back to article Swedish prosecutor finally treks to London to question Julian Assange

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is finally being questioned by prosecutors more than six years after he was first accused of rape in Sweden. Ingrid Isgren, Sweden's deputy chief prosecutor, arrived at the Ecuadorian Embassy this morning, according to The Guardian, ending a stalemate which began in 2012 when the South American …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    And?

    Marianne Ny, has warned that any procedure involving a foreign prosecutor would affect the quality of the interview

    Sure. She could have done the interview and have her complaints BACKED by actual facts for 6 years. Then come again and again and again BACKED with facts every time while relying on mutual legal assistance treaties.

    While I have no sympathy towards Assange, she has been as deliberately obstructive as him and then some (thus providing an excessive amount of evidence for his claims that this is political).

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: And?

      Nonsense.

      She is not allowed to make exceptions to established law and process, so I suspect Assange will have caused some special permissions to be set up. The problem with that is that they have to be set up in such a way that they do not become loopholes in themselves - I am willing to bet about the first thing Assange will use in his defence of whatever they have on him is that they didn't follow procedure.

    2. Ian Michael Gumby
      Black Helicopters

      Re: And?

      This is actually a bend in Swedish Law.

      Will the Embassy allow her to formally charge him?

      Or is this a way for Sweden to save face because Assange ran out the clock? (At least on two of the counts)

      Or is this a way for Ecuador to get rid of Assange by saying ok... you did rape these girls so you have to go? Or shut the Swedish issue down so they can kick him out to the Brits who'll then get him on jumping bail... and still send him back to Australia.

      1. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

        Re: And?

        " Or shut the Swedish issue down so they can kick him out to the Brits who'll then get him on jumping bail"

        There may be a few others besides TPTB wanting to jump on him about bail.

      2. John Brown (no body) Silver badge

        Re: And?

        "...and still send him back to Australia."

        Ah, the delicious irony of convicting him in a UK court then detransporting him to Oz :-)

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: And?

      "Sure. She could have done the interview and have her complaints BACKED by actual facts for 6 years."

      I think its fair to say that you don't effectively imprison yourself in an Embassy for 6 years if you weren't worried that there was a good chance there were enough facts for you to be convicted and while I know some screeching Assange fanboys love to pretend the judicial system of fluffy liberal left sweden is only one step removed from that of north korea I think we all know thats BS.

      I don't know what the standard term for rape in sweden is but I suspect Assange is getting close to or even past the time he'd have served anyway. Ironic really.

      1. John Smith 19 Gold badge
        Unhappy

        "I don't know what the standard term for rape in sweden is "

        But I think the length of time the US Govt wants to put him away for is measured in centuries.

        And that's what he's worried about.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: "I don't know what the standard term for rape in sweden is "

          "And that's what he's worried about."

          Yeah right. Thats why he initially surrendered himself to the UK police, a country FAR more likely to extradite him to the USA than Sweden. Sorry, thats just the spin he dishes up to his anti-USA-stick-it-to-the-man-the-revolution-is-coming teenage and 20 something muppet followers who just lap that sort of anti establishment shit up.

          No doubt I'll get modded to hell for this since there's a bucket load of these clowns on this site.

          1. Hardrada

            Re: "I don't know what the standard term for rape in sweden is "

            "No doubt I'll get modded to hell for this since there's a bucket load of these clowns on this site."

            Not really. As I write this you're at +7/-9, which is pretty tame. (I didn't vote on your post, BTW.)

        2. Mage Silver badge
          Black Helicopters

          Re: "I don't know what the standard term for rape in sweden is "

          The UK was FAR more likely to ship him to USA than give bail and didn't. Sweden would not ship him to USA.

          Wikileaks and Assange have no credibility on this.

          1. Awil Onmearse

            Re: "I don't know what the standard term for rape in sweden is "

            "Sweden would not ship him to USA."

            Why ever not? They ship people to Egypt to be tortured.

        3. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

          Re: "I don't know what the standard term for rape in sweden is "

          The biggest punishment the US can give him is to ignore him.

      2. majorursa

        Re: And?

        It has many times been said that he sought asylum because he feared extradition to the US. Ignoring that point and instead suggesting he has something to hide. in spite of the fact that he has not been accused, and the original accuser has withdrawn the statement, is malevolent and intentional. Is it that hard to even imagine the possibility that he didn't do it? Shame on you.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I think I need to sit down with my tin foil hat on.

    Are we saying is that because wikileaks releases favoured the Trump that he will drop the U.S. attempts to get Arseange?

    1. JetSetJim
      Alien

      >because wikileaks releases favoured the Trump that he will drop the U.S. attempts to get Arseange

      dunno about that - with the famed high security on Trumps mail servers I wouldn't be surprised if there's a mail dump from there hitting wikileaks soon. I suspect at that point Trump will express less than favourable opinions on that site (no doubt also claiming that he's always maintained that position, too).

      1. Version 1.0 Silver badge

        I doubt that you'll find much on Trumps mail server - he doesn't know how to use e-mail.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: I doubt that you'll find much on Trumps mail server

          I doubt you'll find anything of interest on his mail server, the man manages to insult someone everytime he opens his gob.

          If anything his e-mails will probably be a slew of attempts by his staff to reel him in and have him apologise for something.

          1. a_yank_lurker

            Re: I doubt that you'll find much on Trumps mail server

            Assange commented there was very little in any information Wikileaks had about Trump that would be new and none would be surprising. Trump made sure of that. However, they had tons of information about Clinton. Once the light was turned on the cockroaches would flee.

            I have no idea if the Swedish charges are solid, politically motivated to discredit him, or both. But for Sweden to take 6 years to meander to Ecuadorian embassy in London is definitely a head scratch. It's not like Assange was going anywhere or they had to find him. The timing makes it sound like the Swedes are looking for a way out because they feel the Trump administration is less interested in Assange and Wikileaks than the current one.

            1. John Brown (no body) Silver badge

              Re: I doubt that you'll find much on Trumps mail server

              "I have no idea if the Swedish charges are solid, politically motivated to discredit him, or both. But for Sweden to take 6 years to meander to Ecuadorian embassy in London is definitely a head scratch."

              It took so long because their legal jurisdiction is Sweden and their law states that the interview must take place within their jurisdiction. The Ecuadorian embassy in London is not in their jurisdiction. I believe they have had to make a special exception in law to allow this interview. Based on the average speed of government bureaucracy and the likely stringent attempts to make this exception very specific to this case rather than a general one with possible loopholes has likely taken quite some time to hammer out.

              1. a_yank_lurker

                Re: I doubt that you'll find much on Trumps mail server

                The Swedes then are making the sloths we call Congress critters look good. I can see it taking a few months to draft proper legislation for this instance not 6 years.

        2. Loyal Commenter Silver badge

          I doubt that you'll find much on Trumps mail server - he doesn't know how to use e-mail.

          Of course he does, he writes beautiful emails, the best emails, they really are incredible!

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Don't buy Assange's story - there has never been any attempt to get him. He's really not important enough, and the US has quickly realised that leaving him to his own devices was far more helpful. There's a saying that you should never remove the shovel from an adversary busy digging a hole for themselves, and Assange was well on his way to Australia by himself..

        1. kartstar

          Seems that some poor shmuck missed the fact that these "devices" you speak of still had an internet connection, and he was able to (arguably?) influence the US election from them.

        2. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          "there has never been any attempt to get him. He's really not important enough,"

          Clinton’s State Department was getting pressure from President Obama and his White House inner circle, as well as heads of state internationally, to try and cutoff Assange’s delivery of the cables and if that effort failed, then to forge a strategy to minimize the administration’s public embarrassment over the contents of the cables. Hence, Clinton’s early morning November meeting of State’s top brass who floated various proposals to stop, slow or spin the Wikileaks contamination. That is when a frustrated Clinton, sources said, at some point blurted out a controversial query.

          “Can’t we just drone this guy?” Clinton openly inquired, offering a simple remedy to silence Assange and smother Wikileaks via a planned military drone strike, according to State Department sources. The statement drew laughter from the room which quickly died off when the Secretary kept talking in a terse manner, sources said. Clinton said Assange, after all, was a relatively soft target, “walking around” freely and thumbing his nose without any fear of reprisals from the United States. Clinton was upset about Assange’s previous 2010 records releases, divulging secret U.S. documents about the war in Afghanistan in July and the war in Iraq just a month earlier in October, sources said. At that time in 2010, Assange was relatively free and not living cloistered in in the embassy of Ecuador in London. Prior to 2010, Assange focused Wikileaks’ efforts on countries outside the United States but now under Clinton and Obama, Assange was hammering America with an unparalleled third sweeping Wikileaks document dump in five months. Clinton was fuming, sources said, as each State Department cable dispatched during the Obama administration was signed by her.

          - Nope, nothing there. No motivation for revenge, or actions taken whatsoever.

          1. John Smith 19 Gold badge
            Unhappy

            "“Can’t we just drone this guy?” Clinton openly inquired, "

            Cite please?

            If true that alone would be a pretty good reason for not having her in the top spot.

          2. anonymous boring coward Silver badge

            "“Can’t we just drone this guy?” Clinton openly inquired"

            Source?

            1. El_Fev

              http://www.snopes.com/julian-assange-drone-strike/

              Unproven so could or could not have been said

              1. anonymous boring coward Silver badge

                "Unproven so could or could not have been said"

                That goes for any statement.

                Given the amount of misinformation and pure fabrication that's all over the internet nowadays, I don't belive in anything.

                Incidentally, I heard that the strained relations between Trump and Hillary are because Trump used to bang her when Bill was away. I can't recall where I heard it though.

              2. Anonymous Coward
                Anonymous Coward

                Balance.

                To further you're opinion you must first give the opposition opinion a good run.

                Snopes.com is just the daily mail hiding behind the internet.

        3. Ian Michael Gumby
          Boffin

          Not quite....

          The only way the US would want Assange is if he actually assisted Manning w the theft.

          Manning has attempted suicide twice... he's cracking. Want to bet he'll cut a deal?

          That's what scares Assange the most.

          Only Assange is trapped.

          He leaves the embassy, the Brits nab him for jumping bail.

          He goes back to Australia. His only hope is that he does this within the first 100 days of Trump's office because Trump will be too busy to worry about Assange.

          If Australia doesn't take away his passport (Something they threatened to do in the past and can legally do it...) Assange could leave Australia and make it harder for the US to go after him.

          1. Scorchio!!
            Thumb Up

            Re: Not quite....

            "Assange is trapped."

            Scorchio's corollary; when no obvious solution can be found, wait for your enemy to put his foot wrong. Julie is cracking too. :->

        4. majorursa

          Based on the number of prejudiced trolls here there is enough interest left for him.

    2. Paul Shirley
      Facepalm

      "tin hat on"

      Full double layer tin hat: leaking Hillary secrets during an election was deliberate provocation of the states and it's expected leader. Provocation that would increase pressure on both the UK and Sweden to not rendition him when he leaves the embassy. Attacking Trump would have the opposite effect of sending the snatch teams in without asking permission.

      Probably the most disappointed man in the world with the Trump win.

    3. macjules

      A neat way to get Assange to travel to the USA and save the cost of extradition, extraordinary or otherwise.

      1) Tell the narcissistic once that President Trump wants to meet him in person, congratulate him and shower him with praises. If he is very lucky he might get a ride in Donald's golden lift.

      2) Assange turns up at JFK in a blaze of publicity

      3) DHS grab him and poor Mr Assange is never heard from again, at least outside of ADMAX.

    4. Mark 85

      ...although recent electoral results suggest he may have won some admirers in the administration too.

      Well, the article writer seems to think so. But if Wikileaks ever dumps anything on Trump, I suspect all hell will break loose.

    5. John Brown (no body) Silver badge

      "Are we saying is that because wikileaks releases favoured the Trump that he will drop the U.S. attempts to get Arseange?"

      What US attempts to get Assange? Got any evidence of that apart from a supposed over emotional rant from H. Clinton?

  3. Dave 126 Silver badge

    Off topic, but...

    What happened to the promised follow-up Reg article with Adam Curtis?

    http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/10/13/adam_curtis_hypernormalisation_preview/

    "Ever generous, Curtis is happy to throw open the floor to Reg readers once you’ve had a chance to see it next week; he answered some of our general questions here."

    (A link to the Reg's first Hypernormalisation article was presented in the column to the right of this Assange article, jogging my memory).

    It's understandable if a commentator on geopolitics has been busy digesting the events of the last month.

    1. phuzz Silver badge
      Pint

      Re: Off topic, but...

      "busy digesting the events of the last month"

      Translation: huddled in the corner alternating between drinking and crying.

    2. saba khan

      Re: Off topic, but...

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  4. james 68

    Wouldn't really surprise me if Trump did make motions to get assange off the hook, just as it would not surprise me if Snowden soon meets with an unfortunate accident.

    1. Dave 126 Silver badge

      https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/nov/10/edward-snowden-extradition-vladimi-putin-trump-russia

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        a sweet deal

        the Baltics for Snowden. Deal done, both sides happy! :/

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: a sweet deal

          The Baltics are a small target. Putin will probably talk Trump into handing Alaska back to "his friend" before the four years are up.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: a sweet deal

            "the Baltics" (I presume you mean the Baltic states) are beautiful countries with nice people.

            Alaska has Sarah Palin.

            He can have Alaska any time, for free.

            1. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: a sweet deal

              Sorry, no offense meant to the Baltic States. I just meant a bigger target in getting one over on Trump and USA. Giving Sarah Palin to Russia as well would be a bit mean though

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      @James

      Snowden is FSB. Or so a friend who's Russian keeps telling me. ;-)

      1. Joe Harrison

        Re: @James

        The Russians think everyone is FSB.

  5. noboard
    Coat

    Surely

    as far as America goes, he can just claim he was keeping the documents on his own private web server for convenience and he'll get off scot free?

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Really?

    Assange's team maintains that they have sought to have the interview take place in the UK since 2010.

    Not according to Swedish law, and however much Wikileaks and St Jules™ think of themselves, they're not important enough to switch Swedish law for. I suspect the only reason it's happening now is because it also negatively affects the rights of the girls involved and they may have found a way to make this happen without creating a loophole for St Jules™ to crawl through.

    WikiLeaks maintains that Assange is still under threat from American persecution because of his activities as a publisher of contributions provided by whistleblowers including Chelsea Manning and Edward Snowden, although recent electoral results suggest he may have won some admirers in the administration too.

    Of course WL will try to maintain that myth, otherwise people would be asking St Jules™ what he is actually worried about instead of this ego-inflating lie. He really isn't important enough - well, OK, maybe he is now after helping to rig an election.

    1. Ben Tasker

      Re: Really?

      > Not according to Swedish law, and however much Wikileaks and St Jules™ think of themselves, they're not important enough to switch Swedish law for.

      I read an interview with Assange, about the Hilary leaks recently. It was good, interesting reading right up until the point the journo asked about this case, at which point it was an easy reminder of what a slimey toerag Assange can be

      For example, "In Sweden I am not charged,". There's no way that Assange isn't acutely aware that Swedish law requires this interview before he can be charged, so whilst it's not technically untrue, it's a rather manipulative statement to make.

      Can't blame the journalist for asking about it, but somewhat ruined an otherwise interesting interview for me.

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