Report: STD Worries Prompted Assange Charges

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange holds a press conference at Park Plaza Hotel Oct. 23, 2010, in London.

/ Getty Images

The two Swedish women who accuse WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange of sexual misconduct didn't initially want to bring charges against him - they were trying to track him down and have him get tested for sexually transmitted diseases, according to a report from Reuters.

The women had separate encounters with Assange, the founder of a group that publishes secret documents on the Internet, in August. Sources in Assange's entourage told Reuters that he had turned off his cellphone and was difficult to reach because he was worried his enemies might try to track him.

Reuters' report suggests that Assange's elusiveness may have worked against him in the Swedish investigation, which might not have resulted in charges if he had taken the women's calls and not left the country when police started investigating the matter.

CBSNews.com Special Report: WikiLeaks

The case has been complicated. Swedish prosecutors initially released an arrest warrant for Assange, but then dropped the rape charge. The women then hired a new attorney who pushed to keep the investigation going and reinstate the rape charge. Assange left the country, and Swedish authorities issued a European arrest warrant. He was arrested Tuesday in the U.K. and denied bail.

So how did it come to this?

People in Assange's inner circle told Reuters that he met Miss A (as identified in court documents) while on a visit to Sweden on behalf of WikiLeaks, and she eventually invited him to stay at her home. While details on Assange's financial situation are murky, he is said to live an austere lifestyle and often spent nights in friend's spare rooms. Assange and Miss A developed a sexual relationship, and the woman said that a condom Assange was wearing broke. Later, friends said the two didn't seem to be hostile towards one another.

The second woman, identified as Miss W, became obsessed with Assange after hearing him speak, according to a story published in London's Daily Mail. He eventually agreed to stay at her place. Details are unclear - but at some point, Assange had sex with Miss W without a condom, who became increasingly worried that he might have given her an STD.

While trying to locate Assange to ask him to get tested for STDs, Miss W met Miss A. They eventually got in touch with him, but after being frustrated by his response, Miss W wanted to take her story to the police although she initially didn't want him to be prosecuted. Miss A went with her for moral support.

Prosecutors decided to press charges after reading the women's accounts.

Assange thinks the charges are part of a "dirty tricks" campaign against WikiLeaks. He has insisted that he had "never, whether in Sweden or in any other country, had sex with anyone in a way that is not founded on mutual consent."

[mcdanel_1771]

I've read this article very carefully. Remorse over unprotected sex is not rape. I thought one of these "victims" was supposed to be a child, but these are obviously adult women with their own homes. I have mixed feelings about Mr. Assange and Wikileaks, but these charges are pathetic.

[pozloves]

Living with STD was a hard life to many people. When I found this site STDpal.com (my favorite STD dating site)I was once again hopeful, but skeptical, and can't believe how much having this place to go would mean so much to me.

[silvalgal]

The STD concerns of the two Swedish groupies should do wonders for condom and other STD product sales.

[silvalgal]

The rape of Assange is a cabal. These two Swedish groupies are not that stupid. This story gets stranger and more unbelievable by the hour: at this point it's a scary farce.

[silvalgal]

Give Sweden and all things Swedish wide berth, people - they have made a mockery of the law and human rights. Sweden, of all places.

[silvalgal]

Franz Kafka, Arthur Koestler, George Orwell, Alexander Solzhenitsyn and others warned us about this a long time ago. The 'rape of Assange' is just the beginning of the new global police state, citizens; wake up. Interpol gets involved because two, clever, Swedish consenting adults had promiscuous sex with Assange on their first meeting? Can you imagine if women all over the world did this? The courts would be clogged and unable to function. Is Julian Assange himself worried about STDs? One concludes that men have reduced rights in Sweden. This story never made sense. Where's the rule of law? Where are Mr. Assange's rights?

[rightbehind]

Pure Innuendo, These woman were prostitutes. Kind of odd they were able to target this one guy out of all their customers. Think about it. If a total stranger came up to you, could you identify any diseases they may or may not have had?? The charges are bogus.

[JRC_903]

Well--one bit of good news for him: He apparently likes women.. at least for a "little while" at least. But his need for personal security may have caused him to appear to be not quite as transparent as he claims everyone else should be. Funny how that works.. be it a country or a person--- they all do things to keep their goings on private.... as it should be.

[dantt-2009]

Next time wear a condom, particularly in places like Sweden where many of their women have a lot of miles in them

[gilmomuff]

Finding a couple of women, pute$ or other$, to testify
about anything has been done numerous times before,
and the accusers are at the moment producing a putride
odour of injustice, coming from a pure and "Nobel" land...

That IS dynamite !

Grrrrr