An attempt was made on Oct. 29 to break into the Ecuadorian embassy, where security has been removed and apparently new surveillance devices installed, reports Joe Lauria.
Break-in Attempted at Embassy;
Fears Raised of Abduction
By Joe Lauria
Special to Consortium News
An attempted break-in at Julian Assange’s residence inside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London on Oct. 29, and the absence of a security detail, have increased fears about the safety of the WikiLeak’s publisher.
Lawyers for Assange have confirmed to activist and journalist Suzie Dawson that Assange was awoken in the early morning hours by the break-in attempt. They confirmed to Dawson that the attempt was to enter a front window of the embassy. A booby-trap Assange had set up woke him, the lawyers said.
There was a previous break-in attempt at the embassy in August 2016.
Scaffolding has appeared against the embassy building in the Knightsbridge section in London, which “obscures the embassy’s security cameras,” the lawyers said.
Scaffolding near balcony where Assange has appeared. (Sean O’Brien)
On the scaffolding electronic devices, presumably to conduct surveillance, can be seen, just feet from the embassy windows.
Later on the day of the break-in, Sean O’Brien, a lecturer at Yale University Law School and a cyber-security expert, was able to enter the embassy through the front door, which was left open. Inside he found no security present. Someone from the embassy emerged to tell him to send an email to set up an appointment with Assange. After emailing the embassy, personnel inside refused to check whether it had been received or not.
One of the apparent surveillance devices. (Sean O’Brien.)
O’Brien then noticed more scaffolding being erected and observed the devices, which he photographed. Though a cyber-security expert, O’Brien said he could not identify what the devices are.
“I’ve never seen devices quite like this, and I take photos of surveillance equipment often,” O’Brien said. “There were curious plastic tubes with yellow-orange caps, zip-tied to the front. I have no idea what these are but they seem to have equipment inside them.”
The devices are pointed towards the embassy, where all the blinds were open, and not the street, he said. “The surveillance devices in the photos reveals no manufacturer branding, serial numbers or visible device information,” Dawson said. “The combination of the obscuring of the street-facing surveillance cameras and the installation of surveillance equipment pointed into instead of away from the Embassy, is alarming.”
Another device. (Sean O’Brien)
The Ecuadorian government had to have given permission for the devices to be installed as they are flush up against the embassy walls on government sovereign territory, Dawson said.
O’Brien said that previous visitors had described to him “closed and locked doors. Security guards manning the desk at all times. Privacy drapes, dark rooms with shuttered blinds. For such a reversal of position to have occurred, there is only one conclusion: the Ecuadorian Embassy is open for business. Wide open.”
In May the Ecuadorian government of President Lenin Moreno shut off Assange’s electronic communications and denied him all visitors except his mother and his lawyers. Last month the government offered Assange a deal: his access to the world could be restored if he agreed not to comment on politics. Assange reportedly refused.
On Thursday the government suddenly barred all access to Assange visitors, including his legal team until next Monday, raising fears that no witnesses could be present should there be an attempt to abduct Assange over the weekend.
The break-in attempt last Monday occurred on the morning that Assange was due to testify via video-link to a court in Quito regarding Assange’s conditions of asylum. Technical problems interrupted Assange’s testimony. The court ruled against his lawyer’s petition for protections for Assange.
The new Ecuadorian government indicated in the Spring that Assange would eventually have to leave the embassy. Assange fears that if he leaves the British government will arrest him on a minor charge of skipping bail when he legally sought asylum inside the embassy in June of 2012.
Assange and his lawyers fear that if he is detained by British authorities he would be extradited to the United States where they believe there is a sealed indictment against him possibly on espionage charges for simply publishing classified documents that he has not been accused of stealing.
Joe Lauria is editor-in-chief of Consortium News and a former correspondent for The Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe, Sunday Times of London and numerous other newspapers. He can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter @unjoe .
If you valued this original article please consider making a donation to Consortium News so we can bring you more stories like this one.
If I were JA I would dress up like a cleaning woman, sneak out, and catch a tanker for Cuba.
Best wishes for JS … for those who find fault in him, I wish they would mature.
Yes… It looks like the scaffolding are cover for an abduction or killing. I’m sure they would rather kidnap him so they could make an example of him in the US, but being the US, they could just as easily enjoy killing him. I can see the newspaper article now. “Assange Killed by Late Night Burglar: Police are Investigating”
Julian Assange is the shining light in the darkest tunnel of crimes, lies and deception . He is the bravest and the greatest journalist and publicist of our times and his life is at great risk.
Mr Trump, Mrs May, Mr Moreno, we live in a democracy , we are not living in the middle ages. We urge you to release and protect Julian Assange Now!. Telling the truth is Not a crime!
You are tarnishing the reputation of your nations as a whole along with the good and honest people, who are calling and demanding to STOP THIS GROSS AND CRUEL INJUSTICE AGAINST JULIAN ASSANGE.
We will not stop our demands until justice is done and our COURAGEOUS HERO IS FREE, SAFE AND ABLE TO CONTINUE HIS INVALUABLE WORK FOR THE BENEFIT OF HUMANITY.
Joe Lauria and Consortium Team, a big thank you! for your amazing work! and for bringing this very important but very painful news, where the most courageous and the finest journalist and publicist Julian Assange’s life and his future are at great risk.
The people of the world who love justice, transparency, freedom of speech and freedom of press, must act Now!
Call and write to our politicians, wherever you are. Protest in the streets, calling and demanding FREEDOM, RESPECT AND PROTECTION FOR JULIAN ASSANGE.
With all my respect
Elsa
Maybe it’s as simple as trying to scare him out to the waiting arms of the junta?
I thought the Brilliant British Police were watching the place – 24/7 – in case Julian were to – make a break for it. He should put on a laborers work uniform and head to the Russian federation embassy .
I do believe that the ‘powers that be’ are worried. Perhaps shitting themselves as their ability to contain
the people via ‘lamestream media’ is snowballing all the way down their throats.
Cronizium has had its day and the good people of the world WILL overcome the tyrants!
I emailed the scaffolding contractor and received this reply from the general contractor (the embassy of Ecuador is at 3 Hans Crescent):
From John Simons
To ***
Cc Matt McRoberts Thomas Simons
Date Today 3:57 am
Dear ***
We have been forwarded your email by A & R Elite Scaffolding re the scaffolding outside 3 Hans crescent, we are the main contractor responsible for the works being carried out. The scaffolding forms part of the cyclical maintenance of the building and as such is requested by the buildings Managing Agents and overseen by appointed Building Surveyors. Should all go to plan the scaffolding will be removed in December prior to the Christmas holidays. We hope that this satisfies your questions, should you however require any further information please do not hesitate to contact ourselves.
Kind Regards,
John Simons
Ewart Special Works LTD
Which is not to suggest innocence, just that there is a plausible story if Mr. Assange were to disappear to better or worse circumstances.
All heel needs to break loose to protect this man! pitch the scaffolding off the walls!
Probably the American CIA or Department of Defense. Check all the local Video surveillance, For cheap Rental cars. They should also dust Any beer cans left on the curb for prints.
So much for round-the-clock British policing. This must be the first time they weren’t around, surely, which makes it all the more suspicion this attempted break-in was done by a state actor with the tacit agreement of the British state. If just one person was involved it’s hardly likely to be a kidnap attempt and more like an assassination attempt I would think.
The US and UK have gone to the dogs. Lawless rogue states.
That equipment is being used for construction, just like surveying equipment.
Mr. Assange live in his own creation, A Paranoid World . If he’s not guilty then he shouldn’t be worried. HE LOOKS VERY WORRIED.
Your preaching to wrong choir the one you’re looking for is quite a bit SOUTH OF HERE.
Wrong. According to the Innocence Project, 3 to 5 percent of all convicts are innocent. Since it was founded, 350 convictions have been overturned, including 20 on death row and 150 real perps discovered.
A grand jury is conducted in secret, the defendant can not present a defense and no defense witnesses testify. Hence the expression, “A Grand Jury Will Convict A Ham Sandwich”
You honestly believe he will get a fair trial? The powers that be have already convicted him.
“That equipment is being used for construction, just like surveying equipment.”
Wow… who would have thought? How clever you are to have figured it out.
My thanks to Joe Lauria and CN for keeping a spotlight on Julian Assange. This is but one reason I contributed to the fall fund drive. Keep up the courageous work!
Thank you.
Consortium News, Great Work! Why should our blood not burn to help Julian. What a brave man? The ignorance with which someone called him paranoid above is amusing. Look at what he is going through for revealing Truth! Such men should be celebrated, not criminalized!
To Donald Trump, Theresa May, and Lenin Moreno:
Think again before compounding your self-defaming unjust treatment of a man considered a true hero and greatly respected by many millions across the world. It is not only your personal reputations which are being further tarnished with your decision to continue persecuting a completely innocent man, – digging deeper into a very large, dark hole of obvious injustice – but the reputations of your nations as a whole along with the good and honest people.
Mr. Trump, Ms. May, and Mr. Moreno:
Think again … Do the right, moral thing and release Julian Assange to live freely as all innocent human beings deserve, – or risk the real possibility of being forever remembered, and described in future accurate historical accounts, as warmongering “fake leaders” actually criminally accountable for arguably the greatest legal injustice against an individual of the 21st century.
We’ll that worked for Clinton, Bush and the wall Street cartel; don’t you think? Name them and shame them? Yeah right! Sadly, when Assange is murdered (oh, sorry, assassinated), and I think that he will be, his memory will go the same way of that journalist murdered recently in Turkey, what’s his name again? Things will blow over and we all would have contributed to making America great again.! The West’s presidents and Prime ministers have well paid spin doctors. Then the West can concentrate on the ‘important’ business of getting Iran, Syria a puppet puppy for the Usrael to play with.
That scaffolding is some serious psychological warfare, more than likely intentional. But even if it was required repair, maintenance, or construction on the building that needed so much scaffolding, it is still one more thing to contend with for Assange. Any other speculation is not useful.
Assange’s chances of being convicted in the United States are slim…take them, and get yourself free!!!
That is a groundless contention. On exactly what basis do you claim that chances of conviction in a secret court are low?
Goddammit
Looks like the scaffolding security system you’ll find at: sdsalarms.co.uk/our-works/alarms/
They are the business that has a sign on the scaffolding (shown in the pictures in the linked article).
Apparently there is an industry code of practice in the UK called “NCP115” covering scaffold security – against thieves, drunks and kids climbing on it.
I’m a huge Assange supporter (also Australian), but going off half-cocked with “imminent danger to his life, URGENT” scare is likely to be counter-productive in my view. I saw this about 24 hours ago, some 6 hours before the “Emergency Meeting” and my first thought was – “If it’s so urgent put it all over the internet NOW. Why wait until 3pm Saturday NY time? What if he’s dead by then?” My next thought was, this is more likely lumping at shadows or promotion for #Unity4J than an urgent call to arms. Fair enough for them to promote themselves and the plight of Assange, but the danger of being seen as crying wolf is something to consider. What happens when there is a really genuine need for urgent action one day and some people hesitate while waiting to see if it’s for real?
Also, a bit nitpicky but his communications and visits were cut off on 28 March, not in May. And as far as I’m aware nobody apart from his lawyers have visited him since.
#FREEASSANGE
I had the same concern, but there are too many strange things going on here at once, and I consider Yale Privacy Lab founder Sean O’Brien a credible person. Why hasn’t Assange been allowed to see his lawyers in advance of Monday’s video-link appearance in an Ecuadorian court?
Looks like the scaffolding security system you’ll find at: sdsalarms.co.uk/our-works/alarms/
They are the business that has a sign on the scaffolding (shown in the pictures in the linked article).
Apparently there is an industry code of practice in the UK called “NCP115” covering scaffold security – against thieves, drunks and kids climbing on it.
I’m a huge Assange supporter (also Australian), but going off half-cocked with “imminent danger to his life, URGENT” scare is likely to be counter-productive in my view. I saw this about 24 hours ago, some 6 hours before the “Emergency Meeting” and my first thought was – “If it’s so urgent put it all over the internet NOW. Why wait until 3pm Saturday NY time? What if he’s dead by then?” My next thought was, this is likely either jumping at shadows or more of a promotion for #Unity4J than an urgent call to arms. Fair enough for them to be jumpy and/or promote themselves and the plight of Assange, but the danger of being seen as crying wolf is something to consider. What happens when there is a really genuine need for urgent action one day and some people hesitate while waiting to see if it’s for real?
Also, a bit nitpicky but his communications and visits were cut off on 28 March, not in May. And as far as I’m aware nobody apart from his lawyers have visited him since.
#FREEASSANGE
SDS Alarms is not the same company that put up the scaffolding. SDS does not have a sign in the picture. The company, which is identified in the photo, is A&R Elite Scaffolding . Also there is no sign warning that the scaffolding has an alarm system, as shows on the SDS website. Our reporting does not at all mention “imminent danger to his life,” but concern for his safety, and possible abduction, following the break-in. The news was not reported until Saturday because that is when we received the details of the story. Before that we simply knew there had been a break-in attempt but nothing more.
No, I didn’t say SDS Alarms put up the scaffolding. I said they are the “scaffolding security system” business that has a sign on the scaffolding in the picture in the LINKED article (that is, the article by Suzie Dawson at ‘Contraspin’).
The sign, which specifically says “WARNING SDS ALARMS”, can be seen in two pictures from that article, here is a link to one of those pictures: https://contraspin.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/IMG_20181029_161948.jpg
When I wrote “imminent danger to his life”, that was my paraphrasing of the following direct quote from the Consortium News prior posting on 2nd November headlined “New Threats to Julian Assange; Consortium News to Broadcast Emergency Meeting Live on Saturday”:
“An alarming series of occurrences have unfolded this week that indicate serious, urgent threats to the physical well-being of WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange.”
Hopefully that clarifies somewhat.
I still stand by my original point. There is an extremely dire situation that my fellow Australian is in because of his work exposing the misdeads, lies and dirty secrets of the powerful and their machine. The situation is quite serious enough to warrant massive concern and action to try to ensure his safety and ability to continue this invaluable work.
I do not believe that goal is assisted, however well-intentioned, by “crying wolf” so to speak. It looks like the strange (to us) equipment shown on the scaffolding may actually be quite standard and not sinister after all. For example, as I tried to point out, it seems to be an industry standard in the UK and the company that has the sign on the scaffolding has a picture on their website of a piece of equipment that looks identical.
Nothing I’ve written is intended as a criticism (except perhaps in the constructive sense) of Consortium News.
And by way of update, Jose Rivera (twitter: @siguemecuador) says that the Appeal against the decision of the Judge in last week’s ruling was supposed to be in Court yesterday (Monday 5th November) but the file wasn’t sent to the next Court so the matter will now be listed for the Appeal at some unknown future date. In the short term, the important thing is to get Assange back online and with full visitor access to end this virtual solitary confinement. Despite false establishment media narratives about cleaning up and taking proper care of the cat, that is the real purpose of the current ongoing Court actions in Ecuador.
Thanks for the comments Andrew, they are a pretty good tutorial on how to fact check an article. The video surveillance equipment on SDS website looks very similar.
Still quite disturbing to find that security has been cut back to the extent that people can just walk in off the street. On the other hand, they quickly encountered a staff member who showed them the way out.
I can’t imagine how I’d be feeling in Julian’s situation and no doubt he’d be locked up for life if the U.S. ever get their hands on him. Failing that what lengths would the intelligence service go to? History suggests almost anything is possible.
Would they need scaffolding and a light security detail to carry out an abduction/assasination? Probably not. Would they be useful cover? Maybe.
Is Assange in worse circumstances than he has been for a long time? Almost certainly.
Just bizarre.
Hard to understand such heavy-handed, crude efforts to do what? Intimidate?
Thanks for reporting on it.
“A booby-trap Assange had set up woke him” — Joe Lauria
So, someone illegally entered in the embassy, Assange was woken up by wonton soup cans tied on a string an then what? Where did Assange go? Where did he hide? Who tried to enter in the embassy? There were no witnesses outside? There are so many unanswered questions that your story looks like a bad James Bond scenario.
I’m not so skeptical, but I did wonder how Assange responded to the alarm.
Now more than ever I fear for the safety of this noble, dedicated, courageous man. Suzy’s article suggests that those who are able to control the embassy are intent on locating and pinpointing Assange’s physical position and movements within the building — and that the embassy will do nothing to stop the predators from harming him. It’s like you can smell evil hanging in the air, waiting.
I hope there are some on our side who can counter this, keep it from happening, and prevent tragedy. Somehow.
maybe we need . a british london scaffolding expert i.e. a tradesman practtioner to look at that to point out all the superflous weird things going on in that photo.
you al
Ok. So let me see if I understand this correctly.
“Someone” climbs the outer walls to the location JA is residing, completely undetected.
This is JA we are writing about? The second most wanted man on planet earth by the world’s foremost terrorist organization, in a building that is – every second of the day – surrounded by (I would assume) dozens of police for the very purpose of capturing him should he attempt to ‘escape’? Not withstanding the fact that this building must have every square inch of it on high-def video monitor by GCHQ?
Really?
REALLY?
Wow. If it were that easy…..
I really believe there is only one person on earth that could walk into the embassy and get him out. That is the Pope.
i bet the pope wants him dead.
He’ll know he’s in trouble if Fredo Corleone shows up to drive him to the local fruit stand.
Please email the embassies and consulates of Ecuador, thank them for their help so far, and ask very politely that Mr. Assange be protected in travel to a safe country of his choice. I have done this and asked for his protection and transport to a country of his choice. Here is an email list for their 13 consulates in the US (I will give the “@” as “AT” to prevent this comment going into moderation a second time):
cecuwashingtonATcancilleria.gob.ec; embassyATecuador.org;
cecunewyorkATcancilleria.gob.ec; cecuchicagoATcancilleria.gob.ec;
cecubostonATcancilleria.gob.ec; ecuadorconsulatebostonATcomcast.net;
cecuatlantaATcancilleria.gob.ec; ceculosangelesATcancilleria.gob.ec;
cecumiamiATcancilleria.gob.ec; ecuadorianconsulateAToutlook.com;
ecuadorianconsulateAToutlook.com; cecuminnesotaATcancilleria.gob.ec;
cecuhoustonATcancilleria.gob.ec; consuladoecuadortxATsbcglobal.net;
cecuconnecticutATcancilleria.gob.ec; cecuarizonaATcancilleria.gob.ec;
cecunewjerseyATcancilleria.gob.ec; newjerseyATconsuladoecuadornj.com;
Thank you for this, Sam F. I shall post above info on my FB page with a copy of the article and suggest everyone else do the same.
Very interesting piece.
Please email the embassies and consulates of Ecuador, thank them for their help so far, and ask very politely that Mr. Assange be protected in travel to a safe country of his choice. I have done this and asked for his protection and transport to a country of his choice. Here is an email list for their 13 consulates in the US:
[email protected]; [email protected];
[email protected]; [email protected];
[email protected]; [email protected];
[email protected]; [email protected];
[email protected]; [email protected];
[email protected]; [email protected];
[email protected]; [email protected];
[email protected]; [email protected];
[email protected]; [email protected];
Done.
Thank you Sam! I’m honouring your advice right away!
Thank you Joe Lauria & Consortium News. This is a very troubling story. Both the UK & Ecuador are now on notice. Should anything happen going forward to further endanger Assange they will have to answer for it.
And unlike the person identifying herself as Melissa Assange, I have immense respect for Mr. Assange and I don’t understand how anyone could make negative comments about him without bothering to inform themselves about basic information about him and Wikileaks. Her comments reflect far more about herself (if indeed she is a she) than they do about Mr. Assange & Wikileaks.
Devices are probably motion detectors which would set off alarm if intruder tried to use scaffolding to break in
So what happened to the intruder?
At first, I thought that the intrusion might have been an attempt to spirit him out of the embassy and bring him to safety.
Thank you for this update. This certainly appears to be a US/UK operation with permission of Ecuador. I hope that there is a private operation preparing to free Mr. Assange and take him to safety, wherever that may be. Perhaps Russia will send some operatives to rescue him: they would get a lot of credit internationally, although the US would pretend a longstanding connection.
Somebody needs to explain why it’s OK for the NY Times, the Washington Post, and Der Spiegel to publish information that they received from Wikileaks, but it’s not OK for Assange to publish it. WTF???
Looks like they’ve simply put up sensors instead of stationed police – less costly for taxpayers
“Looks like they’ve simply put up sensors instead of stationed police – less costly for taxpayers”
When is anything what it looks like ?
A&r Elite scaffolding.
This firm put up the scaffolding
I wonder what the job was, the embassy has not been in any disrepair as far as i know.
01375843347
https://twitter.com/aandrelitescaf1
We can all email them and at least ask what’s wrong with the building
It’s Clearly the fall of Rome (civilization) right on our head.
He needs safe passage so that he isn’t extradited to the USA. And in the meantime he should have access to visitors as well as on-line access as before. Such a shame that Britain is a complete puppet to America.
Don’t be confused Janet.. Britain is not a puppet to America.. Britain knows what it is doing.. America in character has gradually become strikingly similar to the imperial Britain. How do you think this subtle change occurred all the way starting from founding of American values by migration of Puritans and American constitution founded by men like Lincoln? I urge you to think deeper about this!!
What good is posting if you can’t view real time responses updates?
I have to post to see updates.
posting to see
posting to see
International law? Be damned. International human rights? Be damned. The most basic law? Be damned. Two quotes, in relation to Assange, regarding what happened to Aaron Schwartz:
“1) As we think about what happened to Aaron, we need to recognize that it was not just prosecutorial overreach that killed him. That’s too easy, because that implies it’s one bad apple. We know that’s not true. What killed him was corruption. Corruption isn’t just people profiting from betraying the public interest. It’s also people being punished for upholding the public interest.”
2) “The US has become a society in which political and financial elites systematically evade accountability for their bad acts, no matter how destructive. Those who torture, illegally eavesdrop, commit systemic financial fraud, even launder money for designated terrorists and drug dealers are all protected from criminal liability, while those who are powerless – or especially, as in Swartz’s case, those who challenge power – are mercilessly punished for trivial transgressions.”
o Sea Clearly : great quotes, but won’t you please give credit to their author?
@ Kim: Responding to trolls is a rarity. But, since you “seem”/”act” as if you cannot navigate, or understand, this comment section, maybe you should try to hover over the name Sea Clearly? If you are able to get through that much of a challenge, then go a further step. Next, try to notice that if you hover over the name it will directly show a Linked Article. Afterward, if you actually go to the linked article (on the internet you must click the link), you will see no less than fifteen Links to various quotes. By the way, just in case it helps, the article is titled “In Memory of Aaron Swartz.” Moreover, the quotes speak for themselves — even if one did not go to the article, or simply find their credits through a first grade level of an internet search.
Thanks, that was a helpful tutorial on using the internet.
I genuinely didn’t notice that your username acts as an embedded link, you learn something new everyday.
Your quotations are still all over the shop though…. it’s like a treasure hunt without the treasure.
I appreciate your old school commitment to ‘clicking on links’ but couldn’t you just give references in-line so it’s not such a puzzle?
To make it even easier to credit and reference the “quotes,” the following links should suffice:
1) https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2013/01/aaron-swartzs-politics.html
2) https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/jan/16/ortiz-heymann-swartz-accountability-abuse
3) https://seaclearly.com/2013/01/18/in-memory-of-aaron-swartz/
How Did Julian Assange Become a Political Prisoner of Our Time?
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2018/11/04/how-did-julian-assange-become-political-prisoner-our-time
In a tiny room of an embassy under heightened security, he now quietly suffers in solitude, fighting against character assassination that is now slowly turning into a real murder. When the justice system is controlled in the hands of oppressors, justice of this founder of the publisher of last resort relies on the court of public opinion. As Assange’s plight for freedom intensifies, we can remain silent, allowing tragedy brought upon all those legendary peacemakers to repeat itself. Or, we can act with moral courage to end oppression and change the course of history. Will humanity find strength to claim its own dignity to open democracy? Or, will crudeness and barbarianism take over, bringing a society into despotism?
What Empire Loyalists Are Really Saying When They Bash Julian Assange
https://medium.com/@caityjohnstone/what-empire-loyalists-are-really-saying-when-they-bash-julian-assange-9b588c643859
Heffernan claims falsely that Assange is “wanted on various criminal charges”; Assange has not been charged with anything. Heffernan claims falsely that Assange “has been closely linked to the Kremlin and Russian president Vladimir Putin”; this is just objectively false with no evidence backing it up whatsoever. Heffernan claims falsely that “the distinct possibility has surfaced that during his embassy tenure Assange communicated with Roger Stone, Donald Trump’s consigliere, via magic decoder rings or the internet”; there’s no evidence that Stone had any “back channel” with WikiLeaks, and the information he notoriously amplified was already public. Heffernan claims falsely that WikiLeaks is “Russia-aligned”; another assertion for which there is zero evidence and much evidence to the contrary. You get the picture.
It’s awful to watch government usurp a human beings rights!
Dear Moderator, my comments on this thread have now disappeared. They were initially published but have since vanished. How come? Gremlins? Hackers? Bugs in the system?
OK. My comments are back now. Maybe I goofed somehow?
The Internet, and pages therein, are not instantaneous.
No, it’s the system they use.
Happens regularly.
type a test message and submit it. After you submit it, reload the page and all recent posts will reappear. You can then go to the edit function and delete your test comment.
The only reason Assange is holed up in the Ecuadorian Embassy is the illegal machinations of the evil American/British Empire, which seeks to torture and persecute him for his revelations of their abominable activities. For him to surrender to these totally immoral and evil entities would be absurd in the extreme. Their is no trusting the Empire in anything it does – this has been proven time and again. These are evil people, never trust them about anything; lies are their stock in trade.
those are infrared sensors you find in your house. The white box is the alarm.
Thanks Joe Lauria for this heads up-piece on the possible fate of Julian Assange. Is the stage being set for Assange to be snatched up and murdered (Saudi-style?) by “mysterious forces” just ahead of the US elections? The repulsive Saudis have gotten away with it. The Brits and Wanks dirty tricksters would likewise. Some real (bad) news may be about to happen.
I would have more respect for Assange if he left the embassy and faced the adversity that he is partially to blame for his predicament. If Mr Assange values Wiki Leaks he should resign and pass the torch on to somebody else as many who were originally part of Wiki Leaks have left the organization while the coward hiding in an embassy spends his time suing detractors and insisting on guarantees. Time to leave Assange or Ecuador do the world a favor and send him packing!
He has resigned and was replaced. Assange has never been charged with a crime. He is a publisher.
https://consortiumnews.com/2018/11/03/break-in-attempted-at-assanges-residence-in-ecuador-embassy/#
Thank You for pointing that out.
First, Assange (and other decent people) do not need your “respect.”
Second, you parrot a certain “judge” Emma Arbuthnot, a prominent wife of a prominent war profiteer and former Tory junior Defence Minister Lord James Arbuthnot: https://off-guardian.org/tag/lady-arbuthnot-of-edrom/
Guess, Dick Cheney is your hero.
“Melissa” you are so obviously an anti Assange troll. Why are you wasting our time with your nonsense here? You will accomplish nothing more than to irritate sincere posters here.
Hello Melissa,
Wikileaks revealed several US war crimes as well as the deliberate shooting of a journalist by US troops in Iraq. I don’t know if you are from the US or aware of how this govt. does things in the world to those who expose this govt.’s crimes. Let’s just say this govt. has a known track record of torture and murder when it comes to taking care of anyone who exposes its wrongdoing. It even has a long track record of torturing and murdering leaders of other nations w/whom it does not agree! So, I’m not really certain why you are seemingly so cavalier about the very real danger Assange faces for exposing US war crimes, world surveillance, etc. This isn’t the kind of thing USGinc. takes lightly.
I’m not sure how trying to avoid being tortured and given the death penalty by asking for and being granted asylum is an irrational action which “brings arrest, torture and the death penalty on himself”.
If you are willing to face these types of actions by the USG would you please give me an example of a US war crime you have exposed and how you have then turned yourself in to the US govt.? Would you be willing to let me know how that turned out for you? Would you be willing to link to your whistleblowing story so I can read it please? Would you consider yourself a coward for not wanting to be tortured and killed?
As to the subject at hand. This is a pretty obvious attempt to get Assange. And here I thought the UK was a great protector of journalists. Their govt. had just said that was the case. I’m certain they, along with the US and Ecuador had no idea!
WOW, you steal his name to write this nasty comment, & then act ALL tough online.
I’d LOVE to see YOU face criminals who are trying to abduct YOU for telling the truth.
But let me guess, you wouldn’t ever TELL the truth!
Respect? He has to give up his life for you to have respect for him? Maybe you haven’t heard of the secret courts here in the US…just ask Chelsea Manning about it. His life would end if he just walked out…but I guess according to you, he needs to do that to earn your respect.
You should delete this comment. We know who you are and we have had enough of your bullshit over the years.
Ho, ho, ho. Who the eff are you? Fake name, fake ID. What do they pay you?
Interesting that you sound like a CIA agent.Has Julian Assange done anything negative to you?
How much you may respect Assange is only relevant to you.
Assange not to blame at all . He was a victim of a honey trap
How very brave of you to tell Julian that he should just walk out of the embassy and face his fate. You do know that if he did he would immediately be arrested and in-prisoned and then sent to the US to be tortured and possibly killed aren’t you?
As for your respect for him I doubt that he gives a fig.
Assange did us the favor by exposing the government’s war crimes and crimes against humanity. If they don’t want that information to come out then they should quit doing that.
Sorry this is an outrageous comment.
Assange is not a coward.
Assange is not to blame for his predicament.
Assange appears actually to have been the victim of some kind of conspiracy concocted in Sweden.
Assange was given asylum in the embassy because he reasonable suspected that otherwise his basic civil rights and most likely his life were in danger.
As Joe reports, Assange is guilty of no crimes. Are you happy probably the greatest journalist of our time is being tortured by world powers that seek to keep him quiet so that you live in ignorance? Sure looks like it. People like you who side with those who put the yoke around your neck and couldn’t care less about you sure do confuse me.
Coward? You are ignorant, a fool, or a stool (ass in pigeon, slave state disinfo messenger)
Who is Melissa Assange? Whoever she is, she seems to have no understanding of Julian’s plight. Her desire for having respect seems to be self centered.
Name one thing you have ever done in your life that benefitted mankind!!
You are the most obscene poster on this site, attempting to use the name Assange for your benefit. If not for the name you used, I would never have bothered to respond to your post.
I loathe people like you, who have no ethics and yet are not ashamed to advertise their stupidity.
Don’t feed the animals, otherwise they won’t leave.
Gee. Howz Langley Haz Bara?
He knows as Snowden knew, that to face the adversity head on, is a suicidal mission, as they will not allow a fair trial. He will be put in isolation in jail much like Lula in Brazil or face various forms of torture as did Chelsea Manning. Wake up! It is not a level playing field.
Whoever you. the author of this comment are, you are either a nut case, a paid supporter of the USA,U.K. IsraHell or a troll of any the Ba$tards supporting the Empire. Ger lost!
Assange has more respectability in one cell than you have in your complete body!
To “Melissa Assange” (!) A coward hides behind a fake name on the internet to throw stones at one who never hid his real name to expose the truth to the light of day despite the risks and punishments such exposure would yield.
Why would anyone bother posting such a comment?
It reflects the kind of thinking you find on marginal Alt-right sites.
And, of course, it reveals its author as a person whose abilities to type exceed her/his ability to think.
The reason that we dont have more brave whistleblowers like Chelsea and people to give them a platform like Julian is because of the great courage required to stay true and strong and take all the shit and muck raking of the narcissistic cabal such as Melissa who are in charge of the levers of state. Are you sure your first name isnt really Gina because you would appear to have a lot in common with the current leader of the CIA. You both appear to get off on the idea of torture.