Adding an interesting twist to the ongoing (and recently escalating)WikiLeaks saga, the site’s founder, Julian Assange, has agreed to meet with UK police regarding allegations of sexual assault in Sweden and a pursuant extradition warrant.Assange was added to Interpol’s wanted list last week; Sweden had issued an arrest warrant based on accusations of sexual assaultmade by two Swedish women. Assange has been calling these accusions a smear campaign.
The WikiLeaks founder is calling for supporters to contribute to his bail fund; he will need between £100,000 and £200,000. The exact amount is to be negotiated in court today.
Various governments and corporations have been putting some pressure on WikiLeaks
and Assange in the past several weeks. The site’s DNS service, web servers and even bank accounts have all been shuffled around as high-profile entities such as Amazon, MasterCard and Paypal refused to work with WikiLeaks.
and Assange in the past several weeks. The site’s DNS service, web servers and even bank accounts have all been shuffled around as high-profile entities such as Amazon, MasterCard and Paypal refused to work with WikiLeaks.The site’s whistleblower mission has also been under particular scrutiny since its recent release of more than 250,000 cables to and from U.S. embassies and diplomats, some of which expose the names of active operatives in secret and critical situations.
Assange has said he believes the United States is behind the arrest warrant and extradition attempt; indeed, many U.S. politicians have not had kind words for Assange in recent days. Several conservatives, includingSarah Palin and Mike Huckabee, have even said he should be assassinated or executed.
We’ll continue to follow WikiLeaks news as it unfolds, but at this point, even we’re wondering if the level of vitriol coming from U.S. politicians is enough to make Assange feel safer in the custody of police than on the street
