Ecuador suggests transferring Assange to its embassy in Sweden so he can be questioned

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Mercopress

Saturday, September 22nd 2012- 05:24 UTC
Ecuador suggests transferring Assange to its embassy in Sweden so he can be questioned

Ecuador proposed on Friday transferring Wikileaks founder Julian Assange from its embassy in London where he has taken refuge to that in Sweden where he is a suspect of sex related crimes. However this depends on Britain and there has been no official reaction to the proposal.

Foreign minister Ricardo Patiño told reporters that there are several possibilities to resolve the standoff with Britain over Assange, including “that his statement be taken in our embassy in London or that Ecuador get authorization to transfer him, if necessary, to our embassy in Sweden so that the case can proceed there with the protection of Ecuador and meeting the needs of Swedish justice”.

Assange has been holed up in Ecuador's embassy in London since June 19, seeking to avoid extradition to Sweden for questioning over sex crimes allegations. Assange claims the Swedish sex case is part of plot to make him stand trial in the United States over his work with Wikileaks, which has published large troves of secret US documents. Sweden and Washington reject the claim.

Ecuador granted the Wikileaks founder political asylum on Aug. 15, but British authorities have repeatedly warned they will arrest him if he steps foot outside the diplomatic mission.

Read more: http://en.mercopress.com/2012/09/22/ecuador-suggests-transferring-assange-to-its-embassy-in-sweden-so-he-can-be-questioned

[dipsydoodle]

1. Good idea.

Hope its accepted.

[Vidar]

2. Sounds reasonable. I hope it is.

[struggle4progress]

3. There's a two-year-old Swedish court order to arrest him; and the UK courts have found that

the Swedish prosecutors want him back in Swedish so they can prosecute him

Bottom line: Don't expect Sweden or the UK to give this silly proposal traction

Sweden has made it perfectly clear for nearly two years that the purpose of bringing Assange back to Sweden was not to have a friendly little chat over coffee but rather to move forward with prosecution. Assange knows that, though his supporters often misrepresent the situation. Ecuador no doubt knows it, too, since the Swedes are likely to have explained the matter in great detail to the Ecuadorian ambassador back in June, when Ecuador inserted itself unnecessarily into this affair.

Assange was allowed eighteen months in the UK courts to fight his case, and he finally just jumped bail instead of continuing his appeals. Moreover, Assange also seems to be guilty now of an ongoing Bail Act offense, insofar as he was months ago ordered to surrender and has not done so: since the whole matter has been a major headache, the UK is unlikely to overlook the Bail Act offense

[ronnie624]

6. I don't think they will prosecute.

I think when Assange is finally in Swedish custody, Sweden will grant 'temporary' custody to the U.S. and drop their charges. Assange will then disappear into a U.S dungeon and down the memory hole.

[hack89]

8. So President Obama is no different from Bush?

He has no respect for the rule of law? Is that what you think of him?

You can't make Assange disappear - his public profile is too big. The public outrage would be immense.

[ronnie624]

11. I'm not sure what you mean.

Assange will receive his 'trial' or secret 'tribunal' or whatever, be convicted, and sentenced to prison for the rest of his life. Eventually, most people will simply forget about him.

[hack89]

12. You said that Obama would skip prosecution and just make Assange disappear.

now you are saying there will be trial.

Why do you think the Military Commissions Act of 2006 applies to Assange? Why do you think it will be secret?

[ronnie624]

14. No, you supplied that part in your own mind.

Is the Military Commissions Act what enables secret trials of 'terrorists' and 'enemy combatants'?

I'm not sure how it will be accomplished legally, but I do know the Justice Dept. is "looking at all the things we can do to try to stem the flow of this information", and I think Assange will eventually end up in a U.S. prison.

[randome]

16. Well, he's not a terrorist or an enemy combatant so you don't know a thing.

You want to believe that vast shadowy forces are massing against Assange but reality shows differently.

[ronnie624]

18. "Vast shadowy forces", no. The U.S. Justice Department, yes.

And then only because it says so officially and publicly.

You're right, I know very little, currently. I do know with absolute certainty, however, that the U.S. government has targeted Assange with investigation, and will likely prosecute him at some point in the future.

[randome]

19. Stealing military documents IS a crime but not the crime of a terrorist or enemy combatant.

And none of which has anything to do with the charges in Sweden. Assange is responsible for that.

But I guess you're one who thinks Sweden, the U.K., Australia, Interpol, the Swedish prosecution system, the Swedish women, the U.K. appeals system, etc., etc. are all trying to 'get' Assange.

But he's just too clever, isn't he?

If he's to be prosecuted for anything, it will be for stealing classified documents. And that's a crime and that's something he should answer for. He is not above the law.

'Targeting for investigation' is a meaningless phrase. Of course he is being investigated. He should be. He stole documents from our military.

[AntiFascist]

29. He is targeted for prosecution by high-level officials in the US...

including Biden and Feinstein who both have served on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. Australia (a member of the British Commonwealth) is cooperating with the US investigation against Assange by passing intelligence via their US embassy related to potential conspiracy and espionage charges. These are facts, not conspiracy theories.

The Obama administration admits that it is now even more difficult to drop this investigation, and also admits that they are divided on the wisdom of prosecuting Assange. If they do eventually move forward with prosecution, as the case with Bradley Manning (alleged co-conspirator) progresses, then it only makes sense that they would request his extradition to the US to face trial. This could very well happen while he is being detained in Sweden. It doesn't require overt cooperation with the US from the Swedes or the UK, all they have to do is keep him detained and tied up with a trumped up sex charge trial.

[hack89]

17. I can't imagine Obama taking the risk

either way he loses - lock him up and create a martyr, have him acquitted and create a hero.

How does locking up Assange stem the flow of information? I thought Wikileaks was a movement as much as an organization. Are you saying they will fold like a house of cards if Assange is no longer in charge? I think Wikileaks is bigger than one man and will survive just fine without Assange.

Hammering Manning is how the government will try to stop the leaks. They will make it very clear the high cost of leaking anything to Wikileaks. Without out leaks there is no Wikileaks.

[ronnie624]

20. Your post is full of unfounded assumptions, leading questions and other logical fallacies.

I simply don't have time to address them all. I have to go to work now.

[hack89]

22. But Assange "disappearing" is a reasonable assumption? OK. nt

[ronnie624]

25. You have a very irritating habit

of deliberately misconstruing the words of other posters. This dishonesty makes me hesitant about according you a serious reply.

Obviously, my use of the word was meant in a figurative sense, meaning he would disappear from sight and memory from a lack of interest on the part of most people.

[hack89]

26. And you have a very irritating habit

of dismissing unwelcomed questions and opinions as " unfounded assumptions, leading questions and other logical fallacies." That is the laziest debating tactic in the book.

My comments on Obama, Wikileaks and Manning were right on point and most likely true. Care to address them?

[struggle4progress]

21. A simpler theory, supported by lots of evidence, is that Assange is just a real a-hole to women:

... "That man does have a way of making a lot of female enemies," Daniel Assange, 21, said about his embattled dad ...
My Wiki dad's just awful with the ladies
Leaker's son speaks out on sex case
By JEANE MacINTOSH and ADA CALHOUN
Last Updated: 8:43 AM, August 27, 2010
Posted: 4:37 AM, August 27, 2010

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/international/my_wiki_dad_just_awful_with_the_lPuc6BTUKeNNMwZLeUTFJK

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange today suggested a woman only accused him of rape because he did not call her again after they had sex ... He described leaving one of the women at a railway station in Sweden. He said: "She kissed me goodbye and asked me to call her from the train. I didn't do that and it has already turned out to be the most expensive call I didn't make" ...
Woman accused me of rape because I didn't phone her, says Assange
Tom Harper
22 September 2011

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/woman-accused-me-of-rape-because-i-didnt-phone-her-says-assange-6446208.html

... He said he believed his accusers became angry when ... they realised he had been to bed with both of them in swift succession ... Mr Assange regards himself as a victim of radicalism. "Sweden is the Saudi Arabia of feminism," he said. "I fell into a hornets' nest of revolutionary feminism" ...
WikiLeaks founder baffled by sex assault claims
Marie Colvin
The Sunday Times
December 27, 2010 12:00AM

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/in-depth/wikileaks/wikileaks-founder-baffled-by-sex-assault-claims/story-fn775xjq-1225976459286

... She says ... she woke up the next morning to find him having intercourse with her to which she had not consented ...
WikiLeaks founder baffled by sex assault claims
Marie Colvin
The Sunday Times
December 27, 2010 12:00AM

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/in-depth/wikileaks/wikileaks-founder-baffled-by-sex-assault-claims/story-fn775xjq-1225976459286

... "The other woman wanted to report rape. I gave my testimony to support her story" ...
– Den andra kvinnan ville anmäla för våldtäkt. Jag gav min berättelse som vittnesmål till hennes berättelse och för att stötta henne.
30-åriga kvinnan: Jag utsattes för övergrepp
Berättar om anklagelserna mot Wikileaks grundare Julian Assange

http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article7652935.ab

"... The position with offence 4 is different. This is an allegation of rape. The framework list is ticked for rape. The defence accepts that normally the ticking of a framework list offence box on an EAW would require very little analysis by the court. However they then developed a sophisticated argument that the conduct alleged here would not amount to rape in most European countries. However, what is alleged here is that Mr Assange “deliberately consummated sexual intercourse with her by improperly exploiting that she, due to sleep, was in a helpless state”. In this country that would amount to rape ..."

City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court (Sitting at Belmarsh Magistrates’ Court)
The judicial authority in Sweden -v- Julian Paul Assange
Findings of facts and reasons

... The woman dismisses the conspiracy theories that are flooding the web right now:
- "The charges against Assange are, of course, not orchestrated by either the Pentagon or anybody else. The responsibility, for what happened to me and the other girl, lies with a man with a warped view of womanhood and inability to take no for an answer."
... De konspirationsteorier som översvämmar nätet just nu avfärdar kvinnan i 30-årsålden bestämt.
– Anklagelserna mot Assange är förstås inte iscensatta av varken Pentagon eller någon annan. Ansvaret för det som hänt mig och den andra tjejen ligger hos en man med skev kvinnosyn och problem att ta ett nej.
30-åriga kvinnan: Jag utsattes för övergrepp

http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article7652935.ab

"... There was at one stage a suggestion that Mr Assange could be extradited to the USA (possibly to Guantanamo Bay or to execution as a traitor). The only live evidence on the point came from the defence witness Mr Alhem who said it couldn’t happen. In the absence of any evidence that Mr Assange risks torture or execution Mr Robertson was right not to pursue this point in closing. It may be worth adding that I do not know if Sweden has an extradition treaty with the United States of America. There has been no evidence regarding this. I would expect that there is such a treaty. If Mr Assange is surrendered to Sweden and a request is made to Sweden for his extradition to the United States of America, then article 28 of the framework decision applies. In such an event the consent of the Secretary of State in this country will be required, in accordance with section 58 of the Extradition Act 2003, before Sweden can order Mr Assange’s extradition to a third State. The Secretary of State is required to give notice to Mr Assange unless it is impracticable to do so. Mr Assange would have the protection of the courts in Sweden and, as the Secretary of State’s decision can be reviewed, he would have the protection of the English courts also. But none of this was argued ..."

City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court (Sitting at Belmarsh Magistrates’ Court)
The judicial authority in Sweden -v- Julian Paul Assange
Findings of facts and reasons

... The co-ordinator of the WikiLeaks group in Stockholm, who is a close colleague of Assange and who also knows both women, told the Guardian: "This is a normal police investigation. Let the police find out what actually happened. Of course, the enemies of WikiLeaks may try to use this, but it begins with the two women and Julian. It is not the CIA sending a woman in a short skirt" ...
10 days in Sweden
Nick Davies
The Guardian, Friday 17 December 2010 16.30 EST

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/dec/17/julian-assange-sweden

[ronnie624]

24. Those aren't evidence of anything.

Just more spam, all of which I've already read.

A more likely scenario, is that Assange and wikileaks pissed off some powerful people within the U.S. political power structure, who are now strongly motivated to neutralize them, one way or another. In fact, many public statements, made by a number of U.S. political leaders, make this a virtual certainty.

[struggle4progress]

28. No links from you, a half dozen from me, including quotes from Assange and people who know Assange,

as well as the findings of the UK magistrate

[ronnie624]

32. I don't need links to prove wikileaks pissed off powerful people within the U.S. government,

or that the Justice Department has stated publicly that it intends to use every capability within its power to neutralize Assange and wikileaks, or that the U.S. government has a long history of dirty tricks.

Nothing you have ever linked to, proves Assange is guilty of rape.

[Selatius]

34. Couldn't it both be true that he is crap with women and has pissed off powerful people?

I don't believe the two are mutually exclusive.

[ronnie624]

35. Of course.

That observation means what, exactly?

[hack89]

4. Looking for more comfortable living quarters I suspect. nt

[fascisthunter]

5. ok... sounds reasonable to me

though I do not trust the Swedish authorities nor do I have any respect for the anti-Assange propagandists who live on DU.

[1monster]

7. Agreed.

High Five!

?w=584

[geek tragedy]

9. Possibly reasonable.

Question is: what if Sweden decides they want to prosecute because they believe there is evidence he did it? Would Ecuador turn him over, or would we just rinse and repeat?

[randome]

10. I wonder if the offer itself means Assange has already overstayed his welcome in Ecuador.

[Comrade Grumpy]

13. Unlikely, since he's not in Ecuador but in their London embassy.

[randome]

15. That IS Ecuador, for all intents and purposes.

[reorg]

23. a fair chance for Sweden to save face

Since they have always maintained that the reason for arrest was his absence from Sweden while he was needed for interrogation in an ongoing preliminary investigation, they could lift the arrest warrant "once the obstacle to the presence of the detainee has ceased to apply" by his return to Sweden.

Ecuador could guarantee that he will remain at their embassy in Stockholm until all matters concerning the condom allegations are resolved. He would not have to be held in pre-trial detention since he would have a fixed address and would not be a flight risk. The same would apply were a trial to ensue.

Only in the unlikely event of a custodial sentence after a possible trial would the issue of detention come up again.

[hack89]

27. You really think a soverign country would pervert their justice system that way?

agree to a process by which, if found guilty, Assange could not be taken into custody?

It is not a preliminary investigation - the investigation is over. The prosecutor now wants to meet with Assange to present her case - it is required before he can be indicted.

And I love how you have reduced four separate rape charges detailing forced sex into "condom allegations". Do you realize that a condom only enters into one of the charges?

[Judi Lynn]

30. You're right, reorg. Sweden needs a way to look clean again. This is the chance they need.

They need to realize there are far more people in the world to consider beyond the U.S. government and its strong-arm tactics.

[Poll_Blind]

31. Sounds absolutely reasonable. Sweden and the UK will just look like bigger dicks when...

...they reject the offer.



PB

[Monk06]

33. This is designed to get the UK off the hook for their threat to raid the Ecuadorian embassy.

Of course Ecuador wants this off their plate too.

If Assange goes to Sweden he will be handed over to the Americans. It is just so obvious.