WikiLeaks' Assange Being Persecuted, Lawyer Says

The lawyer for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange charged Wednesday that his client is being persecuted by Swedish authorities whose accusations of sex crimes have prompted an Interpol alert for his arrest.

Swedish officials say they issued the international alert because the 39-year-old Australian has not made himself available for a meeting with prosecutors. Assange's lawyer, Mark Stephens, said that Swedish officials have turned down repeated offers to speak to Assange.

CBSNews.com Special Report: WikiLeaks

Assange's secret-spilling group has leaked a series of confidential U.S. intelligence and diplomatic reports this year, including the disclosure earlier this week of hundreds of classified State Department cables. U.S. officials have reacted with outrage, with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton accusing WikiLeaks of acting illegally and promising "aggressive steps to hold responsible those who stole this information."

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Clinton said she discussed the leak with her colleagues at a security summit in Kazakhstan and the revelations will not hurt American diplomacy. The leaks include unflattering descriptions of some foreign leaders and requests for U.S. diplomats to gather personal information on others. They have revealed Western concerns that Islamist militants might get access to Pakistan's nuclear material and American skepticism that Islamabad will sever ties to Taliban factions fighting in Afghanistan. They also showed U.S. doubts over the abilities of Pakistan's weak, unpopular civilian government

"I have certainly raised the issue of the leaks in order to assure our colleagues that it will not in any way interfere with American diplomacy or our commitment to continuing important work that is ongoing," Clinton said. "I have not any had any concerns expressed about whether any nation will not continue to work with and discuss matters of importance to us both going forward."

Several officials at the summit echoed her comments.

Assange is wanted on suspicion of rape, sexual molestation and unlawful coercion. The exact nature of the allegations aren't completely clear because formal charges have not been filed.

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The former computer hacker's exact whereabouts remain unknown, although he has conducted online interviews with some media organizations.

Assange told Time magazine that Clinton should resign "if it can be shown that she was responsible for ordering U.S. diplomatic figures to engage in espionage in the United Nations" in violation of international agreements.

The White House said his statements "are both ridiculous and absurd" and U.S. diplomats do not engage in spying.

Assange's lawyer, Stephens, who also represents The Associated Press, said his London law firm was investigating whether the Swedish case was linked to U.S. promises to prosecute those behind the leaks.

Stephens complained that Assange has yet to receive formal notice of the allegations he faces - which he described as a legal requirement under European law.

The lawyer was scathing in his condemnation of Sweden's Director of Public Prosecution Marianne Ny, saying he'd never come across a prosecutor who has "such casual disregard" for her obligations.

"Given that Sweden is a civilized country, I am reluctantly forced to conclude that this is a persecution and not a prosecution," Stephens wrote in an e-mail.

Stephens has previously said that the allegations were made after Assange had consensual sex with two women who turned on him after becoming aware of each other's relationships. Swedish prosecutors have disagreed about whether to label the most serious charge as rape.

Sweden's Supreme Court was reviewing Assange's appeal of the order to detain him. Court official Kerstin Norman, who is handling the case, said a decision is expected late Wednesday or Thursday.

Prosecutor Marianne Ny said that a European arrest warrant had been issued for Assange, but said that "for secrecy reasons, she cannot give more information concerning this matter at the moment."

[roblearns]

[The White House said his statements "are both ridiculous and absurd"]

I'm not sure the White House is credible on the subject.

The White House would have us believe that WikiLeaks caused no damage of any kind to diplomatic relations - at the same time the cables have put thousands of Soldiers lives in jeopardy.

How about this - the embarrassing revelation, are just that - embarrassing. Obviously it has impacted diplomatic relations, and no, it didn't cause people to die.

The White House is just so absurd and shrill and overreacting at every point on this matter - it's damaging their credibility even further.

[jeff2surfs]

He is gonna be found in a hotel room with liquor nearby and a suicide note and will have shot himself in the head...2x

[billmelater59]

One can only hope!

[pandafever]

All good terrorists think THEY are right. For every life thta is affected,let him pay the price.

[tsigili]

To hear lawyers tell it.......no one EVER does anything really WRONG!

What garbage!

[bradkt1]

He needs to be in prison for what he did. This man hurt the United States...badly...and the damage will become readily apparent in the future when people around the world won't cooperate with us.

This wasn't mere whistleblowing about one or another individual government misdeed...not by a long shot. This was a massive cyber attack on the United States.

[roblearns]

He should be in prison for what he did - so accuse him of rape in Sweden?

I think smear campaigns are bad governance. If it's a crime to hurt the United States - then arraign this foreignor on the crime of hurting the United States. At least that is not a smear campaign.

[mjlewis6]

It is perhaps the weakest Warrant ever since there are no details.

YOu can be sure the Republican-touted media outlets in the US paint lurid details and show photos as a means of law enforcement getting the people to turn 'suspects' in. Unlike Europe, the US is BLIND to
the most egregious criminals perpetrating acts of war, invading countries, killing civilians in the name of profit for mercenaries..as long as they did it in the name of America...George Dubya Bush and Company...Seems like we are all being used to prosecute war for profit....and liberating those whose country has some raw resource or mineral we could use....for a profit.

Assange is hardly a criminal for a three way relationship that he was involved with. 'Fess up, Prosecutor and see what you have instead of trying to fill a jail cell and then talking.

[YrWrongAgain]

I can TYPE like THIS all DAY long and STILL not make a COHERENT point.

All fundamentalists think they're saved. All socialists think they're smart. That's why it's a world of stupid mystics.