Julian Assange: "Geopolitics will be separated into pre and post 'Cablegate"
Saturday the 4th of december. 6.41 pm. Julian Assange seats in front of his computer for a chat interview with EL PAÍS. Interpol is looking for him. His webite is under constant attacks. The 39 year old Australian, and Wikileaks founder, says he has a terrible headache. The last 24 hours were tough.
Q. I read you are taking steps to protect yourselves (you and other people from Wikileaks) after receiving many death threats ¿Where are those death threats coming from?
A. We have hundreds of specific death threats from US military militants. That is not unusual, and we have become practiced from past experiences at ignoring such threats from Islamic extremists, African kleptocrats and so on. Recently the situation has changed with these threats now extending out our lawyers and my children. However it is the specific calls from the elites of US society for our assassination, kidnapping and execution that is more concerning. These range from a US senate bill by John Ensign which seeks to declare us a "transnational threat" to assassination calls from former Bush speech writers such as Marc Thessian in The Washington Post and Bill o'reilly of Fox news.
Q. Your children? How were they threatened?
A. I believe it is better to not encourage these ideas too much by talking about them. However some rightwing sites also called for attacking me via my children. I predicted this might happen since April, so since that time I have had to stay away from my family. Wait a moment. I get you some evidence.
Assange sends a document with a list of all the threats the organization has endured these days. http://filebin.ca/jzzfz/ListPeople_AssangeCriminalized.pdf. There are more. That is some one of our lawyers found.
Q. I guess this one must have been one of the toughest weeks for Wikileaks. How is the organization doing, how many people are helping you with the DDos (electronic attacks)? Do you feel well surrounded to keep strong?
A. The organisation is strong. We have a lot of support, however we also have many attacks of different forms. From ongoing mass DDOS attacks to smears and the legal issues.
Q. How many people help you deal with the DDOS attacks?
A. We have dozens helping and setting up mirror sites but it takes a lot of time for us to manage the process. We are automating that process and will soon have hundreds. If there is a battle between the US military and the preservation of History, we have insured, History will win.
Q. Is this the biggest leak ever? Or the most relevant? Or was it Ellsberg?s with the Pentagon papers?
A. This is the biggest, at over 265 million words and the most relevant - it covers every serious issue in every country-. It is more significant than the Pentagon Papers.
Q. What will be the consequences of this megaleak?
A. It is too early to say yet. The ripples are just starting to flow throughout the world. But I believe geopolitics will be separated into pre and post cablegate phases. Two more questions. I have to go soon I'm afraid...
Q. Speaking to Time magazine you said that Clinton should resign if it can be shown that she was responsible for ordering US diplomatic figures to engage in espionage in the United Nations. Should that be the case, shouldn?t it be Obama the one who should resingn?
A. The whole chain of command who was aware of this order, and approved it, must resign if the US is to be seen to be a credible nation that obeys the rule of law. The order is so serious it may well have been put to the president for approval.
Q. So, should Obama resign, then? And please, allow just five minutes for a couple of questions, if you can, please.
A. Obama must answer what he knew about this illegal order and when. If he refuses to answer or there is evidence he approved of these actions, he must resign.
Q. Is it right that Scotland Yard knows where you are and that you have made yourself available to speak with Swedish authorities, including the prosecutor handling the case?
A...
Q. Hello? Still there?
A. ...
Q. ¿Is it over?
A. Sorry. Internet disconnected momentarily
Q. Will I be able to ask just two extra questions?
A. Ok. make them quick :)
Q. Well, first, the one I asked ¿Is it right that you made yourself available to speak with Swedish authorities? What are you going to do about the case after the Sweedish Supreme court' s denial of your appeal?
A. We will fight them and expose them, naturally. That there is something "wrong" with this case is now obvious to everyone.
Q. Do you plan to stay in a hidden place or are you willing to have your say with the Swedish Justice?
A. Ok. I have to go now.
Q. Please, answer if you intend to stay in a hidden place, if you can.
[The chat is over. Julian?s assistant writes: He?gone. Sorry!]
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