World

Assange Press Conf: ‘It’s Great to Smell the Fresh Air of London Again’

LONDON (AP) — A British judge released Julian Assange on bail Thursday, freeing the WikiLeaks founder to work on his secret-spilling website from a mansion in eastern England.

Assange, who is fighting extradition to Sweden for questioning on sex crimes allegations, emerged from London’s neo-Gothic High Court to address supports before driving off to the 10-bedroom home where he is due to spend much of the next month.

“It’s great to smell the fresh air of London again,” Assange told cheering supporters amid a barrage of flash bulbs.

Assange gave no indication of what his immediate plans were, but said the period he spent in prison had given him time to reflect on the condition of inmates across the world. He didn’t responded to shouted questions from assembled journalists, returning inside the court to get into his lawyer’s car.

Assange is headed to Ellingham Hall, about 120 miles (195 kilometers) northeast of central London and the property of Vaughan Smith, a WikiLeaks supporter and founder of London’s Frontline Club for journalists. Assange will have to observe a curfew, wear an electronic tag and report to police every day – restrictions imposed by High Court Justice Duncan Ouseley.

WikiLeaks spokesman Kristinn Hrafnsson said Assange could use the 600-acre estate to continue coordinate the publication of leaked U.S. diplomatic cables, whose publication has angered U.S. government officials, embarrassed allies and nettled rivals. The U.S. State Department says that international partners are have already curtailed their dealings with Washington as a result of the cable leaks, but there’s still much more to be disclosed.

So far WikiLeaks has published some 1,621 U.S. diplomatic cables – less than 1 percent of the 250,000 cables it claims to have in reserve. A batch of 74 new cables appeared on the organization’s website about two hours before Assange was released.

Hrafnsson described the restrictions on Assange’s movements as amounting to “virtual house arrest,” but said Assange would still be able to work.

“There is a good internet connection there,” he noted.

Although U.S. officials have been looking at possible charges to levy against the 39-year-old Australian for his role in the mass leaks, Assange’s current legal troubles stem from his personal life.

Swedish officials are seeking him for questioning on allegations stemming from separate encounters with a pair of women in Sweden over the summer, accusations that have clouded his reputation and prompted complaints from supporters that Assange is being persecuted because of his activities.

Swedish prosecutors have rejected those allegations.

The women have accused Assange of rape, molestation and unlawful coercion. Assange’s lawyers say the allegations stem from a dispute over “consensual but unprotected sex” and argue that he has offered to make himself available for questioning via video link or in person in Britain.

Lawyer Gemma Lindfield, acting for Sweden, said the allegations had enhanced Assange’s reputation among his supporters, who “view it as part of the wider conspiracy.” She said given Assange’s nomadic lifestyle and loose ties to some of those promising bond, there was “a real risk” he would flee.

But the judge said when Assange arrived in Britain, he had asked his lawyers to contact police so they would know where he was.

“That is not the conduct of a person who is seeking to evade justice,” Ouseley said.

Swedish Prosecutor Marianne Ny said the bail decision would not change the ongoing investigation in Sweden, and the extradition case would be handled by British authorities.

Assange’s next extradition hearing is set for Jan. 11.

Comments (46)

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  • dontbotherme
    Posted on December 16, 2010 at 10:33pm

    He’s a distraction & I no longer care about this. Self aggrandizing little cheat of a man.

    Report Post »  
  • New-American-Saviors
    Posted on December 16, 2010 at 9:59pm

    Breathe while you still have the oportunity ! So Sad, at such a Young age ….Preparing Our condolences letter.

    Report Post »  
  • TMax
    Posted on December 16, 2010 at 7:56pm

    LONDON!!! … “What ‘fresh air’ is HE talking about?”

    Report Post » TMax  
  • BurntHills
    Posted on December 16, 2010 at 7:05pm

    makes us wonder why we ever came to England’s aid in WWII. whatever happened to our Allies. oh wait, obama spit in their faces.

    Report Post » BurntHills  
  • BurntHills
    Posted on December 16, 2010 at 7:03pm

    amazing that he is still breathing.

    Report Post » BurntHills  
  • bloptop
    Posted on December 16, 2010 at 6:11pm

    THE TRUTH: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acLW1vFO-2Q&feature=related

    Report Post » bloptop  
  • mndjohnson
    Posted on December 16, 2010 at 5:13pm

    This guy is nothing but a joke and a useful idiot.

    Report Post »  
  • Tri-ox
    Posted on December 16, 2010 at 5:04pm

    “Fresh Air”? In London? Well, I guess if you like the stench of fried food, curry, cigarettes, diesel and urine, then perhaps it could be considered “fresh”.

    Report Post » Tri-ox  
  • woodyb
    Posted on December 16, 2010 at 5:03pm

    “I just want my life back!!!”

    Where have we heard that before?????

    Report Post »  
  • pennswoods
    Posted on December 16, 2010 at 4:58pm

    I visited the web site of the UK newspaper, the Daily Mail, and read the comments after the article about Assange being set free on bail. Every comment that cheered for Assange that I rated as “negative” was automatically posted as a “positive” for Assange. It was unbelievable. This creep who has a selective view on which countries his geeks go after, the USA and it’s allies, appears in the DM to have 100% support from it’s readers in the UK and around the world. The British Leftists cheer the anti Americanism of this nerd Assanage until someday these left wingers have their computers hacked into and their private lives spied on or their credit card numbers stolen or worse. I wonder if Assange cares about the people his selective hacking into the USA’s military secrets will get killed in Afghanistan, Iran, or by al Quaeda? Nope. To him and his ilk they are Americans, or our allies, and in Assange’s warped mind they “deserve” to die. Of course he and his egg heads would never touch Russian, Chinese, Iranian,North Korean or radical Muslim secret’s and show them to the world. Those nations would have him killed.

    Report Post »  
  • Ron Staiger
    Posted on December 16, 2010 at 3:41pm

    If anything smells in London, perhaps it’s the a**holes that they’ve let in.

    Report Post »  
  • Lantern
    Posted on December 16, 2010 at 3:40pm

    He looks like that gay fellow on that show on PBS. I can’t remember the name of the show, something like “Can we service you?” About people who work in a department store. From the 70′s.

    Report Post » Lantern  
  • Max jones
    Posted on December 16, 2010 at 3:34pm

    I have stumbled into a wormhole, and am now occupying an alternate universe. Nothing is as it seems and everywhere I look, I see a contradiction. There is no constant but confusion and chaos. My compass is illegible and the signs are unrecognisable.
    I’m going to handle it this way…whatever this administration wants, I don’t, and whatever it dislikes, I will consider as favorable. All things considered, I will probably be on the right side of things….I am so confused. YOU?

    Report Post » Max jones  
  • William_Wallace
    Posted on December 16, 2010 at 3:19pm

    Well, at least there is someone out there trying to keep the truth alive. You certainly can’t trust your representatives in Washington to do the same.

    It’s ironic that most folks here talk constantly about their lack of trust in the government but come down against the wikileaks effort. I suppose that means that you believe all the nonsense that spews out of the capital.

    Time to reassess your view? …

    Perhaps you believe that Oblahblah speech today about progress in Afghanistan? Forget about the report put out yesterday from the Red Cross – “Afghanistan security had deteriorated to its worst point since the overthrow of the Taliban nine years” – well, I know which one I believe, and it is not the spin doctors.

    Report Post »  
  • Gabbie
    Posted on December 16, 2010 at 3:19pm

    Well by tonight no one will know where he is and he will never be found. Thanks a lot for nothing. The man is a danger to the world much like George Sorris

    Report Post »  
  • Bobert
    Posted on December 16, 2010 at 3:05pm

    Just curious, I have heard from several different reports that WikiLeaks has sent the illegally obtained information and cables to various news agencies as well as the US government and asked them to censor any information that they felt might cause harm to any individual/soldier/informant, etc. before they published this info. Is this true – and if the government KNEW about all of this well in advance, why was nothing being done until AFTER the release?
    I may have the facts wrong, or perhaps the US government DID simply respond that ALL of the information is confidential and could not be released – but it seems like the Obama administration seemed to have no problem with the prior WikiLeaks leaks containing confidential US information – and had plenty of advanced notice and time to suggested redactions to the current leaks.

    Report Post »  
    • Barry Soetoro
      Posted on December 16, 2010 at 4:07pm

      Jeesh, I go away for a little Billion dollar Indian butt wax and the Chinese launch an inert intercontinental ballistic missile from a sub 30 miles off shore from Los Angeles, and you’re worried about this? The dude was not even an American citizen. He can publish what he wants to. Besides even if he were an American citizen, for the time being we still have a little thing called the first amendment.

      Does anyone really care if Hillary was so excruciatingly embarrassed by the release of her childish State Department memos that she naively hid as classified material, that she coincidently chose that time to announce to the entire World she was quitting politics after this job, which I would have fired her from had she not. Let me be clear, sure I offered her the coveted globe trotting gig in return for backing off in the primaries. Then she ungratefully dared to use that office to criticize my policies and position herself to oppose me in 2012. Make no mistake, that ain’t gonna happen to this Chicago crack dealing, British citizen son of a Kenyan, non natural born citizen but usurped the presidency anyway guy. Besides, Bill was totally cool with it too. All I had to do was let him hang out at the house. He really likes the place and can’t stand her trying to over shadow him. So all’s well that ends well.

      Report Post » Barry Soetoro  
  • jbl8199
    Posted on December 16, 2010 at 2:56pm

    Surprise, surprise.

    Report Post » jbl8199  
  • tobywil2
    Posted on December 16, 2010 at 2:50pm

    As far as I’m concerned the jury is still out on the man. But I read the account of the rape charges and those charges are totally without merit. http://commonsense21c.com/

    Report Post » tobywil2  
  • awiderview
    Posted on December 16, 2010 at 2:47pm

    For the “shoot from the hip” gang…it may be worth reading this: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/the-media-gets-it-wrong-o_b_797436.html Even though it’s from Huffington, you may even agree.

    Report Post »  
  • Bad Thunder
    Posted on December 16, 2010 at 2:42pm

    I heard London stinks

    Report Post »  
  • TSUNAMI-22
    Posted on December 16, 2010 at 2:40pm

    He’s just a little squid in a big cesspool.

    Report Post »  
  • Lantern
    Posted on December 16, 2010 at 2:39pm

    Come to America now and thank your liberators. *POP*

    Report Post » Lantern  
  • adjams
    Posted on December 16, 2010 at 2:39pm

    … emerged from London’s neo-Gothic High Court to address [supports] before driving off …

    Someone might want to fix this. Feel free to delete my post after doing so

    Report Post »  
  • TXPilot
    Posted on December 16, 2010 at 2:35pm

    And so the contrived drama to mislead us continues. Assange is just a puppet in the whole “top down, bottom up, inside out” strategy.

    Report Post » TXPilot  
    • marhee9
      Posted on December 16, 2010 at 2:40pm

      I agree TX, now the media is giving us the poor Bradley Manning garbage. Too predictable.

      Report Post »  
  • Barry Soetoro
    Posted on December 16, 2010 at 2:33pm

    Welcome back to the fold, sorry about all the drama.

    Report Post » Barry Soetoro  
    • AnnMarie
      Posted on December 16, 2010 at 2:38pm

      I hope you remember it because hopefully you will not be breathing it long. The fact that he knowingly transmited illegally obtained documents without any thoughts of the harm is beyond understanding and now hide behinds the first amendment. This man does not have any sympathy from me….

       
    • aLinedog
      Posted on December 16, 2010 at 2:45pm

      First Amendment does not apply. He is not an American Citizen. Assange is Australian, a Foreign National. Try him for Espionage.
      Bradley Manning is an American Citizen, but he falls under Military Jurisdiction.
      -Line

      Report Post »  
    • verb
      Posted on December 16, 2010 at 2:47pm

      And the NY Times?

      Report Post » verb  
    • guyperram
      Posted on December 16, 2010 at 3:05pm

      With this administration the new York Times will probable receive a medal. Just part of their plot.

      Report Post »  
    • snowleopard3200 {mix art}
      Posted on December 16, 2010 at 3:54pm

      Wonder what the administration bribed London to have this madman set free from jail?

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • Parkeralan
      Posted on December 16, 2010 at 4:25pm

      To AnnMarie,
      I agree with you completely, the guy is dangerous and should be stopped. A lot of people including Glenn Beck have warmed up to Assange and seem to forget the fact that he is hurting our efforts to fight the war on terror, people will die. While I admit it is fun to read about some of the seedier parts of these leaks and to see certain leaders squirm, the bad outweighs the good.

      Report Post » Parkeralan  
    • AmericanSoldier
      Posted on December 16, 2010 at 6:46pm

      @aliendog. I actually JUST opened up the constitution and here’s what I found.

      “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

      Let’s break it into something that is specific to our current argument.

      “Congress shall make no laws [...] abridging the freedom of speech, or the press”

      Note, all I did was condense it to what applies in this case. Nothing major was remitted that would apply to the press or speech. Does it say here that the US Government only grants these freedoms to American citizens? NO! It says that Congress will not make any laws that prevents freedom of speech. It does not say:

      Let’s break it into something that is specific to our current argument.

      “Congress shall make no laws [...] abridging the freedom of speech, or the press of American citizens”

      Thus the 1st Amendment DOES apply to an Australian citizen as it dictates what the US Government is NOT able to do, period. It cannot prohibit free speech or press of ANYONE, even foreign nationals. Hell, where would the US Government find such JURISDICTION to silence the press of a foreign national?!

      Report Post » American Soldier (Separated)  
    • AmericanSoldier
      Posted on December 16, 2010 at 6:50pm

      @PARKERALAN To me that is EXACTLY the point! Just like the Pentagon Papers pretty much ended the Vietnam war, these leaks or future, more damning leaks, could finally end this decade long war and bring our troops home!

      If you are still delusional to think that the ongoing struggles in iraq and Afghanistan protects us here at home, think again. All we’re doing over there is shooting ourselves in the foot and spending billions building a nation full of people who will DEPEND on American foreign aid! Is that what you want, you supposed small government, no entitlements, no foreign aid types?

      Report Post » American Soldier (Separated)  
    • Chet Hempstead
      Posted on December 17, 2010 at 4:03am

      Americansoldier is right. The word citizen does not appear anywhere in the Bill of rights. The founders believed that were endowed by our creator” with rights. The government doesn’t give us our rights but it has a duty to protect them. It is contrary to our principles to deliberately deprive any human anywhere in the world of the freedoms that our founders declared to be rights deserving of protection.

      Report Post »  
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