Ecuador: UK Threatens to Raid Embassy

[L Ron Cupboard]

He's going to send Lord Lucan out first, and in the resulting media frenzy quickly and quietly make his exit through a side door to a waiting helicopter, after which he will make his statement by loudspeaker while hovering directly over the Foreign Office.

I've decided that actually this is in no way possible.

Assange couldn't do anything quickly and quietly.

That might be his defence argument in Sweden.

[Lenehen]

I find it sad that we can't deport Abu Qatada, but we fall over ourselves trying to get Assange into American hands.

This is the world we live in now- America tells us to jump and we ask how high. Patriotism -1

[Nadkor]

I find it sad that we can't deport Abu Qatada, but we fall over ourselves trying to get Assange into American hands.

This is the world we live in now- America tells us to jump and we ask how high. Patriotism -1

Irrelevant considerations and a complete disregard for the facts of the story?

Ding ding ding! I think we have a winner!

[Person012345]

Sweden is america now? Ooh, ooh, does america have that cool version of the flag with the extra state now? That one is so much better than the normal one.

[Yewhohohopia]

I don't see how this is going to work.

Maybe they'll get one of those window-cleaning lift things and hoist him out to deliver his speech from outside someone's flat window?

[Vitius]

I find it sad that we can't deport Abu Qatada, but we fall over ourselves trying to get Assange into American hands.

This is the world we live in now- America tells us to jump and we ask how high. Patriotism -1

'MERICA.

[Lenehen]

I find it sad that we can't deport Abu Qatada, but we fall over ourselves trying to get Assange into American hands.

This is the world we live in now- America tells us to jump and we ask how high. Patriotism -1

Irrelevant considerations and a complete disregard for the facts of the story?

Ding ding ding! I think we have a winner!

Apologies, I didnt expect such a frosty reply for my musings. May I try again?

Thoughts?

I admire the Ecuador government for standing up to our government and I wish the best for Assange. Furthermore, it is my belief that we are only putting so much efforts into catching Assange is that our government is under pressure from the American government, who understandably dislike him because of the American military secrets that Assange has leaked through Wikileaks. I also fear that Sweden will similarly bow to international pressure when the Americans ask for him to be extradited to the states, and fear that he may face the death penalty which in my opinion, is an unfair punishment for doing what he thought was right.

[Yewhohohopia]

I admire the Ecuador government for standing up to our government and I wish the best for Assange. Furthermore, it is my belief that we are only putting so much efforts into catching Assange is that our government is under pressure from the American government, who understandably dislike him because of the American military secrets that Assange has leaked through Wikileaks. I also fear that Sweden will similarly bow to international pressure when the Americans ask for him to be extradited to the states, and fear that he may face the death penalty which in my opinion, is an unfair punishment for doing what he thought was right.

Yeah err problems with this include:

- It's not like the Americans are going to have less trouble sneaking people out of Latin America than Europe.
- Assange not actually being wanted on charges in the States at the present moment in time, so we can't really just send him over there or whatever against his will For The Funsies.
- Why would Sweden bow to the US when he's going to be in one of their jails for quite a while anyway if convicted, and not if not?

[Vitius]

Irrelevant considerations and a complete disregard for the facts of the story?

Ding ding ding! I think we have a winner!

Apologies, I didnt expect such a frosty reply for my musings. May I try again?

Thoughts?

I admire the Ecuador government for standing up to our government and I wish the best for Assange. Furthermore, it is my belief that we are only putting so much efforts into catching Assange is that our government is under pressure from the American government, who understandably dislike him because of the American military secrets that Assange has leaked through Wikileaks. I also fear that Sweden will similarly bow to international pressure when the Americans ask for him to be extradited to the states, and fear that he may face the death penalty which in my opinion, is an unfair punishment for doing what he thought was right.

So I can go off and kill some people in Texas and get away with it because I think it's right? No, whether you think it's right or not doesn't matter. Still, I guess that's a matter of opinion and might be irrelevant.

I don't believe Sweden will 'bow to international pressure' unless they have a good reason to. I can't blame the UK. Hurt relations with Ecuador or hurt relations with the United States or Sweden?

[Samuraikoku]

He should try practicing his running, he's got a treadmill in his room.

[Nadkor]

Irrelevant considerations and a complete disregard for the facts of the story?

Ding ding ding! I think we have a winner!

Apologies, I didnt expect such a frosty reply for my musings. May I try again?

Thoughts?

I admire the Ecuador government for standing up to our government and I wish the best for Assange. Furthermore, it is my belief that we are only putting so much efforts into catching Assange is that our government is under pressure from the American government, who understandably dislike him because of the American military secrets that Assange has leaked through Wikileaks. I also fear that Sweden will similarly bow to international pressure when the Americans ask for him to be extradited to the states, and fear that he may face the death penalty which in my opinion, is an unfair punishment for doing what he thought was right.

Why would the US government be putting pressure on the UK to extradite him to Sweden when the UK-US extradition is perhaps the most favourable to the US in the world? It would be much easier for the US government to extradite him from the UK rather than let him go to Sweden.

If the US government are so interested in extraditing him, why, knowing full well that the UK-US extradition treaty is heavily biased in their favour and that if he went to Sweden they'd have to wait until after he'd gone through the criminal justice system there (how many years that might take), would they not do it from the UK rather than attempt to do it from Sweden?

This is a question raised several times by Arch, and as far as I can tell nobody has yet attempted to come up with a satisfactory answer.

In any case, Sweden cannot extradite anyone to the US when there is a possibility that they might face the death penalty - to extradite Assange to the US they would first need assurances that the US would not seek the death penalty in any trial he might face.

[Person012345]

Honestly, I think this whole thing looks very bad for Assange. At first, I was on his side. At this point, if he was not guilty, why doesn't he just go and face trial? Rape is hard to prove at the best of times. The U.S. haven't made any moves to get him extradited and as has been pointed out, it's not like we're less buddy-buddy with America than Sweden. It's just looking like a desperate attempt to evade justice now.

[Norstal]

Well, he reckons that he's going to make a statement outside the embassy on Sunday, so I guess we'll wait and see what happens.

I don't see how this is going to work.

The news sources I've read over this plan (since reading your post - see how NSG keeps me up to date!) state that Assange plans on making his statement "on the steps of the Ecuadorian Embassy" or "in front of the Ecuadorian embassy".

However, as I've detailed earlier in this thread, the embassy doesn't have its own steps, nor does it have its own front. The embassy consists of 12 rooms in a ground floor flat; said flat doesn't have its own direct exit. To leave the building Assange has to enter the communal lobby, which doesn't form part of the embassy.

The minute he leaves the embassy - not the building - he's subject to arrest.

British police have already been stationed in the lobby.

God forbid that I should detect the whiff of a dramatic publicity stunt somewhere in this news.

Just don't tell him that Arch. Problem solved.

[Great Nepal]

I admire the Ecuador government for standing up to our government and I wish the best for Assange. Furthermore, it is my belief that we are only putting so much efforts into catching Assange is that our government is under pressure from the American government, who understandably dislike him because of the American military secrets that Assange has leaked through Wikileaks. I also fear that Sweden will similarly bow to international pressure when the Americans ask for him to be extradited to the states, and fear that he may face the death penalty which in my opinion, is an unfair punishment for doing what he thought was right.

Few problems....
1. Why the hell didn't US do it in UK, seeing it is much easier to extradite people from UK to US than almost any other nation.
2. It is significantly easier to grab a guy from Ecuador for US armed forces.
3. How come, there aren't even any charges against him in US.

[Lenehen]

Apologies, I didnt expect such a frosty reply for my musings. May I try again?



I admire the Ecuador government for standing up to our government and I wish the best for Assange. Furthermore, it is my belief that we are only putting so much efforts into catching Assange is that our government is under pressure from the American government, who understandably dislike him because of the American military secrets that Assange has leaked through Wikileaks. I also fear that Sweden will similarly bow to international pressure when the Americans ask for him to be extradited to the states, and fear that he may face the death penalty which in my opinion, is an unfair punishment for doing what he thought was right.

So I can go off and kill some people in Texas and get away with it because I think it's right? No, whether you think it's right or not doesn't matter. Still, I guess that's a matter of opinion and might be irrelevant.

Killing people is obviously wrong, bringing the murders of iraqi civilians killed by US troops to light isn't, in my opinion anyway. Obviously I understand that to most people reading this probably believe my opinion is of the least significance, but that's what I choose to believe.

[Farnhamia]

I admire the Ecuador government for standing up to our government and I wish the best for Assange. Furthermore, it is my belief that we are only putting so much efforts into catching Assange is that our government is under pressure from the American government, who understandably dislike him because of the American military secrets that Assange has leaked through Wikileaks. I also fear that Sweden will similarly bow to international pressure when the Americans ask for him to be extradited to the states, and fear that he may face the death penalty which in my opinion, is an unfair punishment for doing what he thought was right.

Few problems....
1. Why the hell didn't US do it in UK, seeing it is much easier to extradite people from UK to US than almost any other nation.
2. It is significantly easier to grab a guy from Ecuador for US armed forces.
3. How come, there aren't even any charges against him in US.

2. Assange is not going to get anywhere near Ecuador unless he goes there on vacation after standing trial in Sweden.

[Great Europa (Ancient)]

Man, South America is always the place to go for wanted criminals. The Nazis, the Welsh, Assange...when are they going to get their act together?

[Shadowlandistan]

The UK is being extremely hypoctirical here. The US and UK are acting like authoritarian states, all because someone had the audacity to do REAL journalism. It's quite disgusting.

[Norstal]

The UK is being extremely hypoctirical here. The US and UK are acting like authoritarian states, all because someone had the audacity to do REAL journalism. It's quite disgusting.

What the fuck does the U.S have anything to do with this? They have no desire to pursue Assange.

http://www.talkradionews.com/opinion/20 ... crime.html

You know how the world hates American exceptionalism? Maybe the world needs to stop blaming the U.S for everything.

And no, considering charging him does not equate to charging him. Because again, the Americans don't want to do this: http://www.thelocal.se/42670/20120817/

[Great Nepal]

2. Assange is not going to get anywhere near Ecuador unless he goes there on vacation after standing trial in Sweden.

I was operating under premise that Ecuador developed teleportor...

[Shadowlandistan]

The UK is being extremely hypoctirical here. The US and UK are acting like authoritarian states, all because someone had the audacity to do REAL journalism. It's quite disgusting.

What the fuck does the U.S have anything to do with this? They have no desire to pursue Assange.

http://www.talkradionews.com/opinion/20 ... crime.html

You know how the world hates American exceptionalism? Maybe the world needs to stop blaming the U.S for everything.

And no, considering charging him does not equate to charging him.

Excuse me, but the US wants to extradite Assange and give him the death penalty. What news have you been reading?

[Samuraikoku]

The UK is being extremely hypoctirical here. The US and UK are acting like authoritarian states, all because someone had the audacity to do REAL journalism. It's quite disgusting.

Never mind the rape charges pending on Assange.

[Norstal]

What the fuck does the U.S have anything to do with this? They have no desire to pursue Assange.

http://www.talkradionews.com/opinion/20 ... crime.html

You know how the world hates American exceptionalism? Maybe the world needs to stop blaming the U.S for everything.

And no, considering charging him does not equate to charging him.

Excuse me, but the US wants to extradite Assange and give him the death penalty. What news have you been reading?

No they fucking don't. What have YOU been reading?

http://www.thelocal.se/42670/20120817/

[Great Nepal]

What the fuck does the U.S have anything to do with this? They have no desire to pursue Assange.

http://www.talkradionews.com/opinion/20 ... crime.html

You know how the world hates American exceptionalism? Maybe the world needs to stop blaming the U.S for everything.

And no, considering charging him does not equate to charging him.

Excuse me, but the US wants to extradite Assange and give him the death penalty. What news have you been reading?

Source.

[Elan Valleys]

What the fuck does the U.S have anything to do with this? They have no desire to pursue Assange.

http://www.talkradionews.com/opinion/20 ... crime.html

You know how the world hates American exceptionalism? Maybe the world needs to stop blaming the U.S for everything.

And no, considering charging him does not equate to charging him.

Excuse me, but the US wants to extradite Assange and give him the death penalty. What news have you been reading?

They have made an official statement that they have no intention of extraditing him at the present time...

A few right-wing commentators may have called for execution, but they are not the US government nor do they represent it.