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Kerim Okten / EPA
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange addresses the media and supporters while British policemen stand outside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, Sunday.
Updated at 10:14 a.m. ET: LONDON -- From a second-floor window of his refuge at the Ecuadorean embassy, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on Sunday called on President Obama to release Bradley Manning, the United States intelligence analyst accused of leaking masses of confidential information.
In his first public appearance in two months, the former hacker thanked his supporters gathered outside the London embassy and appealed to the U.S. not to prosecute WikiLeaks staff and supporters.
From the Ecuadorian embassy in London, Julian Assange asked the U.S. to "renounce its witch hunt against WikiLeaks." NBC's Duncan Golestani reports.
"I call on President Obama to do the right thing - renounce the witch-hunt against Wikileaks," he said in a provocative address in which he appeared to invoke the support of dozens of Latin American countries.
The U.S. administration’s “war on whistleblowers must end,” he said.
Ecuador on Thursday granted political asylum to the former computer hacker who incensed the United States and its allies by using his WikiLeaks website to leak hundreds of thousands of secret U.S. diplomatic and military cables in 2010.
Assange paid tribute to Manning, who is the suspected source of those leaks and faces 22 criminal charges which, if he is convicted, could land him in jail for life.
"If Bradley Manning did as he is accused, he is a hero and one of the world's foremost political prisoners," Assange said.
Investigators have determined that Manning allegedly unlawfully downloaded tens of thousands of documents onto his own computer and passed them to an unauthorized person, but have not been able to make a link between those files and Assange.
Calling for US President Obama to "do the right thing," Wikileaks founder Julian Assange makes his first public statement since entering the Ecuadorean embassy in London in June to seek asylum. Watch his entire statement.
Assange spoke from a balcony at the embassy because Britain has made it clear it will arrest him the moment he steps out of the property.
The west London embassy is in a building shared with other tenants and has no vehicular access except via the street, meaning Assange could not even appear in the entrance hall without risking immediate arrest.
UK refuses WikiLeaks' Assange safe passage to Ecuador
With a police helicopter hovering overhead and protestors using megaphones, the international legal row over Assange's future has become a spectacle in what is an upscale area of London, just a few meters away from department store, Harrods.
The former hacker is wanted in Sweden for questioning regarding allegations of rape and sexual assault and Britain has said he will not be granted safe passage out of his Ecuadorean embassy refuge, which enjoys diplomatic status.
Baltasar Garzon, a Spanish jurist and prominent human rights investigator who heads Assange's legal team, was also expected to speak in a separate address outside the building ahead of Assange's appearance.
The United Kingdom is fighting the controversial decision and will not grant Julian Assange safe passage. NBC's Duncan Golestani reports.
A group of about 20 Assange supporters, many of whom have slept on sheets of cardboard outside the building since Wednesday, have decorated barriers with messages of support for Assange.
Army is pressed on why it kept trusting Manning
Assange's attempt to avoid extradition has provoked a diplomatic tussle between Britain and Ecuador, which said London had threatened to raid its embassy and cast the dispute as an arrogant European power treating a Latin American nation like a colony.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Julian when you get done traveling we have some of your fans (Bruce, Tony & Snake) waiting in prison for you....
Add "Dumb" to old and tired
First of all, this man has no business publishing government information. If these things are secret, then maybe there is a good reason. If you are going to make a move against a potential terrorist, you don't publish the plan for all the world to see! The idiot. And as far as him demanding that Obama release Bradley for leaking the information, is he serious? He has alot of nerve. Who the hell is he to demand anything. I think they should turn him over to the Sweden government and if he's innocent, he will be set free if not, well then he will have to pay for his crime just like anyone else.
This is where the greatness of a man can be judge by his actions. Assange finds himself in the fight for his life, quite literally, and he worries more about Pvt Manning. s woes than his own. I don't like to use, lgithly, the word hero, becomes lately it has become more slogan peddling than actions, deeds, but if anybody deserves that word is Jullian Assange. He is not even a U.S. citizen and yet came out forward where others were scared to death of confronting war criminals and instead of medals, he is facing prison and possibly death for having the courage that millions here lack. Of course, Pvt Manning is on the same boat and should be set free and should be given compensation for all the brutality and torture that they have lashed at Manning. In a democracy, a true democracy, you don't commit other crimes defending "security, freedom?" Actually, it's in the worst of times that a true democracy should shine its best, but since are not a democracy, nor Christian, then it's understood that we behave, not like we preach, but like we act, all crimes, all slogans. In this, we look more like tea partiers, than true Christians. Let my people go! Maybe these super hypocrites understand Jewish!
He just did this because his original 15 minutes was up. Nobody cares about him or Manning any more.
If you think this guy is a hero, Hell no-568603, you should be executed right beside him.
@ Hell no-568603: So if I obtained your social security number and all your financial information/numbers, and posted them online...would I too be a hero?
Of course if i did that, it would affect only one person (you) and maybe your family's well-being. And more than likely some government entity would be knocking on my door...and eventually I'd end up in prison. Probably because....IT'S AGAINST THE LAW. And again, my example hurt only one person. What if I posted financial information for every person in America...on several web sites...from hidden servers?
What Assange did, was illegal, deceitful, harmful to thousands of peoples lives, and immoral. You're welcome to defend him and elevate him to God-like status....the rest of the world isn't.
golfsleft is right...Assange's 15 minutes were up and he knew it. He's grasping for the 16th, now.
Dont listen to the mindless drones posting here Hell No 568603, they know NOTHING about the issue at hand, they are prefect obident American citizens and THEY are what is WRONG with out country
Greg, thank you for your kind words, but if I were to be like those who can't tell truth from lies, I would a racist, red neck, hating everybody, but that of course, is Greek to me. You see that comment by that coward of wileywillie up above? Well, I'll rather give my life for democracy, the truth, the Constitution than live like a coward on his/her knees w/o even realizing it. The three above are nothing more than tea partiers, all macho but when push comes to shove they run like those retard Texans. I'm sorry to say but for me it's: Give me liberty or give me death. I won't bent, violate the law to appear macho agaisnt those who combat, within their means, evil, corruption, war crimes. They should be given medals, not jail and should be treated like heroes not criminals. The true criminals judging the innocent. Wow, that low has America fallen. I want my country back. BTW, stupids, I plan to vote for Roseanne Barr and Cindy Sheehan. Talking about having cojones and they are not even men. Go figure!
Just so you know, the vast majority of the British population absolutely support freedom of speech and our opinion is that our government is being unfairly pressurized by the US administration. This is a case of the US government trying to suppress someone who is simply exposing their crimes. Don't ever think that the British PEOPLE support the USA in this at all, we absolutely don't. If you doubt this in any way, read our foremost forum:
#comment_113480050
What crimes? So far the assange has not provided a smoking gun, just a bunch of boring emails.
Haha my link was censored, what a surprise on a USA site. Check out the comments on BBC news, we are not spoonfed or led by our nose. Justice is justice, what happened to the "American Way". What a shame.
Otto, your link wasn't censored like you think. The site doesn't allow outside links to opinions other than theirs. Doesn't matter if those opinions agree with theirs or not.
Hey Assange...go f*ck yourself.
He has no right to disclose any information that is not public. I'll bet all you people supporting him would be raising hell if he disclosed your private information to the public. Maybe if he had broadcast your bank account numbers and social security numbers you would have a differerent opinion on his right to disclose information.
He is unwilling to disclose his forced violent sexual activity with minors...
Bradley Manning is a traitor, and he should be tried as such, and if found guilty....one in the 10 ring is justifiable, and I'll gladly make that shot.
I've got a deal for you Assange, turn yourself in to American authorities and we'll let Manning go.
Manning committed treason, the laws are clear there can be no other interpretation. Whether or not the information should have been classified is of no relevance whatsoever. Assange is probably open to the charge of spying, he is certainly guilty of crimes against the U.S. though they are less clear to me.
Shove it Assange!
Vote for Anarchy. Vote Obama/Biden 2012.
Wak, your point?
lol must be another one of those 'everything is Obama's fault' people lol
It's the job of the president of the U.S. to protect its citizens from terrorists (foreign and domestic). This man released federal documents that could endanger the lives of citizens and soldiers...regardless if some of the documents may or may not have caught us with our pants down regarding some of the comments made about other countries. It's NOT his place to leverage his personal agenda of wanting to be the next "deep throat"...he and his cronies broke the law and should be judged accordingly (not killed though)...if he wants to rebel, then go to the latin american countries and rebel against the drug cartels or go to Africa or the Middle East and "rebel" or "expose" the terrorist regimes wreaking havoc on innocent people...he's no hero...
It's one thing to promote transparency like Wikileaks did when they published a secret video of journalists' deaths caused unintentionally by the US government, however, it's another to endanger the lives of diplomats or people who worked with them by publishing their dealings with other governments. That's reckless and in doing so, wikileaks somehow lost its purpose.
Which is why we need to continue our witchhunt onward to BBC, The NY Times, The Washington Post, etc... We have several thousand editors who should be lined up and shot for treason. Just think how bad we looked over the years because of the overrated freedom of press thing - what a screwy idea that was. Shame.
Not good , having this person call on oBozo for help in his twisted crusade...oh, they both have the same agenda, my bad.
I support all whistle blowers and freedom fighters that expose scumbags. Patriots and freedom will prevail.
Just take one step outside that embassy, I dare ya!
The Cahones on this guy. He is so arrogant.
Question? Just how corrupt is the Republican corporate MONARCHY overshadowing its American People? Is it this corrupt that they have had to have SECRETS to hide? Maybe President Obama needs to take a very close look at what REALLY went on during the PREVIOUS 8 years of FAILED Republican Party RULE that brought on our ECONOMIC COLLAPSE & the GLOBAL ECONOMIC COLLAPSE? Apparently there is a WHOLE LOT MORE TO IT than the 99% American Public is being told about it!
Hate much?
IF Assange is really all about transparency and truth, the go face the multiple child rape charges. No one is charging him about WikiLeaks. He is being charged about the rape of minors.
European Sandusky runs away like a coward hypocrite instead of facing the courts. What kind of justice is that?
Seems to be one rule for the world and one for Assange. Typical. Unable to face the consequences of HIS actions but, wants to make everyone else face theirs.
Why are you all still supporting this rapist! he is a criminal! The US did not make these charges, another country(who by the way has a history of NOT following the US lead on anything) files charges of rape! You folks are such US haters until you find you can not defend yourselves. Also , aside from the US Military leaks for a tratior, this man also published over 100,000 credit card numbers, prior to finding his nich in leaking other personal emails. he also paid for the personal emails of over 50, 000 us Citizens. This man is not in the embassy because the US put a warrent out, he is using his issue's with the US to confuse the issue. He raped two of his CO-WORKERS! Women who trusted in him and were taken advantege of. Or in your "occupy "type society, does that not count? is it suddenly not rape if you like the guy, or if you think he is picked on? Shame on all of you that support him! Shame on you!
I'm not sure why Assange isn't on Obama's cabinet - they both like revealing national security secrets that could get people killed.
Say what you want about Asssanage but Wikileaks published the actual interdepartmental letters from the various state departments. I know the gov. says good things about our "allies" in the middle east but really think differently. We got to see what "politically correct" meant in documents about our international dealings. These are documents between people we should trust to give us the truth about the state of war and other dealings on national levels. What we need are Wikileak documents on the fast and furious gun running scheme that the President is invoking executive privilege to save Holder's ass. These documents are proof that the administration has lied to Congress and the American people. Unfortunately a small group of people actually believe what Obama and Clinton say. Here, in print, is what they think.
You will get yours in days to come, as for the little twit who gave you the inofrmaion, he will be in jail for a long, long time. With a little luck the two of you can share a jail cell.
Another idiot who wants the 15 mins of fame.
Assad made his appearance today at a Mosque in Damascus. Assange made his own appearance at the balcony of the Ecuadorian embassy. I wonder how they timed their appearances! Assange has made a good move by connecting the alleged rape from two Swedish females to being wanted in America! As for Assad, the demand for democracy by his own people is a stint by guess who - America! This makes America the easiest of targets from any corner on the face of the earth for all ills begotten by any tyrant.