David Frost at Al Jazeera English interviewed Julian Assange (JA) this week about Wikileaks (WL), the US embassy cable release, and the allegations and arrest.
Main points
1. Media has right and obligation to get information out public that is relevant and that the public needs to know about
2. There is not a single instance of evidence of anyone being harmed by what WL has done – nor any allegation of such by the Pentagon
3. JA suspects that Manning being coerced to testify (against JA).
4. State Dept. wants to save face by targeting JA
5. JA’s lawyers certainly fear their client may end up in a US jail.
6. JA’s lawyers advise that Sweden far more dangerous for extradition than UK
7. Wikileak’s founding phrase – Courage is Contagious – encourage information sharing through successful examples
8. US was not leading target – closed & corrupt regimes first target, and US not closed – but US is connected to many world
9. Much material for closed countries such as North Korea from third parties
10. WL have no objections to paying sources but are currently overwhelmed by material
11. Through to beginning of 2010, WL financed via JA and friends
12. JA not at all an anarchist but secret institutions can start to become corruptive – JA supports just institutions
13. A Washingtonian network, of friends, cross-shareholdings, which spreads-out from Washington to the world, are behind campaign against JA & WL
14. Dirty tricks being played against JA re: case details being released => s’bdy connected to Swedish gov’t
15. Intelligence sharing of all types happening btw. US & Sweden
16. Perhaps accusers are innocent victims who have been bamboozled by police
17. Prosecution applied for solitary confinement, and no bail => not sure if fair trial is available in Sweden
18. JA: what are the charges ? Prosecution has refused to give evidence to British courts – initial complaint, anything … => JA hasn’t even been charged
19. British legal system more open
20. Most senior Swedish prosecutor states not any suspicion of rape yet …
