Sweden issues international warrant for Assange

[dipsydoodle]

Source: Yahoo News

Sweden's criminal police has issued an international arrest warrant for Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, wanted on suspicion of rape and sexual molestation, police said Saturday. Skip related content

"Late last night we gathered all the information and sent it out in the different systems," namely the Swedish system, Schengen countries system SIS and Interpol, Tommy Kangasvieri of the Swedish National Criminal Police told AFP.

"The prosecutor had already decided to issue an international arrest warrant, we made sure that all the police forces in the world would see it," Kangasvieri explained.

Interpol, based in Lyon in eastern France, later said it had received an arrest warrant for the extradition of Assange.

Read more: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/18/20101120/twl-sweden-issues-international-warrant-1a2730a.html

[Ruperto31]

1. F**k the Swedish government.

They will never get Assange on these trumped up charges.

[herbm]

2. Even if they are valid, it should not stop Wikileaks.

[avaistheone1]

19. BUT, BUT....

Where are the charges for Bush and Cheney?

Where are the charges for the CIA who destroyed torture tapes against a judge's orders?

[Posteritatis]

27. Pretty sure the Swedish government can't issue arrest warrants to the CIA for violating US law. (nt)

[herbm]

37. Arrest the two of them. I pray Cheney goes to Spain. W, too.

[shoreline]

3. Why do you think the charges are "trumped up"?

What reason would the Swedish government have? Are their foreign policy goals so inextricably tied to the US that they would be willing to damage not only their national reputation but that of international law enforcement as well? Frankly, the Wikileaks info has consisted primarily of dated operational information that is useless - in a combat zone, all official communication is classified, so everything from troop movements to toilet paper inventory could fall under the banner of secret - a clever analyst might be able tease some speculative information out of it, but most of the people we are fighting couldn't find their own stinking county on a map - hardly an intelligence threat. Also, having seen this "gentleman" on television, I wouldn't be surprised to learn he is what the Swedish government claims - the guy has Narcissistic Personality Disorder written all over him - as far as I'm concerned, he's nothing more than a skinny Newt Gingrich.

[pattmarty]

4. Yeah sure Glenn, whatever you say we will believe.

[shoreline]

12. I don't know who Glenn is...

...but if you are going to mistake me for someone, at least give me an idea who it is.

[freedom fighter jh]

17. "Glenn" is Glenn Beck, a right-wing demagogue with a TV show.

[shoreline]

20. Ah...

...I see. No, I'm not Glenn Beck. I try to avoid him, so I don't know what his views on this matter are.

[freedom fighter jh]

28. You're better off that way, on just about any matter. (no text)

[JonLP24]

6. They already dropped the warrant before

with the prosecutor saying "I don't think there is reason to suspect that he has committed rape". Perhaps that is a significant reason why anyone feels these charges are trumped up.

[iandhr]

7. maybe

they now have new evidence

[greiner3]

11. They have a new;`

And more powerful prosecutor. And the backing of US black-ops. This only came to light in the period after Assange admitted he was going to post the information. So sad to think the Swedes are now a tool.

[sabrina 1]

18. And where would that evidence come from?

The same women who initially filed the complaints? Have you read the history of one of those women? There is every reason to believe that this is a set-up, and zero reason so far to assume guilt or 'new evidence'. Especially since Wikileaks already found a CIA document planning how to 'smear' Assange if Wikileaks didn't stop what it was doing.

So far, all evidence points towards a CIA smear as promised by them in the released documents. I assume Assange to be innocent.

I wonder why the Swedish Government is not interested in the war crimes revealed in the released documents? Some serious crimes were revealed in those docs. Did the Swedish Government make any statements on those war crimes?

[shoreline]

21. I'm sorry...

...but this, "...Wikileaks already found a CIA document planning how to 'smear' Assange if Wikileaks didn't stop what it was doing..." is just a bit too self serving to go unchallenged. Do you believe everything Assange tells you?

[sabrina 1]

24. I believe evidence I see with my own eyes. Did you see the released

document and did you know that the CIA never denied it, because they couldn't?

Do you believe everything the media reports about people who stand up to war criminals and other abusers of power? Especially after seeing the background of one of the 'accusers', the ever changing stories from the accusers themselves, the dropping of charges, Assanges application for residency in Sweden to make use of their protections for journalists, followed by charges being renewed and so on.

He was also warned by Australin Intel about a smear campaign against him, a warning he revealed also. Australian Intel has not denied that warning either.

He pissed off the CIA. He's lucky he's alive.

[shoreline]

30. Duh...

...think about what you've written. Intelligence gathering organizations - US, Australian, or otherwise - aren't exactly in the business of being forthcoming; they wouldn't admit to the sky being blue. Secondly, if the CIA wanted him dead, is there any question that he wouldn't be?

[sabrina 1]

33. He took care of that by keeping a high profile. And by pre-empting

any plans they might have had to kill him. Very clever of him. However, Wikileaks was given some documents by a whistle-blower which discussed how they would use smear tactics against him. They've deduced that killing well-known people doesn't work so well anymore, suicide and plane accidents have kind of been over-used. Smears are the latest thing to do to inconvenient people. There is hardly any doubt that those documents were legitimate, so much so the CIA never challenged them. Again, it was clever of him to do so before they started. The Bush Doctrine, they should appreciate his use of it.

Few people around the globe believe these smears. So, all the Swedish government is doing is lowering world opinion of their country. The woman who initiated these charges has quite a political history and a number of 'contacts' to channel the smears through.

Innocent until they can produce something other than the word of that woman who discredited herself by her own words.

[go west young man]

8. Welcome to DU. Great start :sarcasm: with what has to be the most

ridiculous fucked up post of the week.

[shoreline]

13. I guess that means you disagree with what I've written...

...now perhaps you can tell me why.

[sabrina 1]

26. Perhaps you can offer some evidence for your position? So far

all you've offered is your opinion in support of the CIA/MIC who, you must know, do not have a particularly great reputation for truth.

Otoh, there is plenty of evidence contradicting these charges and casting huge amounts of suspicion on those making them. Much of it recorded as it happened, right here on DU. Since you have been 'lurking forever' I assume you are familiar with this story and its evolvement so far?

[shoreline]

31. All I know...

...is what I read in the papers. But I don't believe the Swedish government is doing the CIA's dirty work, and much of the "evidence" is generated by parties with a dog in the fight.

[L.Torsalo]

39. EXACTLY.

Do some independent research and the scales will fall from your eyes. Trying to be smarter than people who do research is a great way to be called dumb.

[rhett o rick]

29. Because you seemed determined to convince us that the CIA wouldnt be embarrased by these leaks

whether they contain legitimate data or not. I think you way underestimate the power of the CIA.

[shoreline]

32. The enemy of my enemy...

...is not my friend. And no, I do not underestimate the power of the CIA. It wouldn't surprise me to learn this Assange is in their employ. The fact that he isn't dead or otherwise silenced indicates that.

[Iowa]

34. You appear to be aligned with power and authority...

"...having seen this gentleman on television, I wouldn't be surprised to learn he is what the Swedish government claims - the guy has Narcissistic Personality Disorder written all over him - as far as I'm concerned, he's nothing more than a skinny Newt Gingrich."

Most of the people who post here are liberal. We tend to question authority and power; you appear to be looking for any reason to align with them.

[shoreline]

35. I will stake my liberal bona fides against anyone's...

...but being a liberal doesn't mean aligning oneself with reactionary stupidity. I don't have a problem with Wikileaks posting information - I do have a problem with US military personnel, for whatever reason, divulging classified information. I also have a problem with a person not taking responsibility for their own actions and claiming unfair persecution when they may in fact be guilty of a crime. If this gentleman wants to clear his name of the allegations of sexual abuse, rather than embracing victim-hood and pointing a finger at others, he should aggressively welcome an investigation into the claims.

[Demstud]

41. Still, you have to admit

That diagnosing someone as having Narcissistic Personality Disorder based of a few TV appearances is a pretty irresponsible way of forming an opinion about something, and not the least bit helpful to your argument. You don't know the guy and probably aren't a psychologist (or at least not a very professional one). Maybe you should just stick to the facts and evidence, and not irrational gut opinion.

[Arctic Dave]

9. Why would the British Government tarnish their reputation

helping the US invade and destroy a sovereign nation? I mean, that would be ridiculous right?

It is my hope he keeps leaking any and all military documents tied to these war crimes.

[shoreline]

14. Which country are you referring to?

Cause I can think of quite a few in the last 100 years.

[ooglymoogly]

15. Perhaps you need to go beyond the shoreline.

To find the difference between the solid and the mercurial. And please bone up on "Psychology for Dummies" before pontificating any more boneheaded profundities thereon.

[shoreline]

23. Terribly sorry for offending your sense of intellectual dignity...

...but perhaps rather than the offer of your poorly constructed and uninformative rebuttal, you could provide something substantial.

[freedom fighter jh]

16. Welcome to DU, Shoreline.

Things get pretty lively here. You can see that when you post an opinion that's out of line with the prevailing one. But new opinions are what we need.

[shoreline]

22. I've never been bashful about sharing mine...

...especially when I think I'm dealing with idiots. Thanks for the welcome. I've been lurking here forever, and it was just happenstance I signed up (beer may have been a factor as well).

[L.Torsalo]

40. Informed opinions

have value. Shoreline is as undeep as his moniker. You too could use some common sense and do some research.

[bemildred]

36. The Swedish government has made no claims.

Certainly no claims as to Mr Assange's personality disorders or the lack of them.

The Swedish government has thrashed around a good deal about this issue however.

[L.Torsalo]

38. Nice dissimulation and innuendo...

and smears. Julian Assange is a veritable hero who is fighting to help the people of this planet overcome the tyranny that government has become. This sounds like a standard black op, used a female agent to claim rape against a man the international criminals (governments)are trying to silence. If you bothered to do some research you would see that these charges are trumped up and designed to be consumed by the likes of fools...Nice to know you can analyze someone from TV images and photos. You should work for TSA...(as a total stupid a**hole).

[blackspade]

5. Back down the rabbit hole again!

What is this, the third or fourth time?

Lame.

[bikebloke]

10. Reinfeldt is toading up to the neocons.

[redirish28]

25. Assange mentioned something about Switzerland and staying there

What are Switzerland's extradition charges?



I smell something rotten in the state of Sweden. My wife who was assaulted and very sensitive to these types of stories is screaming that this is some sort of scam.


I have to ask if this is raiments of the Bush administration forcing Sweden to bring these charges or is it the Obama administration?

Also notice now that these charges are coming when Bush has basically been threaten with arrest if he goes overseas.