News

Colonel Denise Lind, judge for the court-martial of Bradley Manning, today denied defence requests that the charges "aiding the enemy" and "computer fraud" be dropped. Lind ruled that the government had presented "some evidence" to support the charges.

Harper's published an insightful interview with Glenn Greenwald yesterday on the evolving PRISM story. It's very much worth a read.

Gordon Humphrey served in the US Senate for 12 years and was a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, the Armed Services Committee, and the Judiciary Committee. The exchange below was shared with Glenn Greenwald.

Swedish sociology professor Stefan Svallfors revealed on Twitter yesterday that he has contacted the Nobel Committee in Norway, nominating Edward Snowden for the Peace Prize.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Nathan Fuller, 516-578-2628
press@bradleymanning.org

Bradley Manning supporters hopeful for dismissal of major charges

On Monday, July 15, military judge Colonel Denise Lind will hear oral arguments regarding four defense motions to dismiss major charges against U.S. Army whistle-blower PFC Bradley Manning. Proceedings begin at 3:00 PM, at Fort Meade, MD.

Edward Joseph Snowden delivered a statement to human rights organizations and individuals at Sheremetyevo airport at 5pm Moscow time today, Friday 12th July.

The meeting lasted 45 minutes. The human rights organizations included Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch and were given the opportunity afterwards to ask Mr Snowden questions. The Human Rights Watch representative used this opportunity to tell Mr Snowden that on her way to the airport she had received a call from the US Ambassador to Russia, who asked her to relay to Mr Snowden that the US Government does not categorise Mr Snowden as a whistleblower and that he has broken United States law. This further proves the United States Government's persecution of Mr Snowden and therefore that his right to seek and accept asylum should be upheld. Seated to the left of Mr. Snowden was Sarah Harrison, a legal advisor in this matter from WikiLeaks and to Mr Snowden's right, a translator.

Someone's panicking. Late on Saturday 6 July 2013, the Independent published an article by Archie Bland: "In depth: Julian Assange and Edward Snowden - enemies of the state take flight" about the legal and physical limbo both find themselves in as a result of their whistleblowing and publishing activities. Disqus comments were open underneath the article and throughout the day on Sunday readers engaged in a lively discussion.

Germany, Britain, Sweden: these countries and more have been "in bed" with the NSA for a long time, according to whistleblower Edward Snowden and Rick Falkvinge.

NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden has now been offered asylum in three American countries: Bolivia, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. He has applied for asylum in six additional countries, according to WikiLeaks. And his chances for reaching a safe haven are growing further because of US interference in the process, according to Michael Bochenek, director of law and policy at Amnesty International.

Sweden used a veto to stop the EU from asking critical questions of the US about the superpower's extensive espionage programme, a matter the Swedish media chose to not report to their readers.

Both Nicaragua and Venezuela have now offered asylum to NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden. Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro has already reject the US request for the rendition of Snowden.

Now that the extralegal financial blockade of WikiLeaks is collapsing, with an Icelandic supreme court ruling on its illegality and both MasterCard and Visa ending their legal fights, WikiLeaks and payment processor DataCell are turning the tables and suing Visa and Valitor for damages. The amount sought is Íkr (Icelandic krónur) 9,000,000,000.

Speaking at a televised parade celebrating Venezuela's independence from Spain on 5 July 1811, President Nicolás Maduro announced he will offer asylum to NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.

The green parties of France, Germany, Norway, Finland, and the UK have united in their support of NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, urging the EU to grant him a safe haven.

Sweden and the UK have blocked talks between Europe and the US on the surveillance scandal. The talks, due to begin Monday, will now be limited to the more abstract issues of privacy and PRISM. A second working group, to be set up to confront the US with the most recent developments, had the support of the entire EU save Sweden and the UK, who both used their veto to prevent its formation.

Denying Bolivian president Evo Morales air space was a metaphor for the gangsterism that now rules the world, writes John Pilger. Oliver Stone says the world is in danger with the tyranny of the US.

"Europeans are furious", reported Spiegel Online. "Revelations that the US intelligence service National Security Agency (NSA) targeted the European Union and several European countries with its far-reaching spying activities have led to angry reactions from several senior EU and German politicians."

The German Federal Prosecutors Office is looking into allegations that the NSA conducted massive spying against German citizens. A first formal complaint has already been lodged in one city, reported Spiegel Online.

"The fallout has been immense over revelations that US intelligence agencies systematically spied on EU officials as part of their far-reaching surveillance programs", reported German Spiegel Online. "German commentators on Monday say that Washington must explain itself."

The revelations of and the US hunt for Snowden, together with violations of the Vienna Convention by the US in connection with the flight of Bolivian President Evo Morales from Moscow to La Paz, have resulted in considerable political fallout in South America.