Julian Assange - Wikileaks: Warrior For True Part 20

I read that according to Granma, the daily of the Cuban Communist Party, Anna is a militant feminist, an Anti-Castrist, and according to American magazine CounterPunch, she's linked to the CIA, and is said to have worked for the American Emba.s.sy in Sweden.

I talked to some Swedes on Facebook, particularly Lars who knows a thing or two about politics. He knows Anna Ardin. We e-mailed each other. He thought that linking her to the CIA was a bit of an exaggeration. It's not unusual in Sweden for a social democrat to be anti-communist, even anti-Castro. Lars told me that Anna has often criticized U.S. foreign policy as regards the embargo on the commerce against Cuba for example, or their lack of criticism against the Israeli agreement on the occupied territories, and U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Rape or no rape? I think that this matter has taken on epic proportions. The matter has to be heard, then judged. Turning it into a media circus for six months is not the way to go about it, it messes with the references and with whatever facts there are.

Julian a.s.sange is first and foremost a man, who's young and single. He seems to be a man with a very strong libido, like a rock star. Women find him fascinating, or found him fascinating before the Swedish incident, because what he does is incredibly attractive and exciting. He laughs at the international establishment, all alone, like a kind of Robin Hood. That's very attractive.

Alone he's stronger than some leaders of the most powerful countries in the world. All that is very seductive. He's magnetic, which is why many women find him very attractive. Sofia Wilen was definitely one of them. Like many others, he knows how to work it. He surely hasn't been in this position for most of his life and all of a sudden he is. I think he meets lots of women and that the Swedish accusations underline his s.e.x addiction. If the report of the women is true, I don't think he'll be accused of rape. The arguments are a bit weak, but they are pretty nauseating.

The story is quite disgusting. Meeting with these two young girls didn't sound very respectful. As a woman, I feel that 'no' must mean 'no.' I think that if a woman says 'put on a condom,' that should be respected.

One thing makes me smile ironically: how did Julian rape Sofia Wilen when she was asleep or half asleep? It says this in Swedish law: unconscious, OK; drunk, OK; sick, I get it, but asleep? How much of a deep sleep do you have to be in or how many sleeping pills or other drugs do you need to take before you wake up and realize that a man is trying to have s.e.x with you?

Rape or not? From what I read there's no rape, but there was violence. I see some sort of abuse and lack of respect. The girls were right to go down to the police station. Unfortunately for them, the matter got out of hand afterward. They were overwhelmed by the events, no matter what their intentions were. Much higher instances, more intelligent and more manipulative ones, took over the matter.

The opportunity is too nice to attack the messenger. There's obvious confusion as to the references between the man and his action.

But the fight is already lost. The message was launched on the quickest and sharpest tool known to this day: Internet. It's viral and exponential. Nothing will stop it.

As for Julian, he continues his odyssey: "Now that I am back to a.s.sist the directing of our s.h.i.+p, our work will proceed in a faster manner. But as we have seen with my absence, things are well set up to proceed even without my direct involvement."

a.s.sange alluded to his prison conditions. It sends chills down my spine.

During his ten days in prison, Julian said that he was transferred three times: "First I was in the introductory cells. Unlike other prisoners, my cell stayed closed for the entire period. Then I was transferred to Onslaw wing, which has about 350 prisoners and those are the ones who have a physical danger to other prisoners or guards, people who have been convicted of s.e.xual offenses, murder of children ... I could not leave my cell."

Every cell had a camera. Every prisoner was isolated. He even mentioned a 'Soviet-style' jail system. "I couldn't leave my cell, but prisoners wrote notes that they slipped under my door because people were curious about me."

His lawyer also expressed himself on Sky News, a London news television: "He is in isolation. He doesn't have access to newspapers or television or other news devices. He is not getting mail, he is subject to the pettiest forms of censors.h.i.+p."

Julian a.s.sange evokes a 'very bureaucratic' system with procedures that last 'an eternity' just to make phone calls. He was only able to call four times, and none his lawyer.

I'm wondering if during his stay in prison, Julian thought of Alexander Solzhenitsyn, one of his favorite writers. Russian dissident, author of Gulag Archipelago, he was imprisoned in 1945. He was sentenced to an eight-year term in a labor camp for 'anti-Soviet propaganda.' Did Julian remember the detention conditions in the gulag? You know, the constant terror and tension between prisoners? Rationing food to keep people hungry? Destroying any physical or moral resistance?

Are Bradley Manning's detention conditions inspired by the gulag? Did Julian even think about that during his nine days in jail? He says he doesn't know him.

I don't know him either, but I cannot stop thinking about him. What's happening to Bradley Manning, the twenty-three-year-old solider?

I'm absolutely revolted by this. The case of this young American-British soldier with blue eyes and boyish face has been largely glossed over these past few months, contrary to the media hype of anything Julian does. Detained since July 29 2010, Bradley stays alone in his cell twenty-two hours a day, has an hour walk per day and another hour to watch television. He is cuffed at the hands and feet during visits. He's not allowed to work in prison. Five months he's been in maximum isolation, with a guard asking him if he's OK every five minutes. At night, if the guard doesn't see him, he wakes him up to make sure he's OK. He's not allowed to have a pillow or sheets. Books and magazines he reads during the day are taken away from him at night. He also has to hand over his clothes at night when he goes to sleep. What are they waiting for to complain?

His detention conditions are much worse than need be and he seems to be inhumanely treated by the American authorities. Bradley was supposed to be heard at the beginning of 2011 for a preliminary hearing, before appearing in front of court martial sometime in the spring.

I think that the United States doesn't respect the principle of having to presume innocence. And the military authorities seem to be using all the means they have to sanction him during his detention.

In the meantime Julian remembered that, "detention conditions were more and more difficult in each prison." When he came out, he said: "It's wonderful to have left the confinement and solitude. I am very determined, as I saw that we have received support from around the world, particularly from Latin America and Australia." In fact, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil, declared that incarcerating the founder of WikiLeaks undermined the freedom of expression. As for Ecuador, it was ready to welcome him before going back on its offer. Through its foreign ministry, the country suggested political asylum to Julian. But Mr. Correa went back on this proposal, even accusing the WikiLeaks site of breaking the law. According to the President of Ecuador Rafael Correa WikiLeaks "broke the law by releasing U.S. doc.u.ments."

Julian's setbacks will probably continue. The British authorities still have to examine his extradition to Sweden, without forgetting the instructions stated by the American authorities that are trying to put together all the necessary evidence to indict him for conspiracy.

The Australian, who claims to have received death threats, just like his lawyer and his children, said that in prison, he had the support of fifty per cent of the guards: "I was handed a card by one of my black prison guards. It said, "I only have two heroes in the world: Dr. (Martin Luther) King, and you."

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CONCLUSION.

Just like an actor who doesn't stop being a man when he's in costume, Julian a.s.sange doesn't stop being a man when he's wearing his armor as the Number One of WikiLeaks.

We wanted to write this book to discover the deeper meaning in the life of a man seeking to reveal the truth, nothing but the truth. An unshakeable faith motivates his quest: the trials of the actions of men and shady inst.i.tutions alone help us understand how they work and open up the ca.n.a.ls of human knowledge. Julian a.s.sange has a fervent desire to wake up our consciousness and be a spokesperson as pioneer in the war for truth.

Little by little Julian a.s.sange reveals himself by going through trials imposed upon him. He still has a lifetime of experiences to embark on. The trials intensify the question that has already been asked while crossing the threshold: where does his ego fit into the desire to act on an international level? Should he expose himself or not? Should he let the media turn him into a celebrity or not?

Ever since the beginning of WikiLeaks, Julian a.s.sange has wanted to become a great man and have his work echo at high volumes. As Joseph Campbell wrote, "The original departure into the land of trials represented only the beginning of the long and really perilous path of initiatory conquests and moments of illumination." This book retraces the journey of Julian a.s.sange with the launch of leaks, the precious help of sources and the recognition of journalists. We mentioned the difficulties, the responses of States, the summary of agreements with major newspapers and the legal affairs that still preoccupy Julian a.s.sange at the end of writing this book. "Meanwhile there will be a mult.i.tude of preliminary victories, unretainable ecstasies and momentary glimpse of the wonderful land," Campbell wrote in The Hero with a Thousand Faces. We realized this with the new laws on information in Iceland, timely support from the 'Anonymous' group or the various citizens' movements popping up as a response to the leaks.

In an interview given to Mediapart on January 31 2011, Julian a.s.sange explained the role played by WikiLeaks in the Tunisian revolution. He paid tribute to the population without which the revolution and change could not have happened. Then he saluted the satellite media, particularly Al Jazeera for broadcasting the riots.

As for the significant role played by WikiLeaks, he maintained that the diplomatic cables on the subject were handled and translated into Arabic by Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar. "These cables showed that the United States was ready to support the army against the government if it were destabilized." The army then got involved confidently, and with the support of the army, the people dared oppose the regime of Tunisian President Ben Ali.

a.s.sange then said: "There's no doubt that Tunisia was the example for Egypt and Yemen and Jordan, and all the protests that have happened there."

WikiLeaks may only be the instigator of the current movement, but is indeed an obvious supporter. And in these countries, the youthful populations well versed in the Internet have already elevated Julian a.s.sange to the rank of hero.

The most precious value this man can offer us is his faith in the truth. He had to make his determination known to the public at large, to which many media have contributed. Julian a.s.sange talks of courage, as it's much needed to confront the truths that scare us. Today, he courageously raises this notion to State level. He suggested re-appropriating citizens' commitment. He demanded that politicians take on their responsibilities. We also support him for the democratic vitality in the actions of WikiLeaks, the goal being to regain confidence in political actions for the good of everyone.

a.s.sange began a crusade against the forces of manipulation and its web of lies. He led the battle with his WikiLeaks team. His weapons are sources of information and the Internet. Today, he's counting on himself to confront the last legal battle.

Whether a G.o.d, mythical character, or man, a hero discovers his own duality during his journey. Julian is a being of light and dark who, "has to submit and accept that his person and his opposite are not different, but make up a single body."

The man can be judged, even be condemnable, if the actions he's committed at the personal level turn out to be wrongful. However, in the event he's found guilty, we can't deny what his actions can offer the world: an idea of the truth, a belief that freedom of expression frees people from enslavement.

Politicians talk to us about courage when referring to the sacrifices we have to make to confront crises affecting our societies. Julian a.s.sange talks to us about courage in our thoughts in order to build a better world; courage in our actions to maintain our freedom and in our thinking to face reality head on; even courage in our own humanity to face our position in the society we've created. Finding our individual truth as a part of the truth that he's suggesting we can undress.

Many people simply say he's not a better man than any other. The tabloid press and vindictive collaborators describe him as a "cat teaser who likes pretty young girls." We refuse to believe that these voices will be heard any louder over the sound of his ideology, as others also carry the torches of freedom of information. We refuse to believe that only the twists and turns of the 'Swedish affair' are what people want to hear, which is why we chose to finish our writing about his time in prison in December 2010.

Finally, it's up to each individual to choose which echo of Julian's story he or she wants to hear.

EPILOGUE.

"I would also like to say that our work with WikiLeaks continues unabated and we are stepping up our publis.h.i.+ng for matters relating to 'Cablegate' and other materials."

This is what Julian a.s.sange said when he left Belmarsh court in London on January 11 2011. Journalists from around the world had crammed into the room to attend this preliminary hearing, which lasted a whole ten minutes, common in such cases. Over the next few weeks, the British court was to decide whether the founder of WikiLeaks should be extradited to Sweden or not within the scope of rape and s.e.xual aggression allegations made against him.

A two-day hearing about this extradition request was held on February 7 and 8 2011, conform to the European arrest warrant. A last hearing was held on February 11 2011, so that both parties had time to submit their conclusions.

The legal saga continued. Judge Howard Riddle was charged to examine the case. Julian firmly denied the allegations made against him and fought to avoid being tried in Sweden.

The group of lawyers Finers Stephens Innocent LLP began asking for donations. A page was created to this end on Facebook. The money raised would cover the legal fees, while any money left over would be given to charities that promote freedom of expression.

Australian-born British lawyer Geoffrey Robertson joined Julian's defense team, a legal eagle chosen by Julian to represent him once he was out of prison in December 2010. A human rights defender, Robertson is known for having defended hyped up cases like those of Salman Rushdie, a British author of Indian origin at the forefront of freedom of expression.

The strategy of Julian a.s.sange's defense team was aggressive and audacious. Using some fifteen different arguments, the members tried to convince the judge not to send their client in front of a Swedish court. They first attacked the hypothetical link between Stockholm and Was.h.i.+ngton. Sweden might intend to deliver Julian to the United States in a plan to silence him. He also feared being killed if he were to end up in an American prison.

According to the defense, his extradition to Sweden would open the door to sending their client to the United States, where he risks imprisonment at Guantanamo or a death sentence for treason. However, always according to his lawyers, a penal investigation has been open since the summer of 2010 and the Obama administration is currently looking for a legal angle in American law to bring up charges against the founder of WikiLeaks.

Australia, Julian's home country and an ally of the United States, has remained discrete, diplomatically speaking, while public opinion is clearly on his side. In December 2010, Prime Minister Julia Gillard said that WikiLeaks' actions were illegal without actually being able to prove it. Today the Australian government has completely distanced itself from their citizen, as no diplomatic protest exists to this day, either in Sweden or in the United States.

Julian's mother deplores that the Minister of Foreign Affairs didn't respect its promise of offering diplomatic a.s.sistance to her son as an Australian citizen. However, Julian is impatient to get back to Melbourne. He has asked his country to take measures for his repatriation in order to protect him and his team. Victim of political maneuvers, Julian is convinced that Ms. Gillard is secretly providing information about him to the American authorities.

The defense continued its arguments of invalidity regarding the rape accusations. Since the beginning of the affair in August, Julian has kept insisting that both women had consensual s.e.x with him. Moreover, in Great Britain, the facts blamed on Julian are not at all defined in the same way as they are in Sweden. The defense team continued to insist on the fact that a trial there would be prejudicial to their client, because rape cases are heard behind closed doors, therefore Julian could not possibly get a fair trial.

Chief Prosecutor Marianne Ny was highly criticized during these proceedings. According to the defense, the European arrest warrant is invalid and the judge was not authorized to honor it.

Furthermore, Bjorn Hurtig accused the police and the Swedish court of leaking information to the media since August of 2010. Sven-Erik Alhem, former Swedish prosecutor was astonished that Julian a.s.sange's name was put on public display before being accused of anything. Extradition is unnecessary, as Swedish justice only wanted to question him.

Smart tactic by Mr. Robertson to avoid extradition: quoting the comments made by Sweden's Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt that are prejudicial to his client. The lawyer spoke of a toxic atmosphere in Sweden where Julian a.s.sange is seen today as Public Enemy Number One. It's that kind of shameful behavior that ruins any chances of their client getting a fair trial if he were to be extradited to Sweden. In every country the legal realm is separated from the political realm, but apparently that's not the case in Sweden, the defense argues.

The Swedish Prime Minister deplored the defense lawyers taking so little consideration of women's rights in their arguments and points of view. Annoyed, he answered sharply to the suggestion of a plot with the United States. Mr. Reinfeldt regrets the way in which Julian's defense presents his country's justice system, as the legal system is in fact independent. He disagreed with the insinuations that Julian's rights would be ignored if he were extradited. According to him it's a lawyer tactic to be condescending towards the legal system of another country in order to defend their client.

Julian appeared relaxed throughout the three days of his hearings. He thought that the arguments shed some light on the unjust character of the European arrest warrants system and the Swedish police and justice methods. He complained that he never had a chance to tell his version of the facts and that the arguments were limited to procedural ones. For ages it has been announced that he'd reveal a new barrage of secret doc.u.ments if his site were to close permanently.

The hearing was adjourned until February 24 2011 at which time Judge Riddle had to hand his verdict on the extradition of Julian to Sweden. That day, the green light was given: the judge ordered the extradition of the Australian to Sweden. At the end of a short hearing, Riddle felt that the allegations of s.e.xual a.s.sault and rape were serious enough to justify extradition. According to him, the procedure followed by the Swedish authorities was standard and no errors were made in issuing the arrest warrant. Riddle confirmed that Julian would have a fair trial in Sweden, emphasizing the mutual respect and confidence of the British court toward other European courts. The verdict ordered the extradition of a.s.sange to Sweden within the next ten days.

After three months of procedures since released from prison, Julian, dressed in a dark suit and tie, didn't flinch when he heard the verdict. The defense team led by Mr. Robertson has appealed the verdict in front of the High Court in London.

Their client has again formally denied any accusations. The judge did however state that Julian deliberately had s.e.x with one of the two Swedish women while she was asleep, which in Great Britain is akin to rape.

All kinds of recourses are still possible. The a.s.sange team has seven days, as of February 24 2011, to file an appeal. Public Enemy Number One will then appear in front of Appellate Court, Supreme Court, and finally, the European Court of Human Rights.

There are many months of procedures to come, as there's a long legal battle ahead.

1 Joseph Campbell (1904-1987) was an American mythologist famous for his thoughts on heroes, their motivations, their success as well as their mistakes.

2 Source: The World's Most Wanted House Guest by Vaughan Smith published by "The Telegraph" and on the Frontline Club website (16/12/2010).

3 FB: Facebook.

4 'Nerd' in leet speak. Leet speak is a partially coded langage used on the Internet that replaces certain letters with numbers or signs that look like them.

5 This dialogue reflects Julian a.s.sange's conspiracy theories. http://iq.org/conspiracies.pdf.

6 Idiot.

7 Stop.

8 Big ego.

9 Bulletin Board System: a server running software that acts as a virtual bulletin board.

10 Distributed Denial of Service.

11 No secrets, Julian a.s.sange's mission for a total transparency by Raffi Khatchadourian on www.newyorker.com.

12 No secrets, Julian a.s.sange's mission for a total transparency by Raffi Khatchadourian on www.newyorker.com.

13 A mufti is a interpreter of Islamic law.

14 'Charlie' is the name given to the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam (Viet Cong), referred to as 'Victor Charlie' by American soldiers.

15 A collection of internal US war logs published by WikiLeaks.

16 No secrets, Julian a.s.sange's mission for a total transparency by Raffi Khatchadourian on www.newyorker.com.

17 The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) is a US private, non-profit foundation dedicated to the growth and strengthening of democratic inst.i.tutions around the world. Founded in 1983, it is primarily funded through an annual allocation from the US Congress.

18 No secrets, Julian a.s.sange's mission for a total transparency by Raffi Khatchadourian on www.newyorker.com.

19 Rocket-propelled grenade is a kind of bazooka.

20 US Navy lingo for Guantanamo.

21 Source : contrebandiers de l'information de Jean Eudes published in the French newspaper Le Monde.

22 Source : contrebandiers de l'information de Jean Eudes published by the Frensh newspaper Le Monde.

23 Source : contrebandiers de l'information de Jean Eudes published by the French newspaper Le Monde.

24 From Orsola Veille in Media.

25 From Orsola Veille in Media.

26 Source : contrebandiers de l'information de Jean Eudes published by the French newspaper Le Monde 27 Source : interview with Birgitta Jonsdottir in The National Post. http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/01/15/qa-former-wikileaks-spokeswomanbirgittajonsdottir/ 28 Source : interview with Birgitta Jonsdottir in The National Post. http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/01/15/qa-former-wikileaks-spokeswomanbirgittajonsdottir/ 29 No secrets, Julian a.s.sange's mission for a total transparency by Raffi Khatchadourian on www.newyorker.com.

30 No secrets, Julian a.s.sange's mission for a total transparency by Raffi Khatchadourian on www.newyorker.com.

31 No secrets, Julian a.s.sange's mission for a total transparency by Raffi Khatchadourian on www.newyorker.com.

32 http://www.wikileaksdoc.u.ment.com/most-dangerous-man-jacob-appelbaumafter-julian-a.s.sange-in-wikileaks-org-website.html.

33 Tron, American science fiction movie, directed by Steven Lisberger, en 1982. The film's hero is a hacker.