Australia

WikiLeaks News:

• The Australian Government recently renewed its attacks against WikiLeaks by condemning the organization as "reckless, irresponsible and potentially dangerous" as well as delaying the release of Australian diplomatic cables on Julian Assange until his extradition case has been decided.

• New laws have passed in Australia which make it difficult for organizations like WikiLeaks to operate, including an extradition law which makes it easier for foreign governments to request extradition of Australians and a new spying law which broadens ASIO's reach.

• BBC aired the second episode of its documentary "WikiLeaks: The Secret Life of a Superpower."
  

WikiLeaks News:

• WikiLeaks issued a press release offering to host a discussion on the future of Malaysia between Prime Minister Najib Razak, Anwar Ibrahim, and Raja Petra. Shortly after, Anwar Ibrahim accepted the invitation.

• BBC Two aired the first part of a new special, "WikiLeaks: The Secret Life of a Superpower." The documentary focuses on Cablegate revelations and the effects it had around the world. Part two will air March 28 at 9:00PM GMT.
  

• According to emails from Stratfor, a U.S. mercenary "took part" in the killing of Muammar Gaddafi, after which he was sent to assist the Syrian opposition.

This is a list of all rallies scheduled after Julian Assange receives the verdict on his Supreme Court appeal against extradition to Sweden. These rallies are taking place regardless of the outcome.

WikiLeaks News:

• Mainstream Media organizations have been misquoting and misinterpreting our purpose and work here at WL Central. Please note that we are an organization wholly independent of WikiLeaks.

• Stratfor hired Robert D. Kaplan, longtime national correspondent with The Atlantic, as their chief geopolitical strategist to help them bounce back after WikiLeaks began releasing their emails.

• Andy Worthington released Part 33 of his 70-part in-depth series covering the WikiLeaks Guantanamo Files.

• World Socialist Web Site published a new interview with Julian Assange in which he discusses the attacks on WikiLeaks and his upcoming Supreme Court verdict.

• Bradley Manning's motion hearing began today. Here are some major developments:
  • The defense filed a motion to dismiss charges against Manning based on the government withholding important evidence
  • The prosecution did not receive some important emails related to the case because their spam filter blocked anything with the word "WikiLeaks"
  • The enemy Manning is accused of aiding has been identified as Al-Qaeda
  • It is possible that Manning will testify about being videotaped at Quantico
  • The hearing will continue at 10AM tomorrow, March 16
  • For in-depth coverage of the hearing see Kevin Gosztola's live-blog and Alexa O'Brien's transcript

• Australian MP Jamie Parker gave a speech to the Parliament of New South Wales about WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, and Bradley Manning, calling on new Foreign Minister Bob Carr to reject the Australian Government's position and be an advocate for Assange.

• Der Spiegel journalist Holger Stark addressed MasterCard about their continued financial blockade against WikiLeaks, to which their spokesman replied, "Our position didn't change. I'm not able to give further explanations. […] There will be no explanation."

Image from WikiLeaks

• WikiLeaks continues to release more G.I. Files daily. Here is the latest coverage:
  • Undercover NATO troops are already in Syria despite denials from their parent governments
  • Corrupt Venezuelan officials are stifling local production in favor of imports
  • Russia tried to prevent Polish President Kaczynski from landing in Smolensk to force him to miss a Katyn massacre memorial service
  • Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez betrayed the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) to appease generals
• An Op-Ed in Al Jazeera looks at the rise of Stratfor and their actual functionality.

Image from WikiLeaks

• WikiLeaks continues to release more G.I. Files daily. Here is the latest coverage:
  • Stratfor sees New Zealand as holding little geopolitical importance.
  • Mossad assisted their Saudi counterparts with intelligence on Iran
  • Assad's mother is disappointed by his failures as Syrian President
  • Papua New Guinea's new PM, Peter O'Neill, is only interested in money
  • Stratfor believes Turkey's PM Erdogan has two years to live

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

Right now in Australia, the governing Labor party is embroiled in a leadership contest that 'is shaking the nation'. Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd face off for the Prime Minister of Australia tomorrow, Monday, by internal caucus vote. The media commentary is homogenous: Australians are tired, of all things, endless infighting in the Labor party. We are tired of 'faceless men' who decide party leadership. All 'we' want is 'stable government'.

Let us consider for a moment what is meant by this stability. By stable government, the media and politicians mean an orthodoxy, a government in power, delivering legislation 'on behalf of the Australian people', a government with a mandate, free to carry out an agenda, without contests in the media, in the open. What they mean by a stable government is what government in Australia has looked like for 20 years or so.

The line in voxpops on the evening news and opinion in the media is consistent: This 'leadership battle' has 'us' the Australian people as its 'casualties'. Us poor middle-class Australians.

Perhaps if we are strong Labor supporters, or slightly left of centre, we might despise this contest for what it is doing to opposition leader Tony Abbott, making him seem like a stable pair of hands, when he is likely to deliver a government to the right of even former Prime Minister Howard.

The ability of the media to provide an analysis that gives us what we think that we think is insidious. It's at the point where any reasonably intelligent person can read a major paper provided by Fairfax or News Limited and we have a list of ready stocked political positions that will be aired at middle class dinner tables across Australia. Is that really what you think or did you read it in the Herald?

• WikiLeaks has released a torrent for its insurance file, which is 64.3 GB.




• Swedish tabloid Expressen published an article which said WikiLeaks is planning a "massive smear campaign" against Sweden and its Foreign Minister Carl Bildt. They say they received an "internal WikiLeaks memo" which discusses cables that reveal Bildt as a US informer. WikiLeaks tweeted multiple responses to the article including:
  
  

  Expressen's WikiLeaks' "memo" on Carl Bildt: Rolling Stone magazine from January rollingstone.com/politics/news/… #svpol

• UNESCO held a 2-day conference entitled, “The Media World after WikiLeaks and News of the World.” It sparked controversy after WikiLeaks issued a press statement denouncing UNESCO for blocking all speakers from WikiLeaks. There is a live-blog and chirpstory of the first day, as well as a chirpstory covering the full conference and events leading up to it.

The Wikileaks Assange and Democracy Public Forum held at the University of Technology, Sydney on Friday February 17 attracted over 400 people who packed the aisles and spilled out into the corridors.

Chaired by Australian journalist and broadcaster Mary Kostakidis, speakers at the forum included socialist historian Humphrey McQueen, Greens Senator Scott Ludlum, London-based human rights lawyer Jennifer Robinson and Christine Assange, the mother of Julian Assange.

On February 18 Simon Butler of Green Left Weekly reported on the Forum:

"Veteran journalist and former SBS broadcaster Mary Kostakidis chaired the meeting. She told the audience WikiLeaks had won several prestigious awards for excellence in journalism. She said the US government is persecuting WikiLeaks for publishing material that other media outlets have also published. The difference was that WikiLeaks has done it better, she said.

McQueen gave historical examples of how ruling elites have always tried to restrict the public’s access to information, lest they learn enough to want to challenge the social order. He said WikiLeaks’ revelations are dangerous to elite interests because they help educate people about the real nature of society.

Ludlum said he was pleased with the big turnout and denounced the Labor government’s attacks on WikiLeaks and Assange. He urged WikiLeaks supporters to put the pressure on the government to choose democracy and freedom of speech over the US-Australia alliance.

The RP-US Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA), a 10-year old military pact that requires the Philippines to service the logistics needs of the US military when they are in the country, is set to expire by November 2012. The MLSA, along with the VFA and MDT, is a vital cog in the permanent and continuing US military presence in the country. Its expiry this year occurs at a time when the US and Philippine governments are in negotiations for additional US troop presence in the country in line with the new US defense strategy of “re-balancing” towards Asia.

Not as well known as the Visiting Forces Agreement, the MLSA is an executive agreement entered into by the Arroyo regime in 2002 and was in effect for five years. It was renewed in November 21, 2007 after a review that was not disclosed to the public. It is set to expire on November 21, 2012.

The MLSA allows the US military to access Philippine facilities for a wide array of services such as refueling, re-supply, billeting of troops, transportation and so on. It practically allows the US to avail of the services that are typical of US bases, so long as these are during “approved activities”.

Under the MLSA, the Philippine government provides supplies such as food, water, petroleum, oils, lubricants, clothing, ammunition, spare parts and components.

Support and services include billeting, transportation (including airlift), communication services, medical services, operations support (and construction and use of temporary structures incident to operations support), training services, repair and maintenance services, calibration services, storage services, and port services. Storage units and ports shall at all times remain under the control and supervision of the host state

News

• WikiLeaks issued a Press Release announcing the launch of a global television series in mid-March, hosted by Julian Assange, who will hold “in-depth conversations with key political players, thinkers and revolutionaries from around the world”, under the theme ‘The World Tomorrow’.
  The series will be aired in 10 weekly half-hour episodes and its projected viewership is 600 million viewers. It will be available online as well. To enquire about licensing the series: contact@quickrollproductions.com

• The UK Supreme Court released the following details regarding public attendance of Julian Assange’s extradition hearing (February 1 and 2):

  - Predicting a large number of visitors, the Supreme Court has arranged for an extra courtroom, where a feed of the proceedings will be shown;
  - The hearing will live streamed online as well, by Sky News;
  - Seats will be distributed according to arrival order.

• Christine Assange, Julian Assange’s mother, has created a blog to inform the public of the true facts surrounding Julian's extradition case, due to lack of accurate media coverage.

News

• In a message published today at jaraparilla.blogspot.com (the blog of WikiLeaks supporter @jaraparilla), Julian Assange’s mother Christine Assange offers useful tips on how to support Julian on January 26 - Australia Day.
  No matter what your location is, feel free to follow and share the suggestions below in order to raise awareness about Julian Assange’s legal battle against unjust extradition.
  
  
  "AUSTRALIA DAY this Thursday January 26th will be just 5 days before Julian Assange's UK Supreme Court hearing!

  PROTEST the Australian Government's abandonment of a fellow Aussie, Walkley award winning journalist, and Editor in Chief of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange!

  SHOW YOUR SUPPORT for Julian ahead of the hearing by flying a photo of Julian and a message of support along with your Aussie flag or other merchandise!

  GET CREATIVE!!!

  DISCOUNT/DOLLAR SHOPS have a huge range of cheap Aussie flags/fun merchandise for you to use!

  HANG a large Aussie flag from your balcony or veranda with "Free Assange "on it! Fix a photo of Julian to both sides of a flag & WAVE proudly!

  MAKE an Australia Day sarong or a simple top, a bandana, headband, armband, or simple doggie coat and affix a photo or message of support!

WikiLeaks, a free press publishing and media organisation, has revealed human rights abuses, war crimes and corruption in governments across the world. Yet the US Administration wants to close WikiLeaks down and prosecute its founder Julian Assange. International financial services organisations have blocked payments to WikiLeaks, denying them vital income. The Australian government has failed to take a stand against the political persecution of Assange. Australian Prime Minister Gillard's assertion that WikiLeaks' activities were illegal was proved to be false by an Australian Federal Police investigation.

What does this say about our democracy?

Speakers:
Scott Ludlam, Australian Greens Senator
Christine Assange, mother of Julian Assange
Humphrey McQueen, historian, Australian National University
and WikiLeaks and Assange lawyer Jennifer Robinson

Chaired by:
Mary Kostakidis, journalist and Australia's first primetime anchorwoman

FRIDAY 17TH FEBRUARY, 2012, 6.00 for 6.30 pm to 8.15 pm
University of Technology, Sydney
Room 13 (Building 2) Entrance level, UTS Tower, Broadway

Please note, there will be a preview screening of clips from an upcoming documentary featuring high profile supporters of Wikileaks and Julian Assange from 6pm.

Presented by the Support Assange & WikiLeaks Coalition with the support of the Australian Centre for Independent Journalism and the Stop the War Coalition Sydney.

Gold coin donation | For more information: Anne 0404 090 710 / Helen 0413 381 408

This is a "WikiLeaks News Update", a daily news update of stories relating directly to WikiLeaks and also freedom of information, transparency, cybersecurity, and freedom of expression.

News

• Information about media coverage of Julian Assange’s Supreme Court extradition appeal, on February 1 and 2, was shared today.
  According to Jerome Taylor, reporter for The Independent, the Supreme Court itself indicated that the hearing will be broadcast live, by Sky News, on this page.
  And that due to "considerable public interest", the Supreme Court is enforcing accreditation for the hearing, with priority given to press from the UK, Sweden and Australia.
  Judgement is likely to be reserved for a few weeks, Jerome also tweeted.

  (Two support demonstrations are planned on this date: one at the Supreme Court in London, from 8:30AM, and other at Sydney's Town Hall, 5:30PM.
  More details under Upcoming WikiLeaks Dates.)

• It has been determined that one of the witnesses Bradley Manning’s defense is attempting to question prior to his trial is Hillary Clinton, despite her name being blacked out in the document filed by his lawyer. Clinton is one of the many witnesses that Bradley Manning’s defense originally intended to call to testify but was denied.

This is a "WikiLeaks News Update", a daily news update of stories relating directly to WikiLeaks and also freedom of information, transparency, cybersecurity, and freedom of expression.

News

• Suggestions made to the US House of Representatives for Julian Assange and WikiLeaks to be tried in a military court, under a style of law similar to the National Defense Authorization Act 2012 (NDAA), pre-date the NDAA by approximately one year.
  On the 30th November 2010, Representatives Franks, Lamborn and King urged the creation of new legislation in order to prosecute Julian Assange as a terrorist, and hinted at his detention in Guantanamo Bay:

  "I wish and I hope that there’s a way that we can find a way to prosecute a man like that, that we can protect ourselves. And if we fail to do that, or even if we’re successful in that and it exposes some other vulnerabilities, I suggest, Mr. Speaker, that this Congress take a look at some new legislation, a new structure of law, that’s really not brought about because of the actions of Mr. Assange but brought about because of the actions of our enemies, our terrorist enemies.", a transcript of their speeches reads.

This is a "WikiLeaks News Update", a daily news update of stories relating directly to WikiLeaks and also freedom of information, transparency, cybersecurity, and freedom of expression.

News

• Cables published by WikiLeaks reveal that the US State Department placed pressure on Spanish authorities to silence Baltasar Garzon, the judge who, in 1998, ordered the arrest and extradition of Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet.
  Due to pressure from the Obama administration, Garzon was removed from the Bush 6 case and forced to drop investigation into:
  
  
  - the death of a Spanish reporter who was killed by US shelling in Baghdad;

  - allegations by Spanish Guantanamo detainees of being tortured;

  - use of Spanish bases for CIA “rendition” flights.
  
  
  Judge Baltasar Garzon himself faces trial, beginning January 17, on “corruption charges”. The most serious charge he is facing (exceeding authority) relates to an order issued, at the request of families, to exhume the remains of victims assassinated during the Franco regime. More than 200 international organizations condemn prosecution against him.
  [Source: Dissident Voice]