Ecuador says U.K. have threatened to storm its' Embassy to get Assange

I thought there was a recent post on Assange.....looked back to Jan., no joy. This is looking very serious now ,apparently

the U.K. Government can "storm the Embassy" under a 1987 ruling. Assange's U.K. Lawyer says the only reason the

Swedish Authorities want him back is to answer some questions which Assange has said he is happy to answer in the U.K., but the Swedes have turned down his offer .....we all know as soon as he sets foot in Sweden the U.S. will act.

.






Assange 'Arrest Threat' Ahead Of Asylum Ruling


Ecuador accuses Britain of threatening to arrest the Wikileaks founder in its embassy ahead of a decision on his asylum request.


9:17am UK, Thursday 16 August 2012



Video: Decision Due On Assange Extradition
Enlarge



Julian Assange's QC in Australia, Julian Burnside told Sky News his client is at extreme risk of persecution at the hands of the US.

Video: Assange's Lawyer Speaks To Sky News
Enlarge

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Ecuador has accused the UK government of threatening to enter its London embassy in order to arrest Julian Assange.

The Wikileaks founder took refuge in the building in June to avoid extradition to Sweden where he faces questioning over allegations of sexual assault.

Mr Assange is due to find out later today whether his request for political asylum has been granted but a diplomatic row has now erupted over his legal battle.

Ecuador has accused the British government of threatening to storm the embassy if the country refuses to hand over the 41-year-old.

Under international law, diplomatic posts are considered the territory of the foreign nation but the Foreign Office claims it is allowed to revoke this status if the embassy "ceases to use land for the purposes of its mission or exclusively for the purposes of a consular post".

Ecuador's foreign minister Ricardo Patino released details of a letter he says was delivered through a British embassy official in the capital of the South American country, Quito.
Julian Assange has been hiding at the Ecuadorian Embassy for 56 days
The letter said: "You need to be aware that there is a legal base in the UK, the Diplomatic and Consular Premises Act 1987, that would allow us to take actions in order to arrest Mr Assange in the current premises of the Embassy.

"We sincerely hope that we do not reach that point, but if you are not capable of resolving this matter of Mr Assange's presence in your premises, this is an open option for us."

Mr Patino said Ecuador rejects "in the strongest possible terms the explicit threat of the British official communication.

"This is unbecoming of a democratic, civilised and law abiding state. If this conduct persists, Ecuador will take appropriate responses in accordance with international law.

"If the measures announced in the British official communication materialise they will be interpreted by Ecuador as a hostile and intolerable act and also as an attack on our sovereignty, which would require us to respond with greater diplomatic force.

"Such actions would be a blatant disregard of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and of the rules of international law of the past four centuries.

"It would be a dangerous precedent because it would open the door to the violation of embassies as a declared sovereign space."

But the Foreign Office said in a statement: "We have an obligation to extradite Mr Assange and it is only right that we give Ecuador the full picture.
Ecuador's Minister of Foreign Affairs Ricardo Patino
"Throughout this process we have drawn the Ecuadorians' attention to relevant provisions of our law... We are still committed to reaching a mutually acceptable solution."

The legal process by which Mr Assange could be arrested at the embassy would take seven days to implement because the Government would have to give notice.

A number of police officers are now outside the building, which is close to the Harrods store in Knightsbridge, where some of Mr Assange's supporters have gathered.

The Australian, who published thousands of sensitive US documents including diplomatic cables and military dispatches via the internet, took refuge in the embassy 56 days ago.

He says he fears deportation to the US, which may seek to try him for his website's release of a trove of secret documents.

Mr Assange's mother Christine claimed the US was behind the British threat and called on Australia's Attorney General to protest.

"What the US wants, the US gets from its allies, regardless of if it's legal or if it's ethical or in breach of human or legal rights. We're all lackeys," she told reporters in Australia.

Wikileaks has released a statement condemning what it calls "the UK's resort to intimidation".

"A threat of this nature is a hostile and extreme act, which is not proportionate to the circumstances, and an unprecedented assault on the rights of asylum seekers worldwide," it said.

There have been arrests this morning outside the embassy.

AnnaEsse wrote:There have been arrests this morning outside the embassy.

Probably the Assange supporters with their placards shown earlier on the News. I think the Foreign Office , presumably

Cameron has had a word in Williams' ear, is acting on orders of the U.S. A.. What a mealy mouthed Country we have

become, no rights of our own under the Human rights directive, now we let another Country interfere in our affairs.

Panda wrote:

AnnaEsse wrote:There have been arrests this morning outside the embassy.

Probably the Assange supporters with their placards shown earlier on the News. I think the Foreign Office , presumably

Cameron has had a word in Williams' ear, is acting on orders of the U.S. A.. What a mealy mouthed Country we have

become, no rights of our own under the Human rights directive, now we let another Country interfere in our affairs.

Even if acting on orders from the USA, if the embassy is raided it's the UK authorities who are invading sovereign territory.

Assange granted asylum by Ecuador
http://news.sky.com/story/973139/julian-assange-is-granted-asylum-by-ecuador

wjk wrote:Assange granted asylum by Ecuador
[url=http://news.sky.com/story/973139/julian-assange-is-granted-asylum-by-ecuador

http://news.sky.com/story/973139/julian-assange-is-granted-asylum-by-ecuador[/quote[/url]]

I just heard this on the News. Earlier it had been discussed on how the asylum would work and Assange will have to stay

in the Embassy Presumably he will live well but obviously it will be a huge restriction not to be able to go outside. One in

the eye for the U.S. and the Foreign Office....maybe the Ecuadorians will put him in a Diplomatic Bag to fly him to

wherever he wants to go.

(CNN) -- August 20, 2010

Swedish prosecutors issue an arrest warrant for Julian Assange amid allegations of rape and molestation from two female Wikileaks volunteers earlier that month. The next day, the prosecutor's office announces it is rescinding the arrest warrant while the rape charge is unfounded. The molestation allegation remains.

August 31, 2010

Assange is questioned by Stockholm police and formally told of the charges against him, all of which he denies as a smear campaign. Swedish prosecutors announce the next day that they are reopening the rape case against him, while the molestation charge will be upgraded to sexual coercion and sexual molestation.

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Assange resisting extradition






Will Assange achieve asylum?



Friend says Assange 'running for justice'








Police seek Assange after asylum claim
November 18, 2010

Swedish prosecutors announce the courts have approved their request to issue arrest warrants to question Assange, who is now in London. On November 20, the Stockholm Criminal Court issues an international arrest warrant for Assange, stating he is suspected of several counts of rape, sexual molestation and illegal use of force. Interpol later issues a "red notice" upon Sweden's request.

December 8, 2010

Assange turns himself in to London police. He is remanded in custody after an extradition hearing finds him a flight risk. On December 16, the court finalizes its decision to grant him conditional bail. Celebrity supporters rally around him, paying his £240,000 ($376,000) bail and providing a mansion for his house arrest.

February 7- 24, 2011

Assange attends extradition hearings at London's Belmarsh Magistrate's Court, which ultimately rules in support of his extradition to Sweden. Assange then launches an appeal at the High Court.

November 2, 2011

After a series of hearings in July, the British High Court defers its decision until November, ultimately ruling against Assange's appeal. Assange has two weeks to seek the court's permission to appeal to the Supreme Court.

December 5, 2011

The High Court announces that Assange will be allowed to appeal its decision on the legal technicality of whether the Swedish public prosecutor is a judicial authority, a status needed to sign an arrest warrant. The case now moves to the Supreme Court, Britain's highest judicial authority.

May 30, 2012

The Supreme Court denies Assange's appeal against his extradition to Sweden, but in an unusual move, grants him permission to file an appeal. On June 14, it dismisses his application to reopen his appeal.

June 19, 2012

Assange flees to Ecuador's embassy in London to request political asylum. London police say he is subject to arrest for breaking the terms of his bail by seeking asylum.

August 15, 2012

Ecuador's foreign minister, Ricardo Patino, says his government will announce its decision on Assange's asylum request the next day. He says Ecuador received written notice from British authorities that they would "assault" the country's embassy in London if Assange was not handed over.

August 16, 2012

Ecuador announces it has granted asylum to Assange because it believes he will be politically persecuted if extradited. The UK says it is disappointed by the decision and will not grant safe passage out of the country to Assange, who has now been holed up inside Ecuador's embassy in London for nearly two months.

Aug 17, 10:11 AM EDT Assange faces boredom, stress inside embassy By JILL LAWLESS Associated Press

AP Photo/Sang Tan World Video googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('rectangle_body'); }); AP_Tacoda_AMS_DDC_addPair("SECTION", "INTERNATIONAL; EUROPE") AP_Tacoda_AMS_DDC("http://te.ap.org/tte/blank.gif", "1.0") Buy AP Photo Reprints // var urlArray=document.URL.split("?"); // document.write(" "); LONDON (AP) -- Julian Assange lives in a pricey building in one of London's toniest districts. But he is not staying in the lap of luxury. The once globe-trotting WikiLeaks founder is confined to several hundred square feet of space inside Ecuador's London embassy. If he goes outside he will be arrested by British police and extradited to Sweden to be questioned about allegations of sexual assault. The 41-year-old Australian computer expert has spent almost two months inside the embassy of the Latin American country, which on Thursday granted him asylum - but Ecuador lacks any obvious means of getting Assange past the police officers on the doorstep, onto a plane and out of Britain. The Ecuadorean embassy consists of a ground floor apartment, some 10 rooms in all, inside an imposing red-brick apartment block in London's posh Knightsbridge area, practically next door to the luxury department store Harrods. The mission has no bedrooms or guest accommodation. People who have visited Assange say he is living in an office that has been outfitted with a bed, access to a phone and a connection to the Internet. A shower has been installed, and the embassy has a small kitchenette. Assange also has received deliveries of pizza and other take-out food. "It's not quite the Hilton," said Gavin MacFadyen, a supporter who has met with Assange at the embassy. A treadmill provides some opportunity for exercise, and a sun lamp helps compensate for the lack of natural light. Assange's mother Christine has said that visiting friends "turn the music on and encourage him to dance with them." But Christine Assange has expressed fears for her son's health. She said last month that he was facing severe stress after weeks of confinement and more than 18 months fighting legal battles while under strict bail conditions in Britain. "He is under a lot of stress and it's been long-term stress now for nearly two years and in conditions which are similar to detention," she said. Experts say the conditions are bound to take a psychological toll. "He is stuck in no man's land," said Cary Cooper, a psychology professor at England's Lancaster University. "One of the things that causes people most stress is not having any control," Cooper said. "He has none. The control is in other peoples' hands - the U.K. government, the Ecuadorean government. Not in his." By any standards, Assange has had a disruptive 18 months. Since December 2010, when he was arrested in London at Sweden's request, Assange has been on police bail under conditions that required him to report daily to police, wear an electronic tag and live at a designated address. He spent more than a year at the rural English home of WikiLeaks supporter and former journalist Vaughan Smith. That was a country mansion with 600 acres (240 hectares) of land. Assange's room to roam has shrunk dramatically since then. But Smith, who visited Assange this week, said his friend was holding up well. "He lives in a small room which can hardly be described as comfortable," Smith told the Evening Standard newspaper. "As a person though, he is happiest behind a computer doing his job. He is coping well. "He was the same Julian he was when he was staying with me. He is not a sentimental person and so does not miss things other people might miss. He is focused on work." There are few precedents for the situation Assange finds himself in. One of the most famous is the case of Roman Catholic Cardinal Jozsef Mindszenty, who sought refuge in the U.S. Embassy in Budapest in 1956 and remained there for 15 years. Few think the current stalemate will drag on that long. Cooper said the most likely outcome, barring a diplomatic agreement between Britain and Ecuador, was that eventually isolation and confinement would drive Assange out of the embassy, even if it meant arrest. "Ultimately the social incarceration will lead to him coming out," Cooper said. "I don't know when that will happen, but I think he will come out." --- Jill Lawless can be reached at http://Twitter.com/JillLawless © 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

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The Ambassador could adopt him as the son he's always wanted. Then he could get diplomatic immunity.....

tigger wrote:The Ambassador could adopt him as the son he's always wanted. Then he could get diplomatic immunity.....

Is that right tigger? I think the Foreign Office tried the old Sabre Rattling to frighten Ecuador but it didn't work. However, a law was passed allowing Britain to enter any Embassy if necessary . This was after the Woman police officer was shot and the culprits hid in their Embassy . We all know it is the US who are desperate to get Assange on American soil and Sweden is aiding and abetting. There has always been an imbalance on the number of felons sent back to their own Country to be tried, Britain sends far more than America and to be honest Britain should not have got involved. Sweden should make a formal request to Equador.

18 August 2012 Last updated at 05:43








Julian Assange row: Americas ministers to meet


Julian Assange took refuge at Ecuador's embassy in London in June
Continue reading the main story
Related Stories

• Ecuador split on Assange asylum
  
• UK seeks 'solution' over Assange
  
• Press review: Ecuador on Assange
  

Foreign ministers from across the American continent will meet next Friday to discuss the impasse between the UK and Ecuador over Julian Assange.

Ecuador has granted political asylum to the Wikileaks founder who took refuge at Ecuador's embassy in London in June.

He faces extradition to Sweden over sexual assault claims, which he denies.

Twenty-three members of the OAS (Organization of American States) voted to have the meeting in Washington DC. The US was one of three to oppose it.

On Thursday, Ecuador announced it had granted Mr Assange asylum but the UK has said it will not allow him safe passage out of the country.

The South American country has said Mr Assange's human rights could be violated if he is sent to Sweden to be questioned over allegations that he sexually assaulted two ex-Wikileaks volunteers in Stockholm in 2010.

Australian Mr Assange, 41 - whose Wikileaks website has published a mass of leaked diplomatic cables embarrassing countries including the US - fears he would then be passed on to authorities there.

Continue reading the main story
“Start Quote

The issue that concerns us is the inviolability of diplomatic missions of all members of this organisation, something that is of interest to all of us”

End Quote OAS
At emergency talks held by the OAS in Washington, US envoy Carmen Lomellin said a meeting of foreign ministers "would be unhelpful and harmful to the OAS' reputation as an institution".

She said the US - which was joined in a no vote by Canada, and Trinidad and Tobago - did not "recognise the concept of diplomatic asylum as a matter of international law".

OAS secretary general Jose Miguel Insulza said Friday's meeting would address "the problem posed by the threat or warning made to Ecuador by the possibility of an intervention into its embassy in London".

"The issue that concerns us is the inviolability of diplomatic missions of all members of this organisation, something that is of interest to all of us," he added.

Ecuador had described as a "threat" a UK letter that drew attention to the Diplomatic and Consular Premises Act 1987, which could allow it to potentially lift the embassy's diplomatic status to allow police to enter the building to arrest Mr Assange for breaching his bail terms.

The Foreign Office later said the letter had been sent to clarify "all aspects of British law that Ecuador should be aware of".

Britain's permanent observer to the OAS, Philip Barton, said the UK would continue to work with Ecuador "to bring this matter to an amicable and successful conclusion".

The UK Foreign Office has said it will follow its obligations, under the Extradition Act, to arrest Mr Assange if he leaves the embassy.

Meanwhile, an "extraordinary meeting" of the Union of South American Nations has been convened in Ecuador on Sunday to discuss the situation.

Assange Tells US To Stop 'Witch-Hunt'


WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange speaks on the balcony of the Ecuadorian embassy in his first public appearance for two months.


3:24pm UK, Sunday 19 August 2012



Video: 'Police Swarmed Into Embassy'

• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
  WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has used his first public appearance in two months to call on the US to stop its "witch-hunt" against his whistleblowing website.
  
  Speaking on the balcony of the Ecuadorian embassy in Knightsbridge, London, he praised the "courage" shown by the country's president Rafael Correa for granting him asylum.
  
  Mr Assange said Ecuador had taken a "stand for justice", adding: "I ask President Obama to do the right thing, the United States must renounce its witch-hunt against WikiLeaks."
  
  The 41-year-old has been holed up at the embassy since June 19 to avoid extradition to Sweden where he is wanted for questioning over alleged sexual misconduct - claims he denies.
  
  But he is fearful he may be sent to the US in connection with leaked diplomatic cables that were revealed on his WikiLeaks website.
  
  The Foreign Office has refused to allow Mr Assange safe passage out of the UK and he will be arrested if he sets foot outside the embassy.
  Julian Assange with his legal adviser Baltasar Garzon in the embassy
  Mr Assange, who was granted asylum by Ecuador in the last few days, said: "I thank President Correa for the courage he has shown in considering and in granting me political asylum."
  
  Mr Assange also called on the US to release Bradley Manning, the American soldier who has been charged with aiding the enemy by passing the secret files to WikiLeaks and is awaiting trial.
  
  Manning has been charged with transferring classified data and delivering national defence information to an unauthorised source and faces up to 52 years in jail.
  
  The Australian thanked other helpful South American nations and supporters around the world, plus his family including his children "who have been denied their father". He said: "Forgive me, we will be reunited soon."
  
  Mr Assange also claimed a "threat" was sent to the Ecuadorian embassy on Wednesday night.
  
  "On Wednesday night, after a threat was sent to this embassy, the police descended on this building. You came out in the middle of the night to watch over it, and you brought the world's eyes with you.
  
  "Inside this embassy in the dark, I could hear teams of police swarming up inside the building through its internal fire escape.
  
  "But I knew there would be witnesses, and that is because of you."
  
  He ended his 10-minute speech with two thumbs up to the world's media.
  
  Earlier, Mr Assange's legal adviser Baltasar Garzon said his client had instructed his lawyers "to carry out a legal action" to protect his rights.
  
  He told reporters outside the embassy: "Julian Assange has always fought for truth and justice and has defended human rights and continues to do so.
  
  "He demands that WikiLeaks and his own rights be respected. Julian Assange has instructed his lawyers to carry out a legal action in order to protect the rights of WikiLeaks, Julian himself and all those currently being investigated.
  
  =======================================
  
  Actually, Wikileaks made public a lot of American Defense Systems , Bradley Manning committed treason so Assange is being very naiive if he thinks this is acceptable. The Foreign Office has dug a stupid hole for itself with all these Policemen surrounding the Embassy and threats to storm the Embassy , the Ecuadorian Prime Minister is furious as are several South American Countries.
  

I wish I had shared the link to Assange's speech on here - sadly I shared it elsewhere. However you can listen here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPOsDl0ubWA

I haven't listened to this link but before Assange spoke there was a very articulate Englishman who had been persecuted by the authorities for whistleblowing and he stated that US,UK & Sweden have no support from any other government. If this is true then we are really in a bad place in the UK if our "leaders" (used advisedly) do this.

gillyspot wrote:I wish I had shared the link to Assange's speech on here - sadly I shared it elsewhere. However you can listen here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPOsDl0ubWA

I haven't listened to this link but before Assange spoke there was a very articulate Englishman who had been persecuted by the authorities for whistleblowing and he stated that US,UK & Sweden have no support from any other government. If this is true then we are really in a bad place in the UK if our "leaders" (used advisedly) do this.

Thanks gillyspot, just watched it and as I say, wikileaks went OTT in it's whistle blowing and the U.S. Soldier although young, knew what he was doing. Yes, if Sweden were asked to provide all the evidence to Assange as rquested and refused he is right to think as soon as he sets foot in that Country he will be forced to go to the U.S. I bet the extradition order is already with Sweden. How this will end is anybody's guess but the Foreign office really have taken this too far and soured their relationship with several Countries.

As I said I am not a fan of Julian but he represents our freedom of speech. If he is taken by Sweden just to be given to US thanks to our unlawful government then that says it all IMO.

I was surprised to learn yesterday that Assange is married with children......wonder what his wife thinks of his sexual exploits.!!!

===========================================

=20 August 2012 Last updated at 07:14









Julian Assange row: Ecuador backed by South America


The South American foreign ministers joined hands after agreeing the document
Continue reading the main story
Related Stories

• Media reaction to balcony speech
  
• End witch-hunt, Assange urges US
  
• Ecuador split on Assange asylum
  

South American nations have pledged support for Ecuador amid claims of UK "threats" after it granted asylum to Wikileaks founder Julian Assange.

The Union of South American Nations said it backed Ecuador after Mr Assange publicly thanked it and other South American countries for their support.

Mr Assange has been at Ecuador's London embassy since June but the UK has said it could lift its diplomatic status.

He faces extradition to Sweden over sexual assault claims, which he denies.

Ecuador's President Rafael Correa has suggested Mr Assange could co-operate with Sweden if assurances are given that there would be no extradition to a third country.

Supporters of Mr Assange - who on Sunday urged the US to end its "witch-hunt" against the Wikileaks site - claim he could face persecution and even the death penalty if sent there.

'Explicit threat'

A document agreed at the Union of South American Nations meeting said it supported the country "in the face of the threat" to its London embassy.

After Ecuador's Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino finished reading the final declaration from the Union of South American Nations (Unasur) summit, he joined hands with his fellow foreign ministers from across South America and raised them aloft.




Mr Assange called for the US government to "renounce its witch-hunt against Wikileaks"

The BBC's Will Grant said it was a symbolic but important show of unity in a region which considers the UK government's approach over Mr Assange to have been colonialist and threatening.

Ecuador has described a letter from the British government drawing attention to the Diplomatic and Consular Premises Act 1987 as "intolerable" and an "explicit threat".

The act could allow the UK to lift the diplomatic status of Ecuador's embassy in London to allow police to enter the building to arrest Mr Assange for breaching his bail terms.

Mr Assange has been at the embassy since 19 June. Five days earlier, the UK's Supreme Court dismissed his bid to reopen an appeal against his extradition to Sweden.

He had been on bail while the case was being considered and, after the Supreme Court result, was given a further two-week grace period.

It is an established international convention that local police and security forces are not permitted to enter an embassy, unless they have the express permission of the ambassador.

That principle was backed by the ministers at the Unasur summit. In their final document, they agreed on a series of general principles, including as "the inviolability of local diplomatic missions and consular offices".

'War on whistle-blowers'

Our correspondent said that - in the context of the UK's perceived heavy-handed approach to the recent question of Argentina's renewed claim over the Falkland Islands - the British government's reputation in South America was undoubtedly being affected by this stand-off.

Julian Assange called on the US to stop its "war on whistle-blowers"
But the last point of agreement in the Unasur document called for calm, urging the parties involved to "continue the dialogue and negotiation to find a mutually acceptable solution".

On Sunday, Mr Assange, 41, used his first public statement since entering the embassy - delivered from a balcony - to call on the US to stop its "war on whistle-blowers".

The US is carrying out an investigation into Wikileaks, which has published a mass of leaked diplomatic cables, embarrassing several governments and international businesses.

In 2010, two female ex-Wikileaks volunteers accused Mr Assange, an Australian citizen, of committing sexual offences against them while he was in Stockholm to give a lecture.

Mr Assange claims the sex was consensual and the allegations are politically motivated===========================

I don't think he's married now, Panda?
He had a son then married the mother, I think. Then split with her.

wjk wrote:I don't think he's married now, Panda?
He had a son then married the mother, I think. Then split with her.

I thought He mentioned wife and Family in his speech?......knowing me I got it wrong. Anyway, Britain has made a

right pigs' ear of this and the number of Police surrounding the area is ridiculous. Our standing around the World is at it's lowest what with the Libor scandal, now this, whose bright idea was this to corral the Embassy.?

Galloway: Assange's Behaviour 'Was Not Rape'


MP George Galloway attacks sexual assault claims against Julian Assange, but says the WikiLeaks founder's behaviour was "sordid".


6:58am UK, Tuesday 21 August 2012



Video: Galloway: Assange's Behaviour 'Not Rape'

• 
  MP George Galloway has attacked Sweden's attempt to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange over sexual assault claims.
  

Mr Galloway said allegations made against Mr Assange: "Don't constitute rape," but he also condemned as "disgusting" what he described as Mr Assange's "sexual behaviour".

The Respect MP made the comments during his podcast, Good Night With George Galloway.

"Woman A met Julian Assange, invited him back to her flat, gave him dinner, went to bed with him, (and) had consensual sex with him," he said.

"(She) claims that she woke up to him having sex with her again. This is something which can happen, you know.

"I mean, not everybody needs to be asked prior to each insertion. Some people believe that when you go to bed with somebody, take off your clothes, and have sex with them and then fall asleep, you're already in the sex game with them."

Mr Galloway goes on to suggest that for a man not to obtain verbal consent prior to sexual intercourse was "sordid", but nonetheless did not constitute rape.

"It might be really bad manners not to have tapped her on the shoulder and said, 'Do you mind if I do it again?'
Julian Assange's actions were 'disgusting' according to Galloway
"It might be really sordid and bad sexual etiquette, but whatever else it is, it is not rape, or you bankrupt the term rape of all meaning.

"I don't believe either of those women, I don't believe either of these stories."

Mr Galloway's comments provoked anger on Twitter and they came 24 hours after US Senate Republican candidate Todd Akin earned a rebuke from fellow Republican Mitt Romney for his comments on rape and abortion.

During an interview on US television station KTVI-TV the Missouri representative referenced what he called "legitimate rape".

Mr Akin, who is strongly opposed to abortion, was criticised for suggesting this meant some acts of rape are acceptable. President Barack Obama later told a news conference Mr Akin's comments were "offensive".

Mr Obama said: "Rape is rape ...the idea of distinguishing among types of rape doesn’t make sense to the American people and certainly doesn’t make sense to me."

However, Mr Akin claims he "misspoke" and some commentators have suggested Mr Akin was merely distancing his comments from instances where women falsely claim they have been raped in order to obtain free abortions.

• 
  

Panda wrote:

wjk wrote:I don't think he's married now, Panda?
He had a son then married the mother, I think. Then split with her.

I thought He mentioned wife and Family in his speech?......knowing me I got it wrong. Anyway, Britain has made a

right pigs' ear of this and the number of Police surrounding the area is ridiculous. Our standing around the World is at it's lowest what with the Libor scandal, now this, whose bright idea was this to corral the Embassy.?

I think the diplomatic protection squad is obliged to protect Embassies. The police had no choice I think, I don't believe for one second that the Equador embassy is in danger of being stormed by police or SAS.
I don't like the look of the Equadorian ambassador or the fact that the negative information on Equador has miraculously disappeared from the Wikileaks.

That expression on Assange's face does remind me awfully of Gerry, the contempt for the common public, the certainly of being a sort of ubermensch.

Aren't I clever - says his face. No, you're not. You've done nothing useful with the incomplete information you made available by theft. Other people are in jail for believing you and committing crimes to help your cause.

Tell me, has Asange righted even one single wrong? He'll be writing a book about himself pretty soon and it will be a bestseller.
He seems to have given a lot of people a 'cause' to live for. The cause is great and good but nothing will change because nobody will do anything. It's enough to pay lip service to Assange's cause, buy his biography and go to demonstrations. Shows your heart is in the right place even if your brain isn't.

Morning tigger, Assange has his followers but apart from exposing secret information, I agree , what has he acheived?

Has anything changed? NO, does democracy automatically mean the public should know everything NO, has naming and

shaming acheived anything by Assange's exposure NO .

I'm all for freedom of speech and exposing tax dodgers etc but draw the line at exposing a Countrys' Defense System.

To be honest , I can't remember exactly what information was hacked.

Panda wrote:Morning tigger, Assange has his followers but apart from exposing secret information, I agree , what has he acheived?

Has anything changed? NO, does democracy automatically mean the public should know everything NO, has naming and

shaming acheived anything by Assange's exposure NO .

I'm all for freedom of speech and exposing tax dodgers etc but draw the line at exposing a Countrys' Defense System.

To be honest , I can't remember exactly what information was hacked.

Totally agree Panda. If he'd managed to cut through the secrecy surrounding the McCanns, I might have second thoughts. But I'd like one of his supporters to give us a valid example of the 'good' he has done. I'm ready and waiting to discuss it.

21 August 2012 Last updated at 06:12








Julian Assange row: Embassy entry 'would be suicide for UK'


President Rafael Correa said he thought there was still a threat of the UK entering the embassy
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The UK would be committing diplomatic suicide if it tried to enter his country's embassy in London, Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa has said.

The president said such a move would open up the UK to having its diplomatic missions around the world entered.

Mr Correa was speaking to state television about the continuing dispute over Wikileaks founder Julian Assange.

Mr Assange has been in the embassy since June and been granted asylum by Ecuador as he fights extradition.

The UK says it is obliged to extradite Mr Assange to Sweden, where he faces questioning over sex assault claims, which he denies, and he will be arrested if he leaves the embassy.

Mr Assange entered the embassy in June while on bail before extradition proceedings against him started.
'Danger exists'
The interview with Mr Correa opened with a short report from inside the Ecuadorean embassy in London.

It showed Mr Assange hugging his lawyer, the former Spanish judge Baltasar Garzon, just minutes before he addressed crowds of his supporters from the embassy's balcony on Sunday.

Mr Correa was then asked if he thought there was now no possibility the UK authorities would enter the embassy premises to arrest Mr Assange, as they had previously indicated they might in a letter to Ecuadorean officials.

Julian Assange claims he is a victim of the US's "war on whistle-blowers"
Mr Correa said: "While the United Kingdom hasn't retracted nor apologised, the danger still exists."

He said such a course of action would be "suicide for Great Britain because then people could enter their diplomatic premises all around the world and they wouldn't be able to say a thing".

There was very little said on what the next diplomatic step might be regarding removing Mr Assange from the embassy.

But Mr Correa said, if needed, he was prepared to take the issue to the United Nations.

He also said Ecuador was hoping for strong support from a meeting of the Organization of American States on Friday.

"Remember that David beat Goliath. And with many Davids it's easier to bring down a number of Goliaths," he said.

"So we're hoping for clear and coherent backing because this violates all inter-American law, all international law, the Vienna Convention and all diplomatic traditions of the last, at least, 300 years on a global scale."

Returning to the question of Mr Assange, Mr Correa said: "The British say they have no choice but to extradite him but why didn't they extradite Augusto Pinochet?"
Balcony address
BBC correspondent Will Grant, in Ecuador, says that while Mr Correa may not have thrown any fresh light on where the stalemate goes next, he did reiterate that the channels of negotiation with the UK were still open.

The UK has insisted it will not grant Mr Assange "safe passage" to Ecuador as it seeks a diplomatic solution to him being given asylum.

The Supreme Court in May dismissed Mr Assange's bid to reopen his appeal against extradition and gave him a two-week grace period before extradition proceedings could start.

On Sunday, Mr Assange, 41, used his first public statement since entering the embassy to claim asylum - delivered from a balcony - to call on the US to stop its "war on whistle-blowers".

The US is carrying out an investigation into Wikileaks, which has published a mass of leaked diplomatic cables, embarrassing several governments and international businesses.

In 2010, two female ex-Wikileaks volunteers accused Mr Assange, an Australian citizen, of committing sexual offences against them while he was in Stockholm to give a lecture.

He claims the sex was consensual and the allegations are politically motivated and fears extradition to the US if extradited to Sweden.