2012-07-26 WikiLeaks News Update: Baltasar Garzón joins WikiLeaks legal team; Cables used in UK court case

WikiLeaks News:

• Today marks 600 days of an unlawful financial blockade against WikiLeaks. VISA-Valitor formally appealed against the recent Icelandic court ruling in favour of WikiLeaks. It is currently possible to donate to WikiLeaks with a credit card due to them working through FDNN and the French banking system.

• July 25 marked two years since WikiLeaks' release of the Afghan War Diary. Firedoglake's Kevin Gosztola wrote a piece for the anniversary, commenting on what they revealed and the recent developments in research.

• WikiLeaks issued a press release announcing that Spanish judge, lawyer, and international jurist, Baltasar Garzón will be leading the legal team representing WikiLeaks and Julian Assange. He met with Mr Assange at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London to discuss new legal strategies about the existing abuse of process, the financial blockade, and how secret U.S. processes have contaminated other legal processes.
  • Judge Garzón is the one who issued the extradition request for Augusto Pinochet, while Clare Montgomery, the current lead prosecutor for UK/Sweden against Mr Assange, represented Pinochet.
  • Judge Garzón will be a keynote speaker on "Truth, Justice, and Reparation" at ICA 2012 in Brisbane, 23 August at 9AM.
  • 50 diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks mention Judge Garzón.
  • In recent interviews, Judge Garzón stated he would insist on Julian Assange receiving a fair trial and that it does not seem right that he is "under such pressure from governments".
  • RT reported on the addition of Baltasar Garzón to WikiLeaks' legal team and the implications it carries.

• A judge has ordered that two UK Government officials be questioned over WikiLeaks cables regarding the exile of Indian Ocean islanders. This is the first time WikiLeaks cables have been featured in a UK court case.

• WikiLeaks published more Global Intelligence Files, bringing the total to 1122.
  • Gaddafi tried to find refuge in Algeria, but its government ignored him.
  • A 2010 Los Angeles terror plot by Al Qaeda was foiled, but not discussed due to the election.

• Privacy International is preparing to take legal action against the UK Government for failing to control exports of spy technology to brutal regimes, which is detailed in WikiLeaks' Spy Files.

• The New York Times' Bill Keller, known as a major critic of Julian Assange, discussed why we should defend WikiLeaks and the fact that it is protected under the First Amendment.

• Jesselyn Radack of the Government Accountability Project was on RT to discuss the war on whistleblowers, the WikiLeaks Grand Jury, and the threat of U.S. extradition for Julian Assange. Watch the interview below.
  

• The White House recently stated that President Obama has "no tolerance for leaks" of national security information.

• Firedoglake's Kevin Gosztola wrote on the U.S. Senate's proposal for curbing leaks and how it escalates restrictions on intelligence employees who talk to the media.

• An article at TechDirt discusses how the U.S. Government is living in a "fantasy land" by continuing to consider WikiLeaks releases as classified.

• SomersetBean has began a WikiLeaks street art project entitled "The Stencil Files". Two different WikiLeaks logo stencil designs are currently available at his blog.

Julian Assange News:

• Ecuador's Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino stated his Government's decision on Julian Assange's asylum would come after the Olympics end (August 12) and would not affect relations with the UK. He also welcomed Baltasar Garzón's involvement with Julian Assange's legal matters, as the Ecuadorian Government had a "a very good relationship" with Garzón.

• Australian Labor MP Melissa Parke called on U.S. Attorney-General Eric Holder to make a categorical statement that the U.S. was not seeking the extradition and prosecution of Julian Assange.

• Masked supporters of Julian Assange attended Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa's community meeting, holding up signs and calling for his acceptance into asylum. Graffiti in support of Mr Assange has been spotted around Quito, with messages such as "Julian Assange is coming!"
• Mary Kostakidis wrote an op-ed which comments on the "willful blindness" by the Australian Government regarding Julian Assange and David Hicks.




Bradley Manning News:

• The Bradley Manning Support Network issued a news update for July 25 which covers the anniversary of the Afghan War Logs and Oakland protests for Bradley, and a news update for July 24 which covers the implications of Manning’s trial, a rally at Ft. Leavenworth, and the government’s illogical secrecy.
• Jeff Patterson of Courage to Resist and the Bradley Manning Support Network put out a statement on Bradley's gender identity:

  All supportive individuals who have had direct contact with Bradley since his arrest over two years ago--referred to below as "friends, family, and legal defense team"--agree that the following statement is both accurate and appropriate:
  "Everything we know from Bradley Manning's friends, family, and legal defense team, is that he wishes to be referred to as Brad or Bradley until he's able to get to the next stage of his life. Bradley has indicated that he's not interested in publicly addressing this issue."

• A supporter of Bradley Manning has hung up a sign on their home which states, "Want my vote? Free Bradley Manning".





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Upcoming Dates & Events:

July 26: WikiLeaks unlawfully financially blockaded for 600 days.

July 29: Julian Assange detained for 600 days without charge.

July 31: Bradley Manning in jail for 800 days without trial.

August 12: Assange asylum decision not expected until after this date.

August 26: Manning lawyer David Coombs to speak in Washington DC.

August 27 - 31: Bradley Manning pre-trial hearings.

September 13: Bradley Manning pre-trial hearings.

November 2012 ~ January 2013: Estimated time frame for Bradley Manning's court martial.