It was “sheer fantasy” that Julian Assange was in danger of being extradited from Sweden to the United States, Bob Carr declared in February. If anything, it was even less likely Assange could be extradited from Sweden than the United Kingdom.
Last night Swedish justice Stefan Lindskog — engaging in the highly unusual step of discussing publicly, and in detail, a case that might yet come before the Swedish justice system — described the case against Assange as “a mess” and, contrary to some media reports today, admitted the possibility that Assange might be extradited. Lindskog, perhaps purposefully hedging his bets on the issue of extradition, suggested it may be difficult for Assange to be legally extradited to the US under Swedish restrictions on extradition, but conceded Sweden had previously illegally rendered people to America.
In 2001 two Egyptian nationals, Ahmed Agiza and Muhammad al-Zery, were handed by the Swedish government to the CIA and transported to Egypt, where they were tortured. The current Swedish ambassador to Australia, Sven-Olof Petersson, knew of the rendition at the time as a Swedish foreign affairs officer. Lindskog last night expressed the hope that the Swedish government wouldn’t act illegally in that manner again.
Carr’s cavalier dismissal of the threat to Assange is consistent with his insouciant approach to the case. Carr has persistently denied there is a US investigation underway into Assange, despite the fact that as recently as last week a Department of Justice spokesman confirmed a WikiLeaks grand jury investigation is continuing.
The allegations made against Assange in Sweden are serious, and deserve to be resolved. But they should not be the pretext for yet another US government assault on whistleblowers and online activists — people it has persistently subjected to exemplary punishment and ongoing persecution. But the response of Carr, and the Gillard government, has been to turn its back.
Claims in Sweden are not serious, they are a beat up.
Other than that though the abuse of Assange is deranged.
For confirmation of rumours the US is after Assange simply look to Gillard’s and Carr’s sustained official denials.
Only a fool would trust the U.S.; Australia; and Sweden.
And I hope Victorian voters send the right message to Sweden, the US, and the UK, by voting Assange into the Australian Senate come September. I love the thought of Senator Bob Carr and Julian Assange eyeballing each other across the Senate Chamber. I hope enough Victorian voters will think so too.
Of all Gillard’s appalling judgements, surely the disinterring of usedCarr was the worst yet? That he has no principle is beyond dispute, that he is a slavish sycophant willing to kow-tow to the Hegemon is demonstrated daily and that he is so gutless as to be unable to even express an opinion of the Krudd Kweschun is evidenced by his continuing absence off-shore, invoking the Chatham House rule.
On Assange, the entire government, plus HM’s disLoyal Opposition simply ask the Septics “How high? Or how low?”