spill out US top secret documents for the public to see its top secret for a reason.

[leica]

Journalists receive leaked cables literally all the time. Assange did not steal the documents, someone else did, and they gave them to him. He is giving the cables to the public just as any traditional journalistic institution would. Assange is only getting crap about it because of the sheer volume of cables he is releasing. And because he's making the US look bad. (which is their own fault for poor diplomacy)

[Ailithic]

why should anything be top secret though whats the harm in TELLING THE TRUTH I mean if we lie to the government we have to pay fines or go to prison etc and when they lie to us......................welp nothing thay just can and get away with it

[Jokersvirus]

There is a difference between telling the truth and harming the nation. Top secret documents are top secret because the information that is hold can destroy America in one form or another. We arent entitled to know everything, the government does, if you want to know about an event or something use FOIA to get background.

They arent lying to us, they are withholding information that is to sensitive to release because of the harm it can cause. Government isnt lying, they mislead and wont give us all the facts but we dont need to know because again the information if released will do serious harm. Sorry I rather them hide top secret information instead of some punk getting it releasing it and causing situations that shouldnt have occured in the first place.


Here is an example. lets say the Miltiary R&D developed a new antivirus and it can stop anything the terrorist throw at us, from VX to Anthrax ANYTHING. Now the media starts asking questions due to rumors, should the government come clean and tell everything about it which could lead to a terrorist attack that can do some serious damage and destroy the supply of antivirus or should they blow it off and talk very little of it and say there might be something there might not.

Pretty sure option B is better for the entire nation.

[leica]

why should anything be top secret though whats the harm in TELLING THE TRUTH I mean if we lie to the government we have to pay fines or go to prison etc and when they lie to us......................welp nothing thay just can and get away with itExactly, my friend.

Government affairs need to be kept secret to a certain extent in order to maintain security, but Assange is by no means causing a threat to the US.

[jango]

Don't believe everything you read about this now tbh .. wheels are in motion to clamp down and divert attention away from a highly embarrassing incident (both the fact that these leaks happened and the highly ignorant way people discussed foreign countries, dignitaries, cultures, and so on) .. even if those means of clamping down are actually spurious. This isn't the first or last time for things like this to happen after all, and the cover-up/arse-covering has already begun if you read between the lines.

Tbh the only thing I have to say about it is .. owned. Imo someone brave enough to expose the sheer ignorance and flagrant disregard of difference in international diplomacy is worth congratulating .. after all, most of us have to live with the fallout of politicians/diplomats thinking their way of conducting international relations is apt, and correct which tends to lead to higher taxes, prices, and deaths .. millions of them .. and a lot more besides. Another thing that contributes to people considering certain countries terrorist states being places like the UK, USA, France etc etc .. people are so blinded by greed it sickens me that they can't see the hypocracy.

Meh .. now it's caught up in rolling news across the world the truth and point of it all will slowly be lost (until next time), and in time subservience will return like a self-induced opiate. Pfft, idiots tbh .. they disgust me.

[Jokersvirus]

I dont think releasing top secret documents is worth congratulating Jango. Ya its documents related to US Embassies and what not, from what ive heard and what ive read, but still. Those documents were not open for us to see. Yes the government has greedy little pigs that use and abuse and hide it behind the seal of the top secret stamp but still we cant do anything about and releasing such documents can be seen as a traitorous act against one's country.

[Ailithic]

Haha eva heard the saying The more you hold it in the more it'll destroy you.......... because I haven't I just said that cause I cant be bothered looking for real sayings hahaha but The great man should be congratulated in

1: having the B**ls to do this
2: having the know how to expose an entire governments secrets.

[leica]

Assange is being held in solitary cell not because of threats to his life, but simply because his giant balls did not fit in a standard cell.

[Jokersvirus]

Ehh, the problem is with your saying Ailithic is that there are secrets held by the federal government since the creation of this nation.

I know i sound like a broken record trying to defend keeping stuff out of the eyes of the public but the biggest thing you have to understand is the harm that it can do.

I could give alot of examples and what not. My problem is i cant support a man who would willing leak information about the government that he had no right to or any reason to release it.

[jango]

I dont think releasing top secret documents is worth congratulating Jango. Ya its documents related to US Embassies and what not, from what ive heard and what ive read, but still. Those documents were not open for us to see. Yes the government has greedy little pigs that use and abuse and hide it behind the seal of the top secret stamp but still we cant do anything about and releasing such documents can be seen as a traitorous act against one's country.

What you choose to believe or be told is your opinion ofc, which I respect .. but I don't have to go along with it, and won't in this instance I'm afraid. Btw, these 'secrets' weren't just about your country, hate to break that to you :)

[Jokersvirus]

I have limited knowledge on the subject matter, from what I read and heard it was just US secrets. But thank you for informing me jango.

[Jaykub]

Julian Assange is not the man that stole the documents. I don't know why people can't understand this. I'm not saying what he did is right but he is not the one I'd be blaming.

[Ailithic]

I do admire the fact that you stick up for what you think jokervirus.
But because I have wasted lots of time with my nose in various books you soon discover how blind the government makes us all

[Jokersvirus]

Julian Assange published the documents. Its just as bad as stealing them. He had a choice to either return the documents and do the right thing but since he is a whistle blower he did what he thought was right.

Ailithic, I know the government does alot of things behind our back, some good some not so good. I truly understand that my major has opened my eyes to what the federal government can do and would do under different situations.

I stick up for them because its not that they shouldnt tell us some things but that they are trying to protect us from truths we cant handle. That is my reasoning behind it.

[jango]

Julian Assange published the documents. Its just as bad as stealing them. He had a choice to either return the documents and do the right thing but since he is a whistle blower he did what he thought was right.

I think you're missing the point .. governments like mine, and yours, and many around the world do this quite often .. and it's also carried out by in-between organisations too, often funded by our secret services. It shouldn't be 'wrong' simply because it doesn't suit us or shows us in a bad light, especially when we justify it in our media/culture when it suits our own selfish goals. The thing that most of them don't show, which this one does, is the crass, ignorant, and frankly disgusting ways international politics is conducted behind closed doors - and that embarrassment is what's fuelling a lot of international reaction. If you choose to believe it's about secrets, which in itself is incredibly evocative diatribe, then I don't honestly know where there is to go with this .. but reading between the lines there's more than meets the eye with this imo .. if you choose to look at it objectively.

[Ailithic]

I shall stand down from it then as you do tell the truth.

And Julian was not the only one who thought like he did, He is a whistle blower and he is also A leader able to start a movement I mean all he needs is just the slightest bit of controversy and people start asking questions and once people start insisting that he was only trying to do good then we have a movement and soon a revolution. (who know this might be the reason why he did what he did) it is like what is happening here its controversial. But hay I might be wrong maybe he was just an average Jo that wanted the truth

[leica]

Julian Assange has a great deal of concentrated power right now, actually. If he releases the encryption key to the "insurance file", a bittorrent-distributed archive containing all of the cables in an unbreakably-encrypted format, there is potential for real trouble to brew.

[Jokersvirus]

Im not trying to be closed minded about this. Respect for exposing what he has in the past, according to wiki Google search. I have a hard time trying to give this man credit for what he has done because it wasnt right.

Im pretty much on the fence, not really sure what to think about it. My law enforcement side says he needs to be shot dead for it because releasing documents shouldnt be done.

My other side is saying let the man go he blew the whisle on some BS corruption.

So its a hard choice.

[Ailithic]

Julian Assange has a great deal of concentrated power right now, actually. If he releases the encryption key to the "insurance file", a bittorrent-distributed archive containing all of the cables in an unbreakably-encrypted format, there is potential for real trouble to brew.

I could see it now

Key spreads like wildfire
|
Government undergoes sudden changes
|
World goes into panic

Naw I seriously doubt it would be that bad.

[leica]

Assange predicted that "International diplomatic relations will be divided into two eras: Pre- and post-Cablegate" or something like that. So he must have some really powerful stuff still waiting to be published.

[Ailithic]

What does that mean Cablegate? and to split diplomatic relations would indefinitely mean he has some major power under his belt

[leica]

Cablegate refers to the release of the 250k+ cables

[Jokersvirus]

I was looking around on wikileaks, Anything involving human rights should be made known that I will accept as a good act of human kindness, anything related to security or homeland that is a no no.

[Ailithic]

Hahaha just saw on the news he has been released!!!

but has to pay a fine and is being electronically tracked or something like that

[Jokersvirus]

Ya guardian.uk said it was a very good chance he would get out cause they had no evidence to do what they did and that the warrant they issued on him is only to be used when they are taking someone to trail not to hold them.

[glenofimaal]

In my opinion, what Wikileaks is doing is terrible. Wikileaks is seriously endangering our troops who are risking their lives every single day for our country. Because of Wikileaks, the Taliban know where our troops are, any strategies, future missions, etc. In addition, the documents released are also endangering any afghans that are actually getting information inside the Taliban. These documents would obviously mention their names giving away their cover and eliminating a very important aspect of war - espionage.

This is unacceptable. I don't care whether this is allowed or not. Even if it is allowed, this is endangering our assets. This site needs to be taken down before it causes significant damage to our country and other countries.

Just look at Iran. They thought they had all the other Arab countries on their side. Suddenly a classified document is released and voila! Apparently, the Arab countries are telling the US to invade Iran. This now causes unneeded tension in an already highly strained area. Also, a similar case in North Korea. The cables releases also mention that China isn't happy with North Korea and would even be fine with one Korea with the capital at Seoul. This again puts unnecessary strain on in a very volatile location.

These are only a few examples. There are many more that I could use to illustrate why Wikileaks need to be removed. Permanently.

[leica]

Because of Wikileaks, the Taliban know where our troops are, any strategies, future missions, etc.wrong. those are military secrets. diplomatic secrets are what are being leaked.


These documents would obviously mention their names giving away their cover and eliminating a very important aspect of war - espionage. also wrong. the documents are censored, names are removed.




This is unacceptable. I don't care whether this is allowed or not. Even if it is allowed, this is endangering our assets. This site needs to be taken down before it causes significant damage to our country and other countries.you need to be taken down before you turn someone else into a fascist. (just kidding, but seriously, you're wrong and we aren't in danger.)

[Ailithic]

Blahhhh I hate politics but this is soooo interesting.......

glenofimaal I think its time to read both sides of the story's and open your mind a little some of those secrets leaked ARE slightly helpful to the people like how jokervirus has stated.you see Julians efforts and intentions were not all bad in the leaking those cables (He would of only wanted what he thinks is best for the world)

[Jokersvirus]

wrong. those are military secrets. diplomatic secrets are what are being leaked.

also wrong. the documents are censored, names are removed.

you need to be taken down before you turn someone else into a fascist. (just kidding, but seriously, you're wrong and we aren't in danger.)

either way what he did wasnt right. As I said the human right files are fine.

the security, terrorism and everything is bad. Why, because those could have information about cells of terrorist and since they can access those files it screws us over.

Secrets are secrets and when london is done with him he will come over here and the US will make him disappear. Most likely CIA blacksite somewhere.

[Jaykub]

either way what he did wasnt right. As I said the human right files are fine.

the security, terrorism and everything is bad. Why, because those could have information about cells of terrorist and since they can access those files it screws us over.

Secrets are secrets and when london is done with him he will come over here and the US will make him disappear. Most likely CIA blacksite somewhere.

Joker I don't think your understanding how little of this had to do with America..

[leica]

The US is extremely butthurt about it though, and the cables came from an American source, so the US does have an interest in him. However unless the government pulls some really sketchy ****, there is no way he will be extradited or convicted of anything if they manage to extradite him.

[Ilyich Valken]

Joker I don't think your understanding how little of this had to do with America..

He's not saying what was recently released had anything to do with security, etc of America. But if he's got something like that, from an American source, there's no doubt he's got stuff that can really **** us over.

[leica]

Assange can **** us over, but he won't. Unless he gets charged with something for leaking, then he'll release the encryption key and **** will hit the fan.

[Jokersvirus]

Well, hes only uploaded like 1700 of the 250,000 cablegates There is still so much to be wary of.

[leica]

He knows he's screwed though if he seriously does release important stuff. He is censoring everything. If this wasn't the case then he wouldn't need the insurance file to raise his damage cost because they'll incur that damage anyway.

sorry if this post doesnt make sense
i guess you should all know that i make lots of posts high and sometimes they make no sense to a sober person

[Jokersvirus]

define censoring. Because he is still releasing top secret information he should be censoring that from the public's eye.

[leica]

he is redacting sensitive information

[Jokersvirus]

he is still releasing sensitive information he might be censoring by your definition but still he is releasing top secret that isnt censoring by any definition of the word.

[leica]

he is censoring the **** that'll make diplomacy erupt and wreck the world
the information he is releasing is not truly sensitive compared to the **** that he actually has access to

[Jokersvirus]

1700 documents out of 250,000 we dont know what he has access to and what he is going to release. Just because he removes a word or two from the documents before posting them is still not censoring.

For example one of the documents from the state department and china are imposing on someone. by knowing who is imposing or are going to impose isnt censoring.

[leica]

it is definitely censorship. He is redacting sensitive data from cables. Explain to me how that isn't censorship.

take a look at this cable
Cable Viewer (http://wikileaks.ch/cable/2008/11/08ASMARA546.html)

look at all that redacted data


For example one of the documents from the state department and china are imposing on someone. by knowing who is imposing or are going to impose isnt censoring.this does not make sense grammatically. rephrase that so i can rebut it.

[Jokersvirus]

There isnt much more I can add to what I want to say.

Its makes sense. One of the documents from the DoS states that DoS and china are working together to impose an embargo on some country and that the country effected doesnt know about it yet. Doesnt matter how you spin it he isnt censoring it, you can say he is removing words but he is still releasing documents therefore censorship isnt taking place.


Also he is going to be charged by the US with what he did there is no doubt about it. Cause if they dont others will do it and **** will go down.

[leica]

One of the documents from the DoS states that DoS and china are working together to impose an embargo on some country and that the country effected doesnt know about it yet. Doesnt matter how you spin it he isnt censoring it, you can say he is removing words but he is still releasing documents therefore censorship isnt taking place.If the name of the country was redacted, that is censorship. Please explain to me how that isn't censorship. Releasing a vague cable where its just like "LOL SOME COUNTRY IS GETTING EMBARGO'D AND THEY DON'T KNOW YET" is a lot less damaging than "LOL KOREA IS GETTING EMBARGO'D AND THEY DON'T KNOW YET" because in that second case, the subject will know what is going down and retaliate. They can't in the former case because they don't know if it's them.


Also he is going to be charged by the US with what he did there is no doubt about it.The US already charged the guy who actually leaked the cables. What more could they want? The only crimes Assange could possibly be charged for are political crimes rather than "real" crimes and extradition for political crimes is not going to happen as very few treaties exist. Assange knows what countries have extradition treaties for such crimes and he will avoid these countries. If they do manage to bring him to the US, no court will convict him, as he is just doing what any journalist would do: acquire cables, publish information. People leak cables to newspapers *all the time* and nobody cares. The only difference is that Assange is publishing a ****load at once and the US is butthurt because they've embarrassed themselves.


Cause if they dont others will do it and **** will go down.No they won't, because somebody has to actually acquire the cables from the government, and that person IS doing something illegal. Somebody still has to be convicted of treason, espionage, etc. if there's going to be a massive leak. It won't be the publisher, though.

[Jokersvirus]

If the name of the country was redacted, that is censorship. Please explain to me how that isn't censorship. Releasing a vague cable where its just like "LOL SOME COUNTRY IS GETTING EMBARGO'D AND THEY DON'T KNOW YET" is a lot less damaging than "LOL KOREA IS GETTING EMBARGO'D AND THEY DON'T KNOW YET" because in that second case, the subject will know what is going down and retaliate. They can't in the former case because they don't know if it's them.

like Ive said before. just because you remove a word or two and stil release top secret doesnt constitute censorship because if he really wanted to censor what was on those documents he wouldnt have posted them for the world to see. There really is nothing more that can be said censorship, he just wants to be popular and cause drama. Sooner or later he will pay.
Vague document means nothing he still released things that isnt meant for our eyes. Only thing you can justify is the human rights anything else related to security terrorism etc doesnt need to be released or even known. If people really want to read those documents they should get a federal career and a clearance level.

The US already charged the guy who actually leaked the cables. What more could they want? The only crimes Assange could possibly be charged for are political crimes rather than "real" crimes and extradition for political crimes is not going to happen as very few treaties exist. Assange knows what countries have extradition treaties for such crimes and he will avoid these countries. If they do manage to bring him to the US, no court will convict him, as he is just doing what any journalist would do: acquire cables, publish information. People leak cables to newspapers *all the time* and nobody cares. The only difference is that Assange is publishing a ****load at once and the US is butthurt because they've embarrassed themselves.
Assange and that pvt whoever need to be shot dead for what they did. London has an extradition treaty with the US so I expect him to be heading this way soon. No court would convict him? So its ok to leak top secret documents from several countries and they wont get in trouble. that is wishful thinking. Journalist dont become traitors to the US by releasing those types of documents.

No they won't, because somebody has to actually acquire the cables from the government, and that person IS doing something illegal. Somebody still has to be convicted of treason, espionage, etc. if there's going to be a massive leak. It won't be the publisher, though.

Publisher will still go down, He needs to be shot but that is just me. Assange is an accomplish in this situation

[leica]

Sigh, you're too conservative to argue with. You won't listen to my logic and I'm done trying.

[glenofimaal]

wrong. those are military secrets. diplomatic secrets are what are being leaked.

also wrong. the documents are censored, names are removed.

you need to be taken down before you turn someone else into a fascist. (just kidding, but seriously, you're wrong and we aren't in danger.)

1. Before the diplomatic cables were released, about 77,000 documents from the Afghan War were leaked as well as over 390,000 documents from the Iraq War.

2. I wish you were right. From what I understand a few of the documents do mention the names of Afghan informants, in some cases even their villages. Once again, this puts their entire village in danger. Also, apparently one name of an U.S. Intelligence Operative was leaked too. Joint Chiefs Chairman Mullen: WikiLeaks release endangers troops, Afghans (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/29/AR2010072904900.html)

3. :twitcy:

[leica]

aight you got me. but nobody really cared that much after that leak. theyre butthurt over the new leak, the whole cablegate thing. i thought we were only debating the most recent controversy.