London (CNN) — WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is “in the process of making arrangements” to meet with British police regarding a Swedish arrest warrant, his attorney said Monday.
Assange is wanted for questioning by Swedish authorities over sex-crime allegations unrelated to WikiLeaks’ recent disclosure of secret U.S. documents. Mark Stephens, his British lawyer, told the BBC no time had been set for the meeting as of Monday evening, but one is likely “in the foreseeable future.”
“We are in the process of making arrangements to meet with the police by consent in order to facilitate the taking of that question-and-answer as needed,” Stephens told the BBC.
Thanks for the podcast, good to hear Stephens realism and also the input of Jonsdottir…. very interesting!
Should anyone like to hear him here is the podcast of an interview broadcast this morning in Toronto, featuring the lawyer Mark Stephens, along with Birgitta Jonsdottir, a former member of WL.
http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/episode/2010/12/06/dec-610—pt-1-julian-assange/
heh. sweeeeeet.
http://www.businessinsider.com/the-bank-that-froze-julian-assanges-bank-account-has-now-been-taken-down-by-hackers-2010-12
Payback: Bank That Froze Julian Assange’s Bank Account Has Now Been Taken Down By Hackers
Joe Weisenthal | Dec. 6, 2010, 5:11 PM | 56,670 |
It’s war!
Earlier today we noted how the Swiss bank Switzerland Post Finance (a bank associated with the Swiss post office) had frozen Julian Assange’s bank account for his defense fund.
Well, payback.
As NYT reports, their site has now been taken offline, and a group calling itself Operation Payback on Twitter claims credit for the DDOS.
Click here for more on the tension between Assange and banks >
Follow Clusterstock on Twitter >
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/the-bank-that-froze-julian-assanges-bank-account-has-now-been-taken-down-by-hackers-2010-12#ixzz17OT2Hgkv
There…well, OK – so a google will quickly show the man who’s representing Assange – to anyone who’s interested.
Weird, Merc must be treading water — this wont post – for the fourth try:
Mark Stephens seems like “the right” lawyer….tried to post Wiki but let’s see if this will post with no URL.
An interview from not so long ago:
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/julian_assange_why_the_world_needs_wikileaks.html
And, now his lawyer is quoted to say that there are no plans as yet for Assange to go to court:
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/wikileaks-julian-assange-to-negotiate-bail-in-uk-courtroom-today/story-fn3dxity-1225966809690
WIKILEAKS founder Julian Assange was expected to appear in a UK courtroom today to negotiate bail after first meeting with police, a newspaper reported, but his lawyer later said the report was “incorrect”.
“I haven’t arranged any court hearing for tomorrow. I’m still in the midst of my discussions about how this is going to work. Nothing has been agreed definitively,” lawyer Mark Stephens told Fox News.
“There is discussion of meeting up with police but we haven’t got to that point yet. Schedules have to be worked out. Their team has to be ready and we have to be ready. They have ten days to act on this warrant so there is time.”
Earlier today, Mr Stephens said he and his 39-year-old client were in the process of arranging a session with police to discuss a European extradition warrant from Sweden relating to alleged sexual assaults.
“Late this afternoon after close of business I got a call from the police, who said that they had received an extradition request from Sweden,” Mr Stephens told the BBC.
“Their request is to interview Julian Assange – he’s not been charged with anything – and we are in the process of making arrangements to meet with the police by consent in order to facilitate the taking of that question and answer.”
The Guardian reported that Assange will likely appear before a court to negotiate a bail agreement in the neighbourhood of £100,000 to £200,000 ($156,700 to $313,200). It said a full hearing of his extradition case would have to be heard within 28 days.
Eric, thank you for keeping the blog so scrupulously updated on this crucial story. I will be very interested to learn the outcomes of Assange’s appeal for surety and assistance. I understand one can still send funds as a donation via instructions on, what is it now, wikileaks.ch? Via snail mail, presumably, but I imagine it would be welcome at this stage.
May whatever god/goddess there be bless all who seek to reveal truth and make good change in our sore world.
From The Guardian, tonight
9.39 pm: Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, is expected to appear in a UK court tomorrow after his lawyers said he would meet police to discuss a European extradition warrant from Sweden relating to alleged sexual assaults, Owen Bowcott reports.
Assange is seeking supporters to put up surety and bail for him. He said he expected to have to post bail of between £100,000 and £200,000 and would require up to six people offering surety, or risked being held on remand.
Once he turns himself into the police he will have to appear before a magistrates court within 24 hours, where he will seek release on bail. A full hearing of his extradition case would have to be heard within 28 days.
Read here the Guardian’s splash on the news that Assange is expected to be questioned by British police.
That’s it from our live blog tonight. We’ll be following developments live tomorrow morning.