by sgt_doom
on Tue, 12/14/2010 - 14:41
#805674
THE PEOPLE’S BRIEF ON JULIAN ASSANGE AND THE SWEDISH SECURITY STATE
Now, everyone is claiming Assange broke the law, yet it was only a short time ago those rather flimsy charges were brought against him, so allow us to review each and every actual law which was broken in Sweden, Switzerland and Europe leading up to this day.
First, in direct violation of Sweden's secrecy laws, prosecutor Maria Kjellstrand confirmed details of the case to rightwing tabloids when they called her. (Maria Kjellstrand's husband works in the office of the Justice Minister, Beatrice Ask, by the way.)
Next, we see that Chief Prosecutor Eva Finnes, who was brought in to oversee the other prosecutors, threw out the case on a number of grounds: the two women had gotten together to compare notes (corruption of "evidence") and get their stories lined up, prior to going to the police to seek "advice" -- ostensibly such advice-seeking was supposed to grant them immunity from the possibility of being charged with falsely reporting a crime -- yet on close examination of Swedish legal codes they can still be charged with this; also, the two women were witnessed as being friendly with Assange after their supposed "molestations."
(At this point one might be forgiven for assuming this was some type of social mix-up, which various governments quickly took advantage of -- excepting, the first and older accuser, Anna Ardin, was the volunteer who made the various arrangements for Assange's visit to Sweden, which he left for after coming under surveillance in Iceland where, given the low-lying urban architecture, it is very difficult to carry out even a moderately successful surveillance and her prior connections to rightwing anti-Castro groups as well as having worked for one of the Bonnier family's publications -- the Bonnier family being owner of record of the first rightwing tabloid to break the "leaked" story. [Some Swedes claim that this tabloid, Expressen, isn't rightwing; simply anti-leftwing.]
Typically in these situations, where someone from a shoestring-budgeted volunteer operation relies upon another foreign volunteer -- that is the typical SOP or modus operandi of the intel subversion operation (check with any environmental or activist group and you'll find they've experienced this situation in one form or another).)
Then, after much pressure from the Justice Minister, Beatrice Ask, the case is reopened.
Once again, person or persons unknown from the Swedish Prosecution Authority leak details of Assange's file and case to the tabloids -- in violation of Swedish secrecy laws which are supposed to protect the accused prior to trial.
Next, we find Assange and his attorneys repeatedly approaching the Swedish Prosecution Authority to notify them of their availability to be questioned, yet each and every attempt is rebuffed over a forty-one day period! Finally, Assange asks for and is granted permission to leave Sweden --- a most unusual action, given the supposed weighty circumstances of his "crime" --- of course we find out later that the reason for that lengthy wait and allowance to leave Sweden is because no magistrate wishes to take this farce of a flimsy case.
Once in the United Kingdom, again Assange and his attorneys contact the Swedish Prosecution Authority about setting up a video call -- something which the Swedish Prosecution Authority HAS done in the past -- but are again rebuffed.
At this point, one of the accusers, Anna Ardin (the other being Sofia Wilen) leaves or flees to Israel or Gaza, ostensibly to do some charitable work, but curious given the nature of her status as a witness and one of the accusers. (If they seem so suddenly obsessed with returning Assange to face his accusers, it might make some sense, legally speaking, to have his accusers actually at hand!!!)
While the warrant is being sought from Interpol, the Swedish Ministry of Justice rushes into being a law titled: "Sex by surprise" with which they hope to prosecute Assange.
Now while all this is taking place, it is interesting to note that an accused murderer in Stockholm is allowed out on bail, and some suspicious circumstances will shortly take place surrounding a suicide bomber.
But prior to discussing that it should be pointed out that the law firm representing the accused is a high-priced one staffed by two partners, one Claes Borgstrom and his sidekick, the former Minister of Justice (only recently having resigned from that position), Thomas Bodstrom. Also of interest, a former advisor and co-cabinet member of Bodstrom's is Par Nuder, recently appointed a director at Madeleine Albright's Albright Stonebridge Group, which was formed from the merger of the Stonebridge Group (whence came an Obama appointee and campaign manager, Roger Altman, formerly of Evercore Partners and Peter G. Peterson's private equity leveraged buyout giant, the Blackstone Group) and Rahm Emanuel's assistant chief of staff, Mona Sutphen.
It should also be noted that the Stonebridge Group had a strategic partnership with the neocon lobbyist firm, the Civitas Group (made up of those delightful people in their Brooks Brothers suits who invaded and disrupted that famous vote recount down in Florida in the 2000 presidential election!).
Interesting background on Bodstrom, a member of Claes Borgstrom’s law firm representing the two accusers of Wikileaks' Assange, and Bodstrom’s buddy Par Nuder.
From a blog article concerning another AP article rather reminiscent of America's warrantless wiretapping events:
Thursday, June 19, 2008ASSOCIATED PRESS STORY GETS FRA ACT ALL WRONG
The FRA Act is getting some attention in an Associated Press story. Since the AP will define how this piece of legislation is presented in the American media it is important to correct the mistakes and omissions in the story.
STOCKHOLM, Sweden - Sweden's Parliament narrowly approved a contentious law Wednesday that gives authorities sweeping powers to eavesdrop on all e-mail and telephone traffic that crosses the Nordic nation's borders. The right-leaning government's slim majority helped secure 143-138 approval, despite strong opposition from left-leaning parties led by Social Democrats.
What the story leaves out is that the law was originally conceived by the socialist prime minister Goran Persson back in 1995 after he had given an infamous speech, saying that "we shall all speak well of our country" and "I will personally stigmatize anyone who criticizes our country abroad". A pretty stark statement coming from a Western European prime minister. It is, unfortunately, indicative of what kind of politician Mr. Persson was. And he held on to his belief that it was somehow within his jurisdiction - his right, in fact - as a prime minister to spy on his citizens. So in 2004 his closest henchman, Par Nuder, and minister of justice, Thomas Bodstrom, finally wrote a law that allowed the government to use computer technology for unlimited surveillance of the population. (By that time computer technology had advanced to a level where they felt comfortable implementing a system of this type.) The center-right government has taken the idea and run with it, not realizing that they are carrying the water for the socialists who now will win the 2010 election based on their no to this law - a law that they will then keep in place and use against the very politicians who made it the law of the land.
http://expatswedereport.blogspot.com/20 ... w-all.html
Now if all that isn't strange enough, we have PayPal, in direct violation of national, international and cash transfer laws (not to mention something called the WTO Financial Services Agreement, I believe), freezing, or effectively stealing, Wikileaks money, although absolutely NO court orders, nor any legal documentation, had bee issued to do such.
The PayPal CEO will later claim it was due to pressure from the US State Department --- something supposed to be illegal in the USA, according to the last time I checked. Now some might say that Wikileaks had violated PayPal's policy, but when that took place no charge had yet been made against Assange, nor has one so far gone through any legal system convicting Assange of anything, nor does PayPay have any history of doing anything remotely similar against any and all money launderers, criminal activities, etc., utilizing their services.
Around the same timeframe, a Swiss bank also freezes, or effectively steals, the Wikileaks' account -- claiming that the street address given their PostFinance bank (within the Swiss post office, and normally used by travellers, immigrants, etc.) was a phoney address, but it was indeed Assange's residential address he was then staying at -- a normally accepted procedure -- and an obvious subterfuge by the Swiss bankster. This is in direct violation of Swiss banking laws, and Euro Union laws, which is why an Icelandic company is in the process of suing them, if the latest news stories I've read are correct.
So we have PayPal, and the Swiss bank, freezing over 100,000 Euros of Wikileaks operating monies.
Of course, there are others who also make life as difficult as possible, even though no charges have been actually leveled, nor any conviction obtained, of course: Tableau Software, of Seattle, WA, USA, who pulls their software license, making the efficient storing of the cables' content more difficult and time-consuming; Amazon (also headquartered in Seattle, WA) pulls their servers from Wikileaks' use, and several other private firms follow suit.
While the aforesaid is occurring, the several Wikileaks' sites are being hammered with denial-of-service attacks by criminals who appear to be tracked back to the US government, curiously enough -- again in violation of existing national and international law, as no charges, nor legal documentation has been filed in this matter.
So, we have a lengthy string of lawbreaking, crimes and criminal activities all directed illegally and unlawfully at Julian Assange and the international Wikileaks' operation, yet when online protesters around the world strike back, THEY are labelled criminal.
Curiously, as almost similar as the surveillance law passed involving Bodstrom and Nuder, is a suicide bomber attack, horrendous yet conveniently knocking much public discussion of Wikileaks off the news; but there are some interesting circumstances surrounding it:
http://www.thelocal.se/30794/20101212/
Military staffer knew about attacks: report
"A Swedish Armed Forces (Försvarsmakten) employee warned an acquaintance to stay clear of an area in central Stockholm on Saturday where, several hours later, two explosions went off in what is being called a terrorist attack."
.......
(To review the connections: prosecutor Maria Kjellstrand’s husband works for Justice Minister, Beatrice Ask, who replaced Thomas Bodstrom in that position, and Bodstrom went to work with Claes Borgstrom at his law firm which quickly volunteered to represent accusers Anna Ardin and Sofia Wilen against Assange, and Borgstrom is a friend of the prosecutor-in-charge, Marianne Ny, and Par Nuder is a close confident of Thomas Bodstrom.)
Strange, it is almost like living in an alternate universe where Sweden almost mirrors America?????
http://www.zerohedge.com/article/guest- ... ent-805674
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boom!
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