Breaking: British Court Frees Founder of WikiLeaks on Bail

[Mira]

Breaking News Alert
The New York Times
Tue, December 14, 2010 -- 10:43 AM ET
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British Court Frees Founder of WikiLeaks on Bail

Julian Assange, the founder of the WikiLeaks anti-secrecy
group, was granted bail by a British court on Tuesday after a
week in detention. Mr. Assange, who faces possible
extradition to Sweden for questioning about alleged sex
offenses, was freed on $310,000 bail until the next hearing
in his case, set for Jan. 11.

Mr. Assange's case has generated enormous international
interest, with critics vilifying him over the tens of
thousands of confidential military and diplomatic documents
his organization has made public, while supporters depict him
as a hero and martyr. The Obama administration is considering
whether to try prosecuting him in the United States over the
leaked documents. But the criminal investigation in Sweden is
rooted in allegations of personal behavior that have nothing
directly to do with WikiLeaks's activities.

Read More:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/15/world/europe/15assange.html?emc=na

[madokie]

1. He's my hero btw

Anyone who will put his/her self interest second to doing what is right to me is one hell of a dude/gal.
rec

[stray cat]

3. What is in his best interest? If he stopped he would no longer be a public figure

[Very_Boring_Name]

4. I don't like Assange as an individual

I like what wikileaks is doing, but he's only their spokesperson. He seems like he's in this for himself, for the attention, and even the people who work with him say that he's a megalomaniac.

[Divernan]

2. Assange: " My convictions are unfaltering. I remain true to ideas I've always expressed."

From NY Times link above: Judge Howard Riddle ordered that Mr. Assange appear again in court on Jan. 11. He also said that, between then and now he must reside at Ellingham Hall, a Georgian mansion in Bungay, eastern England, owned by Vaughan Smith, the founder of the Frontline Club, which is used mainly by journalists. Mr. Assange must spend every night at the mansion and will be electronically tagged so that police can track his movements, the judge said.

Additionally, he will be under curfew between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. and between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. every day and will be required to report daily to the police between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.. His passport is already with the police and, under the terms of his bail, he is not permitted to try to travel abroad.


The case has generated enormous international interest with figures in the Obama administration weighing whether to prosecute him, critics vilifying him and supporters depicting him as a hero and martyr. Crowds of media crews and reporters built up around the court near Parliament early on Tuesday, mingling with Mr. Assange’s followers.

An Australian newspaper, the Sunshine Coast News, reported on Tuesday that his mother, Christine Assange, had flown to London to be with him. In a 10-minute telephone conversation with his mother, the newspaper said, Mr. Assange declared: “My convictions are unfaltering. I remain true to the ideals I have always expressed. These circumstances shall not shake them. If anything, this process has increased my determination that they are true and correct.” Mrs. Assange was among around 100 people — mainly lawyers and journalists — crammed into Court No. 1 at City of Westminster Magistrates Court for her son’s arrival. Mr. Assange arrived in the court building several hours before the afternoon hearing, according to reporters at the court house.