Julian Assange in Court today.
It appears the United States Attorneys learned nothing since the Manning trial in 2013 as they are using the same dumb downed arguments used 7 years ago. The extradition trial has started but it appears the attorneys presenting evidence of wrongdoing have no clue. Kevin Gosztola, an up and coming journalist, reported from the court on Twitter as seen here:
This is a thread for Day 1 of Julian Assange’s one-week extradition hearing. Prosecutor (unsure of name at moment) has started opening argument and emphasizes there have been “misstatements of the charges against him.”
Prosecutor: First charge is “straightforward criminality and a conspiracy to steal and hack into Department of Defense computer system. This is an ordinary criminal charge and any person, journalist, or source, who tried to gain unauthorized access to computer system is guilty.”
Prosecutor: “Reporting our journalism is not an excuse for criminality.” “True in the United Kingdom as it is in the United States of America”
Prosecutor says they are not criminalizing the publication of classified materials but rather the publication of names of informants or dissidents who help the US and allies in military operations.
James Lewis QC suggests identities revealed in documents were all individuals who passed information about countries, specifically Iraq, Afghanistan, and Iran.
James Lewis QC said Assange is raising abuses of process to “deflect from his criminal behavior” and those issues can be dealt with once he is “returned” to the United States.
James Lewis QC states Assange knew publishing documents to the internet would be so damaging to security and intel services in United States and damaging to armed forces, as well as US interests.
James Lewis QC is essentially reciting summary of Chelsea Manning’s trial, which I’m not going to bother to share details from unless he says something we didn’t hear in 2013 during her trial. But all her conduct is being recited because US is prosecuting as conspiracy case.
Much of this is recycled, and crucially, James Lewis QC shares details about the digital media found in Bin Laden’s compound in Abottabad which was a sensational piece of evidence in Manning’s trial to argue she aided the enemy. Manning was acquitted of that charge.
It would appear they had a great day in court, but with proceedings so far, what happens in court may very well be irrelevant in the final decision with Judge Arbuthnot reigning terror with her bias. It has been well documented that the woman should recuse herself due to her son and husband’s dealings with U.S. intelligence agencies, yet she refuses.
In a tweet by John Pilger seen below, he states that the U.S. attorneys have definitively admitted that journalism and free press are on trial here.
In a tweet from the Courage Foundation, it becomes obvious what was stated in court today.
From, “If we don’t win, newspapers could publish anything” troll argument, to #headonapike hashtag, the prosecution is laughable. Losers, unless Her Majesty’s court is thoroughly corrupt & humorless, which is very likely.
According to rawstory.com:
Julian Assange lawyer tells court: After pardon fell through, Trump administration resorted to ‘extortion’
Assange was asked to give up the source of the DNC leak which Assange refused. In retaliation, Trump had him arrested. This is a horrific example of using power to get even on Trumps part.
The prosecutors argument contained no evidence of harm done by Wikileaks revelations, yet Assange’s revelations have been shown to be true about U.S. war crimes. By hasn’t he defense brought up that fact yet?
The trial is not only being held by a kangaroo court with circus clowns in the prosecution but is nothing but a show trial with a preset verdict.
God Save Assange because the queen doesn’t care.
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