Julian Assange Raising The Ante


Julian Assange Raising The Ante

With Mark O’Brien

Julian Assange recently announced that he will run for a seat for the Australian Senate in the next elections according to an article by Misha Schubert published in the Age, 18/3/2012.

Anxious about the lack of support shown him by the Australian Government in direct opposition to what is widely seen as widespread popular support, this is a very clever move which will enable a virtual referendum to take place whereby the public will be able to show their support with their vote.

If Assange’s appeal to prevent his extradition to Sweden, where his further extradition to the US and then onto Guantanamo Bay are virtually guaranteed, then the election will provide a forum where the Australian people will have their say directly.

Should Assange be successful, and becomes an Australian Senator, it will be virtually impossible for the US to keep him without a major rift in Australian/US relations.

With that in mind we may see some US-funded anti-Assange propaganda appearing in our local media, the Murdoch press in particular.

According to another article by Matthew Da Silva published March 15, 2012, in March 2011 a group of interested Australian Federal MPs, including Malcolm Turnbull, Liberal Andrew Laming, Labor’s Doug Cameron and The Greens’ Sarah Hanson Young, were briefed by one of the lawyers representing Assange in his legal battles in the UK against Swedish extradition attempts.

They were informed of various compromising links and procedural breaches which would most likely terminally damage whatever case against Assange exists.

Clearly the legal case will fall over, so it seems the main purpose of the extradition attempt to face trial in Sweden is to accede to America’s wish to put him on trial in the US on terrorism charges, and from which hole he may never reappear.

Sweden has previously allowed the ‘rendition’ to Eqypt for torture by the US two asylum seekers which were later found innocent and then compensated by Sweden.

If Assange’s appeal to prevent his extradition to Sweden fails, where his further extradition to the US and then onto Guantanamo Bay are virtually guaranteed, then the election will provide a forum where the Australian people will have their say directly.

Should Assange be successful, and becomes an Australian Senator, it will be virtually impossible for the US to keep him without a major rift in Australian/US relations.

With that in mind we may see some US funded anti Assange propaganda appearing in our local media, the Murdoch press in particular.

It seems to be hotting up again for Assange as the appeal against the extradition order comes closer.

Stay tuned to how this challenge to freedom of speech is dealt with by the various parties, including the Australian Government who so far have done little to protect or uphold the rights of a citizen.

Published 19/3/2012

September 2014 and Assange is still holed up in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, and no, he did not run for the senate election in Australia 2013.