Judge denies WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange bail
LONDON, ENGLAND
A month after dropping out of public view, the 39-year-old
Australian surrendered to Scotland Yard to answer a warrant issued
for his arrest by Sweden. He is wanted for questioning after two
women accused him of having sex with them without a condom and
without their consent.
Assange said he would fight extradition to Sweden, setting the
stage for what could be a pitched legal battle. And as if to prove
that it can't be intimidated, WikiLeaks promptly released a dozen
new cables, including details of a NATO defense plan for Estonia,
Latvia and Lithuania that made Russia bristle.
The Pentagon welcomed Assange's arrest.
"That sounds like good news to me," U.S. Defense Secretary
Robert Gates said on a visit to Afghanistan.
WikiLeaks spokesman Kristinn Hrafnsson insisted Assange's arrest
and the decision Tuesday by both Visa and MasterCard to stop
processing donations to the group "will not change our
operation." Hrafnsson said the organization has no plans yet to
make good on its threat to release en masse some of its most
sensitive U.S. documents if it comes under attack.
At a court hearing in London, Assange showed no reaction as
Judge Howard Riddle denied him bail while he awaits an extradition
hearing Dec. 14. The judge said Assange might flee if released.
When the judge asked him whether he would agree to be extradited,
Assange said: "I do not consent."
It was not publicly known which jail Assange was sent to, since
British police never reveal that for privacy and security reasons.
Some prisoners occasionally get Internet access, though only under
close supervision.
The U.S. government is investigating whether Assange can be
prosecuted for espionage or other offenses. On Tuesday, Pentagon
and State Department officials said some foreign officials have
suddenly grown reluctant to trust the U.S. because of the secrets
spilled by WikiLeaks.
"We have already seen some indications of meetings that used to
involve several diplomats and now involve fewer diplomats," said
State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley. "We're conscious of at
least one meeting where it was requested that notebooks be left
outside the room."
Pentagon spokesman Col. Dave Lapan said the military had seen
foreign contacts "pulling back."
"Believing that the U.S. is not good at keeping secrets and
having secrets out there certainly changed things," Lapan said.
During the hour-long court hearing in London, attorney Gemma
Lindfield, acting on behalf of the Swedish authorities, outlined
the allegations of rape, molestation and unlawful coercion that
were brought against Assange following separate sexual encounters
in August with two women in Sweden.
Lindfield said one woman accused Assange of pinning her down and
refusing to use a condom on the night of Aug. 14 in Stockholm. That
woman also accused of Assange of molesting her in a way "designed
to violate her sexual integrity" several days later. A second
woman accused Assange of having sex with her without a condom while
he was a guest at her Stockholm home and she was asleep.
A person who has sex with an unconscious, drunk or sleeping
person in Sweden can be convicted of rape and sentenced to two to
six years in prison.
Assange's lawyers have claimed the accusations stem from
disputes "over consensual but unprotected sex" and say the women
made the claims only after finding out that Assange had slept with
both.
Prosecutors in Sweden have not brought any formal charges
against Assange. WikiLeaks lawyer Mark Stephens said there are
doubts as to whether Sweden has the legal right to extradite him
simply for questioning.
Experts say European arrest warrants like the one issued by
Sweden can be tough to beat. Even if the warrant were defeated on a
technicality, Sweden could simply issue a new one.
The extradition process could take anywhere from a week to two
months, according to Assange's Swedish lawyer Bjorn Hurtig. If
Assange loses, he may appeal to the High Court. There can be
further appeals, and Sweden also has a right to appeal if the court
finds in Assange's favor.
In the meantime, Stephens said he would reapply for bail, noting
that several prominent Britons -- including socialite Jemima Khan
and filmmaker Ken Loach -- have each offered to post 20,000 pounds
($31,500) so Assange could go free.
Australian government officials said they are providing Assange
with consular assistance, as they do with any countryman arrested
abroad. The consul general in London spoke to Assange to ensure he
had legal representation, the government said.
Some people protested outside the London court, bearing signs
reading, "Save Wikileaks, Save Free Speech" and "Trumped Up
Charges."
"I came to show my support for Julian," said 26-year-old
electrician Kim Krasniqi. "He is innocent. Europe is bullying him,
They don't want him to publish what he is publishing."
The latest batch of confidential U.S. cables could strain
relations between Washington and Moscow. The documents show that
NATO secretly decided in January to defend the Baltic states of
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania against military attack.
Dmitry Rogozin, Russia's ambassador to NATO, said Tuesday that
Moscow will demand that NATO drop the agreement, which he argued is
clearly aimed at his country.
"Against whom else could such a defense be intended? Against
Sweden, Finland, Greenland, Iceland? Against polar bears, or
against the Russian bear?" Rogozin said.