WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, appeared in a London court where he was granted bail in the amount of $315,000. However the Swedish government convinced the court to put a hold on Mr. Assange for two days until an appeal to the bail could be filed and ruled upon. Supporters of Mr. Assange have arranged for the bail and living accommodations on a 600 acre estate owned by his close personal friend, Vaughan Smith, a wealthy British man. The court also ordered that Assange surrender his passport, wear a tracking device, and report in to authorities daily.
Swedish authorities describe Mr. Assange as the ultimate flight risk which seems bizarre to anyone following the case, as Mr. Assange offered to be interviewed by authorities in Sweden back in August, and he did turn himself to Scotland Yard to face the charges.
When asked if it was all worth it during a phone conversation with his mother, Assange stated, “My convictions are unfaltering. I remain true to the ideals I have expressed. This circumstance shall not shake them. If anything this process has increased my determination that they are true and correct.”
Last week it was reported that Assange did not support the cyber attacks being conducted by his supporters targeting Visa, MasterCard, and PayPal. Yesterday it was reported that Assange said those three companies are acting on behalf of the United States government as is the government of Sweden.
The Italian edition of Rolling Stone Magazine has crowned Julian Assange as Rock Star of the Year. An outer space alien depiction of Mr. Assange sitting in front of a bank of computer monitors graces the cover. It is entitled “The Man who fell from the Web to Earth.” The editor reportedly stated that Mr. Assange best embodied rock and roll behavior this year. Reportedly the magazine is describing Mr. Assange as the exterminator of secrets held by the world’s great powers and the top leader of the end of diplomacy and imperial security.
United States authorities have failed to date to file any charges against Julian Assange. I guess that could be because he has broken no laws.
Every journalist in this country, and around the world, should be reporting on the United States governments’ international cloak and dagger attack on Julian Assange. And indeed many reporters are, excluding those from the self proclaimed “Freest country in the world.” We Americans need to examine this situation and see what we have become.
The importance of the media in keeping our government’s power in check cannot be overstated. We cannot allow our complicity to lead us into Chinese communist style censorship. The freedom of the press as outlined in our First Amendment is the cornerstone which our precious Constitution stands upon.
Julian Assange has been released on bail in London.