print:WikiLeaks' Julian Assange loses High Court bid to block extradition to Sweden over sex crime allegations

Editorial comment: Let’s not be fooled by this mass-media-supported brouhaha about Julian Assange and his heinous ‘crimes’ with sex-hungry and easily impressed and willing Swedish 30-year old women, friends of his, who had invited him to their homes. It is a totally spurious story about rape and ‘sexual coercion’ with more than willing young ladies, first blown up by the scandal-hungry Swedish tabloid Expressen. It seems likely that the one thing that’s a fact in their stories is the broken condom incident. Sweden seems to be the one country that considers such an accident a punishable malfeasance, but certainly not a crime that would convict anyone to a prison sentence, possibly a fine of at most about $715 (5000 kronor).

“Assange’s London attorney, Mark Stephens, told AOL News today that Swedish prosecutors told him that Assange is wanted not for allegations of rape, as previously reported, but for something called “sex by surprise,” which he said involves a fine of 5,000 kronor or about $715.”

...

“In the case of [Anna] Ardin it is clear that she has thrown a party in Assange’s honour at her flat after the “crime” and tweeted to her followers that she is with the “the world’s coolest smartest people, it’s amazing!”.

...

“But it is pretty clear that Marianne Ny [Director of Public Prosecution] is not acting for the law in Sweden – she is using the law and the Interpol process on the flimsiest pretext. It is clear that you can’t call this rape despite what the prosecutors in Sweden say and [which] has been blasted all over the US media.” (The Standard, New Zealand) - SON

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His lawyers had asked judges to rule his extradition would be 'unfair and unlawful'
No sign of his celebrity supporters Jemima Khan and Ken Loach
Assange will now be able to take the case to the Supreme Court to appeal the decision

WikiLeaks' founder Julian Assange has lost his High Court bid to block extradition to Sweden where he faces sex crime allegations.

Two judges rejected claims that extraditing the 40-year-old Australian would be 'unfair and unlawful'.

The Swedish authorities want Assange, a 40-year-old Australian, to answer accusations of 'raping' one woman and 'sexually molesting and coercing' another in Stockholm in August last year.

Lost: WikiLeaks' founder Julian Assange has lost his High Court bid to block extradition to Sweden where he faces sex crime allegations. He is pictured arriving at the High Court this morning

Today, the High Court upheld a ruling by District Judge Howard Riddle at Belmarsh Magistrates' Court, south London, in February that the computer expert should be extradited to face investigation.

The founder of WikiLeaks Julian Assange, centre, arrives for his extradition hearing at the High Court in London

Assange, whose WikiLeaks website published a mass of leaked diplomatic cables that embarrassed several governments and international businesses, denies the allegations and says they are politically motivated.Assange's supporters gathered outside the High Court in London today awaiting his arrival.

But, there was no sign of his famous celebrity friends, including socialite Jemima Khan and film-maker Ken Loach, who publicly contributed £20,000 towards his £200,000 bail when he was arrested in December last year.

Celebrity support: Jemima Khan contributed to Mr Assange's £200,000 bail and was photographed supporting him in February

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Celebrity supporters who turned up to support Assange in February including left, Jemima Khan and Tony Benn

and right, Bianca Jagger, a social and human rights advocate, but they did not show up today

A supporter of the WikiLeaks founder holds a placard outside The High Court. Supporters were not hopeful for good news but pledged to continue to back the Australian

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Dressed in a sharp, navy blue suit and wearing a Remembrance Day poppy, the world's most famous whistleblower was mobbed as he approached the court building and police had to redirect him away from the crowd.

Assange nodded and smiled at his supporters, who broke into a round of applause as he passed.

Fixed to the iron railings of the court were banners reading 'Free Assange! Free Manning! End the wars'.

However, the judges ruled that the issuing of the European arrest warrant (EAW) that led to Assange's arrest and all subsequent proceedings to achieve extradition were 'proportionate'.

They dismissed Assange's argument that the warrant was invalid because it had been issued by a prosecutor, and not a 'judicial authority'.

The judges held the action of the prosecutor was subject to the independent scrutiny of Swedish judges, 'which, as judges of another (EU) member state, we must respect'.

The court also rejected Assange's assertion that the descriptions of the offences were not a fair and accurate description of the conduct alleged against him.

Bradley Manning is the detained American soldier alleged to have leaked hundreds of thousands of US diplomatic cables to WikiLeaks.

The judges said that any application by Assange to appeal to the Supreme Court would be decided at a further hearing at a date to be fixed.

Assange showed no emotion and made notes while President of the Queen's Bench Division, Sir John Thomas, read out a summary of the court's reasons for its ruling.

The Assange legal challenge, which has attracted worldwide attention, centred on a European arrest warrant (EAW) issued by a Swedish prosecutor which led to Assange's arrest in December last year.

His QC, Ben Emmerson, argued at a two-day hearing in July that the prosecutor was not a 'judicial authority' entitled to issue the EAW.

The warrant had also contained 'fundamental misstatements' of what occurred in Stockholm last August while Assange was in Sweden to give a lecture, said the QC.

One of Assange's supporters who did turn up was journalist John Pilger who is pictured talking to reporters outside the High Court

Assange's encounters with the two women involved consensual sex and would not be considered crimes in England, he said.

The EAW was misleading in its accusations that he had used violence or 'acted in a manner to violate sexual integrity', said Mr Emmerson.

These 'mis-descriptions' were at odds with descriptions given by the women themselves about what had occurred.

Supporters outside the court said they were 'outraged' by the judges' decision.

Susan Gianstefani, 44, held a sign asking: 'Why are we persecuting the innocent?'

The Australian Christian worker, who had come from south London with her husband to show her support, said: 'I think he's a hero for truth and exposing corruption.

'I think they're out to get him - the system in general and, I think, the US and Australian governments.

'He's made a lot of enemies in high places.'

Ciaron O'Reilly, 51, said: 'We've got to stop the war and free Assange and Bradley Manning.

'Assange is probably the most amazing person in recent history who's upset so many powerful people in such a short space of time so it's obviously not a level playing field.'

His fans declared they would continue to give Assange their full support.

Still conspicuous: Mr Assange was given a caution for wearing a mask at the Occupy London demonstration earlier this month

Assange burst into the public consciousness in April 2010 when WikiLeaks released Collateral Murder - video footage of a US air crew shooting Iraqi civilians in 2007.

The whistleblower website, which claimed a database of 1.2 million documents within a year of its 2006 launch, regularly hit the headlines in 2010 with a series of leaks.

The US Embassy cables, Afghanistan war logs and Iraq war logs, which were drip-fed to the media in 2010, helped raise the profile of Assange.

Assange always claimed that the allegations against him were politically motivated and linked to the activities of the whistleblower website.

He recently revealed that the site is at risk of closure and is suspending its publishing operations to concentrate on fighting a financial blockade and raising new funds.

The stricken website is running on cash reserves after an 'arbitrary and unlawful financial blockade' was imposed by Bank of America, Visa, MasterCard, PayPal and Western union last December, said Assange.

Source: Daily Mail Online