2012-03-03 #WikiLeaks News Update: #GIFiles coverage; Bradley #Manning updates; Other news

WikiLeaks has been financially blockaded without process for 455 days.
Julian Assange has been detained without charge for 452 days.
Bradley Manning has been imprisoned without trial for 649 days.


WikiLeaks News:

Image from WikiLeaks

• The G.I. Files have been dominating the headlines. Here are some highlights:
  • Coca-Cola contracted Stratfor to spy on PETA
  • Stratfor monitored Bhopal activists, including The Yes Men
  • Osama bin Laden was in routine contact with Pakistan's spy agency
  • Stratfor discovered Israel already destroyed Iran's nuclear facilities
  • A Homeland Security informant of Stratfor
  • Bribes hold back Chinese in Australia mining
  • Russia gave Israel codes for defense system sold to Iran
  • Stratfor VP Fred Burton says OBL's body was taken to Dover, DE
  • the International Monetary Fund is partly to blame for wars in former Yugoslavia
• There are numerous other revelations from the G.I. Files. For further coverage, check out Kevin Gosztola's on-going live-blog and various links included at the end of this update.
• One of the biggest revelations to come out of the G.I. Files, was confirmation of a sealed indictment against Julian Assange. The US Department of Justice refuses to comment on this.
• Transcript and video of WikiLeaks' press conference on the G.I. Files are available at WikiLeaks Press.
• Firedoglake's Jane Hamsher has identified two Stratfor sources: James Casey and Penny Pritzker.

• L'Espresso has published a new interview with Julian Assange in which he discusses topics including the current state of WikiLeaks, Obama, the sealed indictment against him.

• NYT eXaminer has a new webpage dedicated to all their coverage of WikiLeaks.

• Australian Senator Mark Arbib, revealed by WikiLeaks cables as a frequent US informant, has resigned.

• Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair closed the RSA 2012 conference by denouncing WikiLeaks as "very bad and disgraceful."

• Julian Assange will be participating in an online debate about The War on Drugs, March 13 at 7PM GMT.

• Australian Greens Senator Scott Ludlam gave a speech to the senate regarding news of the sealed indictment against Julian Assange. He also addressed questions about it to the Prime Minister, which were answered by her representative.

• WikiLeaks lawyer Jennifer Robinson says it's time for the Australian government to stand ground and protect Assange. She also wrote a piece on how, if she were Attorney General, she would protect Assange. The Australian published an article on her, "Julian Assange's homegrown hardnosed lawyer."

• Ian Bailey won an appeal in Irish Supreme Court, which refused to extradite him to France since they only wanted to question him. The UK High Court did not accept this argument in Julian Assange's case.

• Professor Ferrada-noli continues to analyse Sweden's on-going "trial by media" of Julian Assange. He was also on Swedish Radio1 to debate Expressen journalists, who have been claiming WikiLeaks is planning a smear campaign against Sweden.

• Christine Assange urges the Australian people to make her son an election issue. She was also on ABC Radio discussing recent updates in Julian's case.

Bradley Manning News:

• Bradley Manning's motion hearing is officially scheduled for March 15, 10AM, at Fort Meade.

• Bradley Manning's new mailing address is available at his attorney's website, along with instructions on what Bradley can and can't receive.

• Bradley Manning is one of 231 nominees for the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize.

• The Bradley Manning Support Network discussed the Washington Post featuring a Top Secret cable in a recent article, which highlights the government's hypocrisy on secrecy.

• CCR's Michael Ratner was on The Real News discussing Bradley Manning's recent arraignment.

• Veteran's for Peace is calling on the US Army to abandon all court martial proceedings against Bradley Manning.

• A campaign has been started to raise money for a Bradley Manning billboard in Washington DC.

• Bradley Manning Support Network's Rainey Reitman writes on why feminists and trans activists should support Bradley.

Further G.I. Files Coverage:

• WikiLeaks has four articles available at its website on WikiLeaks-related G.I. Files.

• Greg Mitchell covered the G.I. Files for the first four days.

• Short video interviews with Julian Assange by The Guardian and Times Now.

• Kristinn Hrafnsson was interviewed on Democracy Now! Michael Ratner was on at a later date discussing the sealed indictment.

• Crikey: "The filth and the fury (and the catfood): Stratfor talks WikiLeaks"

• Green Left Weekly: "WikiLeaks exposes Stratfor's secret media allies"

• The Young Turks: "WikiLeaks Stratfor emails devastating." Michael Hastings was also on to discuss Homeland Security's monitoring of the Occupy movement.

• NYT eXaminer: "The Global Intelligence Files: The New York Times, A Postscript"

• More coverage on the secret indictment: WSWS article, CCR's statement, Andrew Kreig's analysis.

• Analysis of Stratfor's use of WikiLeaks material, while harboring hatred for Assange

• Tool to search through tweets with #GIFiles hashtag

............................................

Upcoming Dates & Events:

March 4: Julian Assange Supreme Court verdict expected after this date.

March 8: Daniel Ellsberg will speak at Princeton University at an event called "Secrets, Lies, and Leaks: From the Pentagon Papers to WikiLeaks."

March 13: Julian Assange to participate in online War on Drugs debate, 7PM GMT.

Mid-March: Julian Assange's TV Series to begin airing.

March 15: Bradley Manning's motion hearing, 10AM at Fort Meade.

March 17: "War on WikiLeaks" public forum at Bleeding Heart, Brisbane, 7PM. Speakers include Christine Assange and Scott Ludlam.

April 25: Kristinn Hrafnsson to speak at the International Journalism Festival in Perugia, Italy.

May 23: Julian Assange to speak at Enterprise Information Management Congress 2012 in The Netherlands.

May 27: "Incident in New Baghdad" to air on The Documentary Channel, 8PM.