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Assange vows to publish more leaks despite indictment threat
Source: Agencies |
December 18, 2010, Saturday
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THE founder of WikiLeaks said yesterday he fears that the United States is getting ready to indict him, but insisted that the secret-spilling site would continue its work despite what he has called a dirty tricks campaign.
Assange spoke from Ellingham Hall, a supporter's 10-bedroom country mansion, where he is confined on bail as he fights Sweden's attempt to extradite him on allegations of rape and molestation.
He insisted to television interviewers that he was being subjected to a smear campaign and "what appears to be a secret grand jury investigation against me or our organization."
Assange did not elaborate, but said he had retained an unnamed US law firm to represent him.
Assange has repeatedly voiced concerns that American authorities were getting ready to press charges over WikiLeaks' continuing release of some 250,000 secret State Department cables, which have angered and embarrassed US officials worldwide.
US officials are investigating WikiLeaks and considering charges against Assange, a case that if pursued could end up pitting the government's efforts to protect sensitive information against press and speech freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment. The government suspects WikiLeaks received the documents from an army private, Bradley Manning, who is facing charges of leaking other classified documents to the organization.
A High Court judge freed Assange on bail on Thursday on condition he stays at the 600-acre estate in eastern England, wears an electronic tag and reports to police in person daily.
Assange appeared to come close yesterday to acknowledging that Manning was one of his sources, calling him "a young man somehow embroiled in our publishing activities."
"We can see that he's the only person, only one of our military sources, who has been accused," he said when questioned further by reporters.
But Assange appeared to be citing media accounts of Manning's links to WikiLeaks, rather than his own -knowledge. In an interview yesterday on ABC's "Good Morning America," Assange said that he had never even heard Manning's name until the press began reporting it.
Although Assange promised to focus on clearing his name, he said his first priority was to his work - which he said would continue at a faster pace now that he was back in charge.
"Now that I am back to assist the directing of our ship, our work will proceed in a faster manner," he said in an interview with the BBC late on Thursday.
Assange spoke from Ellingham Hall, a supporter's 10-bedroom country mansion, where he is confined on bail as he fights Sweden's attempt to extradite him on allegations of rape and molestation.
He insisted to television interviewers that he was being subjected to a smear campaign and "what appears to be a secret grand jury investigation against me or our organization."
Assange did not elaborate, but said he had retained an unnamed US law firm to represent him.
Assange has repeatedly voiced concerns that American authorities were getting ready to press charges over WikiLeaks' continuing release of some 250,000 secret State Department cables, which have angered and embarrassed US officials worldwide.
US officials are investigating WikiLeaks and considering charges against Assange, a case that if pursued could end up pitting the government's efforts to protect sensitive information against press and speech freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment. The government suspects WikiLeaks received the documents from an army private, Bradley Manning, who is facing charges of leaking other classified documents to the organization.
A High Court judge freed Assange on bail on Thursday on condition he stays at the 600-acre estate in eastern England, wears an electronic tag and reports to police in person daily.
Assange appeared to come close yesterday to acknowledging that Manning was one of his sources, calling him "a young man somehow embroiled in our publishing activities."
"We can see that he's the only person, only one of our military sources, who has been accused," he said when questioned further by reporters.
But Assange appeared to be citing media accounts of Manning's links to WikiLeaks, rather than his own -knowledge. In an interview yesterday on ABC's "Good Morning America," Assange said that he had never even heard Manning's name until the press began reporting it.
Although Assange promised to focus on clearing his name, he said his first priority was to his work - which he said would continue at a faster pace now that he was back in charge.
"Now that I am back to assist the directing of our ship, our work will proceed in a faster manner," he said in an interview with the BBC late on Thursday.
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