Julian Assange Released From Prison On A USA Plea Deal 25th June 2024
JulianAssangeReleasedFromPrisonOnAUSAPleaDeal25thJune2024
Julian Assange Says He Has ‘Insurance Files’ on Rupert Murdoch
https://awn.bz/WikiLeaksTruthAlwaysWins.html
Julian Assange: WikiLeaks founder walks free after reaching plea deal in US court - BBC News
Please also see: JulianAssange_TravestyofJustice (inltv.co.uk)
A Free Democratic Society Needs A Free Open Independent Fair Uncorrupted Press
Julian Assange Free and Back To Australia On USA Plea Deal 25th June 2024
Julian Assange's legal team and wife Stella Assange Gives Press conference in Canberra
INLTV.co.uk INLTV World News 26th June 2024
INLTV World News 25th June 2024 INLTV.co.uk Part 9
Julian Assange heads to Canberra walking free after pleading guilty to US espionage charge in Saipan court
Julian Assange Says He Has ‘Insurance Files’ on Rupert Murdoch
Julian Assange said today that the “insurance files” he promised to release should any harm come to him or WikiLeaks should worry more than just diplomats and government sources. “There are 504 US embassy cables on one broadcasting organization and there are cables on Murdoch and News Corp,” Assange told the British paper the New Statesman. What’s the connection between whistle-blowing on wartime abuses and international diplomacy and media companies? “[T]hey speak more of the same truth to power,” said Assange, whose legal team is currently trying to fight extradition to Sweden by making the case that it could lead to detention in Guantanamo and eventual execution. Murdoch is a surprising new target considering just last month Assange invoked him and his history of truth telling to support WikiLeaks’ mission. In an op-ed in the Australian, Assange said:
“In 1958 a young Rupert Murdoch, then owner and editor of Adelaide’s The News, wrote: ‘In the race between secrecy and truth, it seems inevitable that truth will always win.’”
That wasn’t the first instance of Assange’s seeking umbrage in Murdoch’s shadow. During his feud with the Guardian over publishing leaked information about his sex-crimes charges, Assange used an interview with the Times U.K. to attack his former allies at the Guardian. At the time, David Leigh, the Guardian’s investigations editor tweeted, “The #guardian published too many leaks for #Assange ‘s liking, it seems. So now he’s signed up ‘exclusively’ with #Murdoch’s Times. Gosh.”
As part of today’s big reveal about the Murdoch cables, Assange also added that attempts to indict him should worry the mainstream press, continuing his recent emphasis on his journalistic bona fides:
This isn’t the first time Assange has identified himself as a journalist, despite the press’s attempt to distance themselves from the idea. In order to make their espionage case against Assange, the Department of Justice has also tried to discredit the notion. Assange has won awards for journalism, and in an interview with Time in July, he said, “I am a journalist and publisher and inventor.” But in the past, he’s also branded WikiLeaks as a whistle-blowing organization, which would place him more in the “source” camp than the “publisher” one. Regardless, it seems like an odd time to choose a media organization, even as reviled a conglomerate as New Corp., as his next target.
Exclusive Interview: Julian Assange on Murdoch, Manning and the threat from China [New Statesman]
WikiLeaks: Julian Assange claims to have Rupert Murdoch ‘insurance files’ [Guardian UK]
Assange team: He could face execution, Guantanamo detention [Salon]
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2011/01/forget_bank_of_america_assange.html
Julian Assange Free Flying Back To Australia On A USA Plea Deal 25th June 2024
INLTV.co.uk INLTVWorldNews Part 4
Julian Assange Free Flying Back To Australia On A USA Plea Deal 25th June 2024
INLTV.co.uk INLTVWorldNews Part 5
26th June 2024
Assange's plane has now left Saipan island and is on its way to Canberra.
Wikileaks earlier shared the route his plane will take. He is expected to land in Australia's capital at around 18:41 local time (08:41 GMT).
The journey takes roughly 6 hours and 30 minutes.
It comes with a $520,000 (£410,000) price tag - which will be paid for by the Australian government with the expectation that Assange will pay the costs back, according to his team. A crowdfunding appeal has been launched to help foot the bill that has already taken in over £277,000 in dontations.
Julian Assange banned from returning to US - DOJ
Assange's dad says Australia did a 'magnificent' job
Assange's father, John Shipton, has credited Australians for their efforts that led to his release.
"It's the Australian people. I am so proud of them. It is the first time we can walk out and look at the sun and say to ourselves, we did a sovereign act, us," he said in a television interview.
"The flow of feeling from us the people into the government, was manifested to government, solved the problem that we felt existed, I think that's pretty magnificent."
With Assange on his way home, Shipton said "cartwheels is a good expression of the joy that one feels".
He said his son must be looking forward to spending time with his family and being on the beach.
Julian Assange walks free after pleading guilty to US espionage charge in Saipan court
US plea deal allows WikiLeaks founder to return to Australia after an extraordinary legal fight spanning more than a decade
Jennifer Robinson, a senior and long serving member of Assange’s legal team, thanked his supporters, including Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese.
Julian Assange live news: WikiLeaks founder heads to Australia as US ambassador Caroline Kennedy declares ‘longstanding and difficult’ case closed
WikiLeaks to hold press conference in Canberra 26th June 2024
WikiLeaks says it will hold a press conference in Canberra, Australia later tonight.
In a post to X, it said the press conference will be held at 9.15pm local time, in Kingston, ACT. (This is about seven hours from now).
WikiLeaks has not specified who will front the press conference, but Julian Assange is currently en route to Canberra and is due to arrive later tonight
What Assange’s US lawyer Barry Pollack had to say outside court in Saipan following today’s hearing:
Pollack said Assange “cannot and should not be silenced” and that his prosecution “has a chilling effect”.
Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, addressing the parliament about Julian Assange
Summary
Here are the key developments in the Julian Assange hearing today:
-
Court has adjourned in Saipan, where WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange pleaded guilty to a single felony charge for publishing US military secrets. He was sentenced by Judge Ramona V Manglona to time served. He has left the court a free man, and is on his way to his native Australia.
-
The judge said, “It appears your 62 months … was fair and reasonable and proportionate to [Chelsea] Manning’s actual prison time.”
-
Just a moment - pic.twitter.com/5UDPsGcIYG
— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) June 26, 2024 - WikiLeaks has shared an image of what appears to be Julian Assange hugging his lawyer, Jennifer Robinson, with Australia’s ambassador to the US and former prime minister, Kevin Rudd, in the background.
Anthony Albanese addresses parliament about Assange case
The Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese is currently addressing the parliament following the outcome of the Julian Assange case. He says:
Regardless of your views about his activities – and they will be varied – Mr Assange’s case has dragged on for too long. I have said repeatedly that there was nothing to be gained by his continued incarceration. I am pleased that he is on his way home to Australia to reunite with his family here.
Over the two years since we took office my government has engaged and advocated, including at leader level, to resolve this. We have used all appropriate channels [and] this outcome has been the product of careful, patient and determined work.
The Australian government continues to provide consular assistance to Mr Assange as he returns home.
US ambassador to Australia issues statement following Assange outcome
The US ambassador to Australia, Caroline Kennedy, has issued this statement following the outcome of the Assange case:
The return of Julian Assange to Australia brings this longstanding and difficult case to a close. The United States is grateful to the government of Australia for their commitment and assistance throughout this process.
Julian Assange Released From Prison On A USA Plea Deal 25th June 2024
INLTV.co.uk INLTVWorldNews Part 1C
US ambassador to Australia issues statement following Assange outcome
The US ambassador to Australia, Caroline Kennedy, has issued this statement following the outcome of the Assange case:
The return of Julian Assange to Australia brings this longstanding and difficult case to a close. The United States is grateful to the government of Australia for their commitment and assistance throughout this process.
CIA LAPD involvement In Illegal Drug Trade
exposed by former LAPD Drug Enforcement Officer Mike Rupert P1
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has walked free from a court in the US Pacific island territory of Saipan, after pleading guilty to violating US espionage law, in a deal that left him free to return home to Australia and brought an end to an extraordinary 14 year legal saga.
On Wednesday, the US’s smallest and most remote federal district court accepted a plea deal reached between Assange and the US government, under terms which required him to admit guilt to one criminal count of conspiring to obtain and disclose classified US national defence documents.
In return he was sentenced to time served, with no supervisory period or financial penalty, due to time already served in Belmont prison in London. He flew out of Saipan, headed for Canberra, at lunchtime on Wednesday.
His release ends a legal saga that spanned more than a decade, in which Assange spent five years in the high-security jail and seven years at the Ecuadorian embassy in London, battling extradition to the US, where he faced 18 criminal charges.
iPhones, iPads, Android devices and Microsoft Windows systems were also allegedly targeted by spies, claims WikiLeaks.
By Adam Parris-Long and Andy Hayes, News Reporters
Wikileakes Leaked Documents Reveal How Spies Can Control TVs Phones And iPads SkyNews 2017
Julian Assange walks through the US courthouse in Saipan. Photograph: Yuichi Yamazaki/AFP/Getty Images
Jennifer Robinson, a senior and long serving member of Assange’s legal team, thanked his supporters, including Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese.
Speaking to reporters outside the Saipan court, his lawyers called the prosecution “unprecedented” and an assault on free speech, but said it was time the fight came to an end.
Immediately after the three hour hearing, the US government withdrew its extradition request from the UK, dropped all remaining charges pending in the US, and banned Assange from returning to the US without permission. He headed straight to the airport and was due to arrive on Australian soil at 7.30pm.
Assange, who had flown to Saipan from London, arrived at court in a grey suit accompanied by Australian high commissioner to the UK Stephen Smith, and Australian ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd. He was greeted by a hoard of foreign and local media but took no questions.
The justice department agreed to hold the hearing on the remote island due to Assange’s opposition to travelling to the US mainland and because of its proximity to Australia.
During the hearing, Assange said he had believed the US first amendment, which protects free speech, shielded his activities.
“Working as a journalist I encouraged my source to provide information that was said to be classified in order to publish that information,” he told the court. “I believed the first amendment protected that activity but I accept that it was … a violation of the espionage statute.”
US government attorney Matthew McKenzie, said Assange’s opinions of the first amendment and espionage act did not align with the facts.
“We reject those sentiments but accept that he believes them,” McKenzie said, detailing the extensive information that WikiLeaks had published or obtained from its source, Chelsea Manning, who was sentenced to 35 years in prison for her act but served seven after the sentence was commuted by then president Barack Obama.
In the end, chief US district judge Ramona V. Manglona accepted Assange’s guilty plea and released him without supervision due to time already served.
Closing the hearing, she said: “With this pronouncement it appears you will be able to walk out of this courtroom a free man. I hope there will be some peace restored.” Assange, appearing emotional, hugged his legal team.
Speaking afterwards, Assange’s lawyer, Barry Pollack, called the prosecution “unprecedented” and an assault on free speech, but said it was time the fight came to an end. WikiLeaks’ work would continue, he said.
Asked how long it took to reach the agreement, Pollack said: “62 months in Belmarsh prison”.
Jennifer Robinson, a senior and long serving member of Assange’s legal team, thanked his supporters, including Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese.
“When Australian officials were making outreach to the US, they knew that they were acting with the full authority of the prime minister of Australia,” she said.
“It is a huge relief to Julian Assange, to his family, to his friends, to his supporters and to us and to everyone who believes in free speech around the world that he can now return home to Australia and be reunited with his family.”
WikiLeaks said Assange would travel to Canberra, where he will be reunited with his family.
The plea deal, which was disclosed on Monday, marked the end of a transnational legal fight over Assange’s fate. His actions had divided opinions, with some, including successive US administrations, accusing him of endangering lives. Others hailed him as a hero for exposing US military wrongdoings in Iraq and Afghanistan by publishing leaked documents provided by Manning.
Before being locked up in London, Assange spent years hiding out in the Ecuadorian embassy in London to avoid extradition to Sweden to face allegations of rape and sexual assault, which he has denied and which were later dropped by Swedish authorities.
The abrupt conclusion enables both sides to claim a degree of success, with the justice department able to resolve without trial a case that raised thorny legal issues and that might never have reached a jury at all given the plodding pace of the extradition process.
Julian Assange at Stansted Airport on 24 June. Pic: WikiLeaks
Stella Assange backed the Dead Man's Switch project.
Assange banned from returning to US - DOJ
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has released a lengthy statement following the sentencing and freeing of Julian Assange.
In it, the backstory of his case and the outcome of the plea deal is laid out in detail.
As part of this deal, the statement reads, Assange is "prohibited from returning to the United States without permission".
However, his wife Stella has told Reuters that they will seek a pardon for his conviction - which, if successful, could mean he one day steps back on American soil without restrictions.
Assange's dad says Australia did a 'magnificent' job
Assange's father, John Shipton, has credited Australians for their efforts that led to his release.
"It's the Australian people. I am so proud of them. It is the first time we can walk out and look at the sun and say to ourselves, we did a sovereign act, us," he said in a television interview.
"The flow of feeling from us the people into the government, was manifested to government, solved the problem that we felt existed, I think that's pretty magnificent."
With Assange on his way home, Shipton said "cartwheels is a good expression of the joy that one feels".
He said his son must be looking forward to spending time with his family and being on the beach.
Julian Assange Released From Prison On A USA Plea Deal 25th June 2024
INLTV.co.uk INLTVWorldNews PartThree
Julian Assange walks free after reaching plea deal in US court over leaking military secrets
Julian Assange: WikiLeaks founder walks free after reaching plea deal in US court - BBC News
With updates from Jonathan Head in Saipan, Yvette Tan in Singapore and Tiffanie Turnbull and Hannah Ritchie in Sydney
Julian Assange: WikiLeaks founder walks free after reaching plea deal in US court - BBC News
26th June 2024
Assange's plane has now left Saipan island and is on its way to Canberra.
Wikileaks earlier shared the route his plane will take. He is expected to land in Australia's capital at around 18:41 local time (08:41 GMT).
The journey takes roughly 6 hours and 30 minutes.
It comes with a $520,000 (£410,000) price tag - which will be paid for by the Australian government with the expectation that Assange will pay the costs back, according to his team. A crowdfunding appeal has been launched to help foot the bill that has already taken in over £277,000 in dontations.
Assange was filmed boarding a plane and is due to appear at a court on Saipan, one of the Northern Mariana Islands, on Tuesday.
The hearing is taking place in the US Commonwealth territory because of Assange's opposition to travelling to one of the 50 American states and the court's proximity to Australia, his country of birth
CIA's Nugan Hand Bank Part 1
CIA's Nugan Hand Bank Partying Falcon's Trip -
The Rio Grande And The Mediteranean Connection Part 2
CIA's Nugan Hand Bank Partying Falcon's Trip -
The Rio Grande And The Mediteranean Connection Part 3
Peter Greste was jailed in Egypt for 13 months in 2014.
Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian
Peter Greste: Assange will face ‘very, very difficult transition’ back into life after imprisonment
Australian journalist and former Al Jazeera correspondent Peter Greste, who spent 13 months in an Egyptian jail, predicts Julian Assange will face a “very, very difficult transition” back into normal life.
Greste spoke with ABC News earlier, and reflected on his own time in prison:
I think [Assange is] going to be feeling really quite discombobulated. There’s a mix of joy and elation. A certain degree of disconnection. I only spent 400 days in prison, Julian has spent closer to 13 years. His experience has been far more odious than anything I went through.
But I also know just how strange it was to go from incarceration, which is designed to mess with your head, fundamentally it’s a form of psychological torture, and so you can’t go through that experience – particularly with the degree of uncertainty that Julian has experienced in this whole ordeal – and then come out the other side and just pop straight back into normal life as if nothing had happened. It’s going to be a very, very difficult transition for him.
Australian independent politicians welcome outcome of Assange case
Some of Australia’s independent politicians have reacted to the outcome of the Julian Assange case, welcoming him home as he is en route to Canberra – the nation’s capital.
The member for Goldstein, Zoe Daniel, wrote on X that Assange was “Free at last!”.
A 14-year ordeal for Julian Assange for revealing the truth is finally over. Welcome home Julian.
Meanwhile the member for Indi, Helen Haines, wrote:
Like the many people who have written to me in support of Julian, I have long called for an end to his incarceration and to bring him home to Australia.
Julian’s family have been steadfast in their advocacy for him. This day is as much for them as it is for Julian.
The Wentworth MP, Allegra Spender, also weighed in, stating that “whatever your view, this case dragged on too long”.
I welcome the release of Julian Assange … Journalism and publishing must not be criminalised. Julian Assange has spent far too long in prison. His crime was publishing truthful information in the public interest.
Julian Assange begins journey to freedom
Assange was filmed boarding a plane and is due to appear at a court on Saipan, one of the Northern Mariana Islands, on Tuesday.
The hearing is taking place in the US Commonwealth territory because of Assange's opposition to travelling to one of the 50 American states and the court's proximity to Australia, his country of birth
Australian independent politicians welcome outcome of Assange case
Some of Australia’s independent politicians have reacted to the outcome of the Julian Assange case, welcoming him home as he is en route to Canberra – the nation’s capital.
The member for Goldstein, Zoe Daniel, wrote on X that Assange was “Free at last!”.
A 14-year ordeal for Julian Assange for revealing the truth is finally over. Welcome home Julian.
Meanwhile the member for Indi, Helen Haines, wrote:
Like the many people who have written to me in support of Julian, I have long called for an end to his incarceration and to bring him home to Australia.
Julian’s family have been steadfast in their advocacy for him. This day is as much for them as it is for Julian.
The Wentworth MP, Allegra Spender, also weighed in, stating that “whatever your view, this case dragged on too long”.
I welcome the release of Julian Assange … Journalism and publishing must not be criminalised. Julian Assange has spent far too long in prison. His crime was publishing truthful information in the public interest.
Julian Assange plea deal: what does it mean for the WikiLeaks founder, and what happens now?
Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese says that the US ambassador, Kevin Rudd, and UK high commissioner, Stephen Smith, are travelling to Australia with Assange.
The pair were with him in court today to provide support.
Albanese told the Australian parliament:
I thank them for their work and others at the respective embassy and high commission for helping us reach this conclusion. This work has been complex and it has been considered …
I am very pleased that on this occasion, this has been a successful outcome that I believe overwhelmingly Australians did want to see – as I said, they will have different views about the engagement and the activities of Mr Assange – but they will be pleased that this saga has been brought to an end and he will be able to reunite with his family.
Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese speaks during question time at Parliament House today.
Julian Assange live news: WikiLeaks founder heads to Australia as US ambassador Caroline Kennedy declares ‘longstanding and difficult’ case closed
Summary
Here are the key developments in the Julian Assange hearing today:
-
Court has adjourned in Saipan, where WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange pleaded guilty to a single felony charge for publishing US military secrets. He was sentenced by Judge Ramona V Manglona to time served. He has left the court a free man, and is on his way to his native Australia.
-
The judge said, “It appears your 62 months … was fair and reasonable and proportionate to [Chelsea] Manning’s actual prison time.”
- Independent MP Andrew Wilkie with members of the Bring Julian Assange Home parliamentary group at Parliament House today. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AA
Australian independent MP Andrew Wilkie also said that today’s outcome has set an “alarming precedent” – the “charging and conviction of a journalist for doing their job”.
He told reporters that this is “the sort of thing we would expect in an authoritarian or totalitarian country, [not] from the United States or a similar country like Australia.”
I think it sends a chill down the spine of journalists worldwide that this precedent has been set, and it means that there is more work to do to push for media freedom and protections for journalists so that they can do their job.
Australian co-chair of parliamentary support group for Assange welcomes outcome
Earlier, Australian independent MP Andrew Wilkie addressed the media about his years of advocacy for Julian Assange.
Wilkie is co-chair of the Australian parliamentary group in support of Assange, and has twice travelled to London to support him.
He successfully introduced a motion to the Australian parliament in February – which received 86 votes in favour and 42 against – urging the US and UK to allow Assange to return home.
Here is what Wilkie had to say:
For many years, a series of Australian governments were either disinterested in Julian Assange or downright hostile. It is pleasing that this government was the government, finally, that listened to the community and took up the challenge and did a lot, a real lot, of difficult, quiet, behind-the-scenes work with foreign governments to bring about today.
I would also like to acknowledge the millions of people, right around the world, who have rallied for Julian for years – for the years that he had been at Belmarsh prison and the seven years in Ecuadorian embassy before that. Today is their day as much as it is … any politicians in this country. I acknowledge them.
Julian Assange at Stansted Airport on 24 June. Pic: WikiLeaks
Julian Assange Released From Prison On A USA Plea Deal 25th June 2024 (inltv.co.uk)
-
WikiLeaks published classified documents obtained by Manning.
-
The plea was part of a deal struck with the US justice department that was expected to secure his freedom. It ends the almost 14-year-long pursuit of the publisher by the US.
-
The plea was entered Wednesday morning in federal court in Saipan, the capital of the Northern Mariana Islands, a US commonwealth in the Pacific. Assange, who had flown to Saipan from London via Bangkok, arrived at court shortly before the hearing was to begin, wearing a dark suit with a tie loosened at the collar. He did not want to face a hearing on the US mainland, which, along with its proximity to Australia, is why Saipan was chosen for the hearing.
-
Following the sentencing, the US Department of Justice released a lengthy statement saying that Assange would not be allowed back into the US. It said, “Following the imposition of sentence, he will depart the United States for his native Australia. Pursuant to the plea agreement, Assange is prohibited from returning to the United States without permission.”
-
Stella Assange, the wife of Julian, told Reuters on Tuesday they would seek a pardon were he to plead guilty. If this were granted, he might be allowed to return to the US in future.
-
Assange departed from the court straight to the airport in Saipan, where he is expected to board a flight for Canberra, Australia.
-
Assange was accompanied in the court Australian ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd, and Australian high commissioner to the UK, Stephen Smith. He was greeted by foreign and local media, but did not stop to speak to the gathered press despite the questions being shouted at him.
-
Australian human rights lawyer and member of Assange’s legal team, Jennifer Robinson, addressed the media after the sentencing, saying: “I hope that the fact that we have been able to free Julian Assange today against all of the odds and against one of the most powerful governments in the world will give hope to all journalists and publishers who are imprisoned around the world.”
-
Assange’s lawyer, Barry Pollack, addressed the media saying, “The prosecution of Julian Assange is unprecedented in the 100 years of the espionage act, it has never been used by United States to pursue a publisher, a journalist, like Mr Assange. Mr Assange revealed truthful, newsworthy information, including revealing that the United States had committed war crimes. He has suffered tremendously in his fight for free speech, for freedom of the press, and to ensure that the American public and the world community gets truthful and important newsworthy information.”
-
Anthony Albanese addresses parliament about Assange caseWikiLeaks to hold press conference in Canberra tonightUS ambassador to Australia issues statement following Assange outcomePlane carrying Assange takes off in SaipanSummaryUS Justice Department statement: Assange prohibited from returning to USAssange leaves the courtroomAssange's lawyer addresses the media
-
Court is adjournedJudge says Assange will walk from Saipan courtroom a free manAssange emotional as judge declares: 'this case ends with me here in Saipan'Judge not imposing any period of supervised releaseJudge acknowledges Assange's '14-year ordeal'Sentencing begins
-
Here's what we know so farAustralian PM: 'I will have more to say on Assange case once legal proceedings conclude'Court taking 20 minute breakJudge accepts Julian Assange's guilty plea
-
Tuesday, 25 Jun 2024
Julian Assange plea deal: what does it mean and what happens now? (rte.ie)
Analysis: The deal sets a practical, if not legal, precedent that a publisher can be convicted under the Espionage Act in the US
By Holly Cullen, The University of Western Australia
After years of appeals and litigation, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has entered into a plea deal with the US government, according to court documents. He was facing one count of computer misuse and multiple counts of espionage stemming from his work with WikiLeaks, publishing sensitive US government documents provided by Chelsea Manning. The US government had repeatedly claimed that Assange's actions risked its national security.
Documents filed in the US Federal Court in Saipan, in the Northern Mariana Islands, show Assange will plead guilty to one count under the US Espionage Act. The rest of the charges would be dropped and the request for his extradition to the US would be withdrawn. The US is yet to publicly confirm the deal.
The deal is subject to a hearing and sentencing in Saipan on Wednesday morning, where outlets are reporting Assange will appear in person. He's been released from London's Belmarsh prison, with WikiLeaks sharing vision of him en route to London's Stansted Airport.
An airplane carrying Wikileaks founder Julian Assange is pictured on the tarmac at Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok on June 25, 2024. The plane carrying WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will stop in Bangkok to refuel, a senior Thai official told AFP on June 25, before flying to the Northern Mariana Islands, a US territory in the PacificWhat's in the deal?
Assange has been granted bail by the UK High Court. Upon his guilty plea, Assange will be sentenced to 62 months in prison: time he's already served in Belmarsh. It puts an end to all the ongoing legal action, including the proceedings in the UK High Court and the extradition order from the UK Home Secretary.
The plea deal seems largely consistent with rumours circulating earlier this year. It was widely assumed Assange would plead guilty to one charge, which was expected to be a misdemeanour charge of mishandling documents rather than under the US Espionage Act. The initial rumours also indicated that he would be able to complete the process remotely, whereas he will appear in person before the court.
This is significant as it's a national security offence for which he's served more than five years behind bars. This will place limitations on his future travel, including to the US, which is unlikely to grant him a visa. It also sets a practical precedent, if not necessarily a legal one, that a publisher can be convicted under the Espionage Act in the US. While the devil will be in the details of the deal, this is what many journalists were afraid of.
It means somebody who did nothing more than receive and publish information has been convicted under major US national security laws. If the deal had been about the Computer Misuse Act, this scenario wouldn't have arisen. The concern may be that now it's been done once, it could happen again.
Why is there a deal after all this time?
We may never know the US' full reasoning, but there are several possibilities as to why it decided to go to a plea deal and not continue with litigation.
The Australian government has been pushing hard for a couple of years now for this case to end. The case for stopping prosecution has had bipartisan support here. Although not confirming or denying the existence of a plea deal just yet, a spokesperson for the government reiterated Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's position that there was "nothing to be gained from his [Assange's] continued incarceration".
The fact the government has been consistent on this for about two years has changed the political environment for this prosecution. There's a growing consensus in the US, even among some Republicans, that it's not in the public interest to continue.
The UK general election will be held next week, and given the anticipated change of government there, the extradition order may have been reconsidered anyway. All of this would likely have informed the US' cost-benefit analysis to ultimately bring the Assange saga to an end.
What happens now?
Following the hearing in Saipan, Assange will be free to return to Australia. The court was chosen because of Assange's opposition to travelling to the continental US, as well as its proximity to Australia.
Assange will likely find it difficult to travel in the future, given his serious criminal conviction. This may also apply in the UK, where he has also been convicted of absconding from bail, for which he was sentenced to a year's imprisonment.
Looking further ahead, it's entirely possible he will be pardoned by the US president, whomever it ends up being after the US election in November. The US allows much more discretion than most in the use of pardons.
For now, Assange will face court in Saipan and come home to Australia, albeit with a serious criminal record.
Holly Cullen is Adjunct Professor in Law at The University of Western Australia. This article was originally published by The Conversation.
Mr Blakey Says He Does Not Trust The CIA To Tell The Truth Part A
How Heroin Defeated America In Afghanistan - The War On Drug
The CIA’s Paul Helliwell with the CIA’s Michael Hand (mid) and Frank Nugan (Right) of the Nugan Hand Bank a laundromat for CA heroin Profits.
Small Picture Left:
Former CIA director, vice president, and chief U.S. drug trafficking “fighter! George H.W, Bus with Panama’s Noriega, a decade long CIA asset and Medelli Cartel-allied cocaine exporter to the U.S until be became too much of a liability in 1989
Small Picture Right:
Seizure in Mexica of cartel weapons and drugs
A History of CIA Drug Trafficking:
How Drug Cartels and Drug-Dealing Death Squads have been the CIA's Best Friends For Many Decades
By Joel van der Reiden 19th August 2020
From left to right:
John Hull, Barry Seal, Adolfo Calero, Colonel Enrique Bermudes, and Manuel Noriega with Mike Haran
https://isgp-studies.com/cia-heroin-and-cocaine-drug-trafficking#intro
The global drug trade is controlled and run by the intelligence agencies CIA Mosaad MI5- MI6
James Casbolt has worked for MI6 'black ops' cocaine trafficking IRA Mossad – London & Brighton
"Is Western Australia a democracy or a fascist state?" Andrew Mallard.
The extraordinary case of Andrew Mallard
"Is Western Australia a democracy or a fascist state?" ... Andrew Mallard.
"Why should these powerful people such as Kenneth Paul Bates, former senior DPP prosecutor, David John Caporn, former Assistant Western Australian Police Commissioner and others be above the law?" ... Andrew Mallard
Click Here for INL News Amazon Best Seller Books
Click Here for the best range of Amazon Computers
Click Here for INL News Amazon Best Seller Books
Amazon Electronics - Portable Projectors
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: "Why should these powerful people be above the law?" ... Andrew Mallard
Date: 2022-12-02 11:46
From: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
To: Commissioner of Police for Western Australia <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>, The Honourable Julie Wager <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>, "Robert Owen, The Director of Public Prosecutions for Western Australia" <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>, Yanina Boschini-Legal Administrator for the Director of Public Prosecutions <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>, Robert Owen <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>, "John Quigley, The Attorney General for Western Australia" <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>, "Michelle Roberts, The Minister of Police for Western Australia" <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>, "Strain, Rebekah" <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>, District Court Services <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>, Associate for Judge Barbagallo <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>, Associate for Judge Bowden <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
"Why should these powerful people such as Kenneth Paul Bates, former senior DPP prosecutor, David John Caporn, former Assistant Western Australian Police Commissioner and others be above the law?" ... Andrew Mallard
Andrew Mallard Was Framed by Kenneth Paul Bates, former senior DPP prosecutor, David John Caporn, former Assistant Western Australian Police Commissioner and others .. Then it seems that Andrew Mallard was deliberately murdered by a hit and run driver who only was punished with a weekend detention order.. which supports the claim by a whistle blower insider that "Los Angeles Basketballer, Kristopher Smith Who Pleaded Guilty To The Fatal Hit-run-Death Of Andrew Mallard, was paid by powerful Freemason and CIA connections of Kenneth Paul Bates, former senior DPP prosecutor, David John Caporn, former Assistant Western Australian Police Commissioner and others, deliberately kill Andrew Mallard by deliberately hitting Andrew Mallard with his car.. to stop Andrew Mallard from continuing to publicly speak out claiming he was Framed by Kenneth Paul Bates, former senior DPP prosecutor, David John Caporn, former Assistant Western Australian Police Commissioner and others ... and to stop Andrew Mallard from continuing his proposed application to issue a private criminal prosecution against Kenneth Paul Bates, former senior DPP prosecutor, David John Caporn, former Assistant Western Australian Police Commissioner and others for a criminal conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, as ruled by the justices of the High Court of Australia as the reason why the High Court quashed Andrew Mallard's wrongful murder conviction "....
"Why should these powerful people be above the law?" ... Andrew Mallard
https://inltv.co.uk/index.php/andrewmallardframed
Attention:
The Honourable Julie Wager, the Chief Justice of the District Court of Western Australia,
District Court of Western Australia
ABN: 70598519 443
500 Hay Street
Perth, WA 6000
Telephone: +61 8 9425 2128
Facsimile: +61 8 9425 2268A
Email: "The Honourable Julie Wager" <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
"Associate for Judge Bowden" <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
"Associate for Judge Barbagallo" <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Registrar Davies
Registrar Davies, the chief registrar of the District Court of Western Australia,
Registrar Davies
District Court of Western Australia
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Rebekah Strain| Criminal Case Management
District Court of Western Australia | 500 Hay St, PERTH WA 6000
T: 9425 7911|w: www.districtcourt.wa.gov.au
"Strain, Rebekah" <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
"District Court Services" <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Robert Owen, The Director of Public Prosecutions for Western Australia
Director of Public Prosecutions International House
Level 1, 26 St. Georges Terrace, Perth WA 6000
Tel: (08) 9425 3999 Fax| (08) 9425 3600
Email: "Robert Owen, The Director of Public Prosecutions for Western Australia" <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
"Robert Owen" <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
John Quigley, The Attorney General for Western Australia
John Quigley, Attorney General for Western Australia
Email: "John Quigley, The Attorney General for Western Australia" <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Michelle Roberts, The Minister of Police for Western Australia
Email: "Michelle Roberts, The Minister of Police for Western Australia" <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
And
Chris Dawson, The Commissioner of Police for Western Australia
Email: "Commissioner of Police for Western Australia" <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Yanina Boschini | Legal Administrator for the Director of Public Prosecutions
Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for Western Australia
Ground Floor, 55 St Georges Terrace Perth WA 6000
Email: DPP-ExecutiveChambers <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
"Yanina Boschini-Legal Administrator for the Director of Public Prosecutions" <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
https://inltv.co.uk/index.php/andrewmallardframed
"Is Western Australia a democracy or a fascist state?" Andrew Mallard.
Powerful CIA and MI6 Hackers removed all live videos from the www.inltv.co.uk website.
work is being done to reload them all.
It may take some time
Important Message from www.INLtv.co.uk
WikiLeaks releases files claiming MI5 and CIA hacked TVs and used them as bugs
iPhones, iPads, Android devices and Microsoft Windows systems were also allegedly targeted by spies, claims WikiLeaks.
By Adam Parris-Long and Andy Hayes, News Reporters
https://news.sky.com/story/amp/cia-cyber-documents-published-by-wikileaks-10793709
A Weird, Stupid Dystopia
Caitlin Johnstone May 3rd 2022
The last few days in the United States have seen a parade of wealthy freaks fellating each other's egos and preening for the cameras in outlandish garb while ordinary Americans suffer more and more.
The weekend's White House Correspondents' Dinner saw a gaggle of media celebrities congregate to congratulate one another on what a great job they've been doing bravely telling the truth and holding the most powerful government on earth to account. The host, Trevor Noah of The Daily Show, gushed with enthusiasm about how much freedom the press have in America to say things the powerful don't like.
I’ve always respected @Trevornoah so much but this closing speech from the White House correspondents’ dinner is particularly spectacular. pic.twitter.com/k8GmBOAoYB
— Mike Birbiglia (@birbigs) May 1, 2022
"As we sit in this room tonight, people, I really hope you all remember what the real purpose of this evening is," Noah said. "Yes, it’s fun. Yes, we dress nice. Yes, the people eat, they drink, we have fun. But the reason we’re here is to honor and celebrate the fourth estates and what you stand for — what you stand for — an additional check and balance that holds power to account and gives voice to those who otherwise wouldn’t have one."
"And if you ever begin to doubt your responsibilities, if you ever begin to doubt how meaningful it is, look no further than what’s happening in Ukraine," said Noah. "Look at what’s happening there. Journalists are risking and even losing their lives to show the world what’s really happening. You realize how amazing it is. In America, you have the right to seek the truth and speak the truth even if it makes people in power uncomfortable, even if it makes your viewers or your readers uncomfortable. You understand how amazing that is? I stood here tonight and I made fun of the president of the United States, and I’m going to be fine. I am going to be fine, right? Do you really understand what a blessing it is?"
Of course there are people who've said things that US presidents don't like who are not in fact fine. Julian Assange continues to waste away in Belmarsh Prison as the US government continues its efforts to extradite him to he can become the first publisher ever tried under the Espionage Act. Edward Snowden, an American, remains in exile because one US president after another continues to refuse to pardon his heroic whistleblowing about the sinister surveillance practices of the US intelligence cartel. Daniel Hale, also an American, sits in prison for exposing the depravity of America's monstrous drone program.
Trevor Noah: "In the US you have the right to speak the truth even if it makes the people in power uncomfortable."
In 2021 Daniel Hale was sentenced to 45 months in prison for exposing that in Afghanistan, 90% of the victims of US airstrikes were civilians. https://t.co/rs4i0wPPSU
— Friendly Neighborhood Comrade (@SpiritofLenin) May 2, 2022
Trevor Noah did not mention these people, or the many others who've been persecuted, silenced, imprisoned and killed for saying things the powerful individuals who govern the US don't approve of, because as a member of the mainstream media his job is not to inform but to propagandize.
Far from providing "an additional check and balance that holds power to account and gives voice to those who otherwise wouldn’t have one" as Noah claims, the people in his audience on Saturday night are tasked with manipulating public thought in facilitation of the interests of the powerful. The mainstream news media in America, and throughout all the so-called free democracies of the western world, are propaganda institutions whose first and foremost job is to manufacture consent for oligarchy and empire.
Which is why the President of the United States, when he took the podium that night, had nothing but friendly words for the mainstream press.
"What's clear, and I mean this from the bottom of my heart, is that you, the free press, matter more than you ever did in the last century,” Biden said. “We've all seen the courage of Ukrainian people because of the courage of American reporters in this room, and your colleagues across the world who are on the ground taking their lives in their own hands."
Congratulations to US journalists for doing nothing but produce coverage that the White House absolutely loves https://t.co/ToTnPZBlXs
— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) May 1, 2022
This past weekend also saw a friendly gathering of brave fourth estate truth warriors and political and government operatives of the US empire at a party hosted by the billionaire owner of the neocon war propaganda rag The Atlantic.
David and Katherine Bradley and Laurene Powell Jobs hosted a dinner at the Bradleys’ home. SPOTTED: Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Cabinet Secretary Evan Ryan, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, CIA Director Bill Burns, press secretary Jen Psaki, Deputy A.G. Lisa Monaco, Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.), FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel, Del. Stacey Plaskett (D-U.S. Virgin Islands), homeland security adviser Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, Jeffrey Goldberg, Nick Thompson, Peter Lattman, Anne Applebaum, Russell Berman, Franklin Foer, David Frum, Elaine Godfrey, Adam Harris, Mark Leibovich, Jeff Dufour, Heather Kuldell, Kevin Baron, José Andrés, Enes Kanter, Mitch Landrieu, Dafna Linzer, Rachel Martin, Judy Woodruff, Jake Tapper, Wolf Blitzer, Jonathan Capehart, Katty Kay, Steve and Jean Case, John Dickerson and Jen Palmieri.
Yep, when you see a shady basketball player/empire propagandist fraternizing with the CIA Director while surrounded by media celebrities and government insiders at a party hosted by a media-owning plutocrat, you know you're in a country where power is held to account. Right, Trevor?
Had a great conversation with the
Director of @CIA William J. BurnsThank you for your friendship pic.twitter.com/qGGHympg4o
— Enes FREEDOM (@EnesFreedom) April 30, 2022
Hillary Clinton looks regal at the #MetGala https://t.co/7pfrLBlt8g pic.twitter.com/hy9Q5TXmmk
— Variety (@Variety) May 2, 2022
#GigiHadid attends the #MetGala2022 in an #AtelierVersace custom puffer coat worn over a latex catsuit. #VersaceCelebrities pic.twitter.com/i9FtwKjeIE
— VERSACE (@Versace) May 3, 2022
The orgy of embarrassment was capped off by the 2022 Met Gala, a big weird dystopian parade of rich freaks dressed like Hunger Games aristocracy and laughing in the face of everyone who can't afford to live.
An honest Met Gala dress would have a corset made from the bones of Yemeni children, draped with a cloth of stolen gold and lithium spun by the tiny hands of child slaves, with a full-length train that leached oil and blood wherever it went.
finding out roe v wade is overturned in between regurgitations of images of celebrities @ the met gala…feels very american!
— norman (@emonormie) May 3, 2022
This while ordinary Americans struggle just to survive. While American women appear to be on the precipice of losing their reproductive sovereignty. While money is poured into a proxy war which threatens to escalate into a conflict that could easily end all life on earth.
This is your dying empire, America. This is your end-stage capitalism. This is your dystopia, in all its weird, phony, stupid glory.
It is horrifying. The longer you look at it, the creepier it gets.
We just sent $33 billion in militarized aid to Ukraine.
Meanwhile, here is Philadelphia. pic.twitter.com/fxuKbcqg9k
— Kathryn Rose Fisher (@kayrosef) May 1, 2022
Breathe it all in, folks.
We're in for a hell of a ride.
|
The documents - said to have come from the CIA's Centre for Cyber Intelligence - allegedly show that a CIA branch worked with MI5 on a project to "infest smart TVs, transforming them into covert microphones".MI5 and the CIA colluded to develop viruses to turn Samsung smart TVs into household bugs, according to "leaked" intelligence documents published by WikiLeaks.
The so-called "weeping angel" programme would trick users into thinking their TV was off when it was actually on, it is claimed.
WikiLeaks says the documents show smart TVs were then used as a bug "recording conversations in the room and sending them over the internet to a covert CIA server".
The WikiLeaks release appears to give an eye-opening look at CIA documents
Artist Andrei Molodkin at his studio in France
He added: "The owners are really happy… the owner of the Picasso is very, very happy.
"Every day was a big stress. If something happened (to Assange)… we understood we would have to destroy (the art)."
Andrei Molodkin claims his plan to destroy 16 works of art - worth more than $45m - with an "extremely corrosive" substance if Assange died in prison played a role in securing his release.
An artist who planned to use acid to destroy famous masterpieces if Julian Assange died in prison believes the threat helped secure the WikiLeaks founder's release.
Andrei Molodkin claimed earlier this year he had gathered 16 works of art - estimated to be worth more than $45m (£35m) - in a safe with an "extremely corrosive" substance.
"Picasso can vary from 10,000 to 100 million but I don't think it's the number of zeros that makes it more relevant when we're talking about a human life," Mr Abbondio said.
Speaking in February, Mrs Assange called the Dead Man's Switch "a work of art", while describing her husband's imprisonment as "an act of real terrorism against democracy".
"Picasso can vary from 10,000 to 100 million but I don't think it's the number of zeros that makes it more relevant when we're talking about a human life," Mr Abbondio said.
Speaking in February, Mrs Assange called the Dead Man's Switch "a work of art", while describing her husband's imprisonment as "an act of real terrorism against democracy".
Julian Assange: Timeline of WikiLeaks founder's 13-year legal battle for freedom
The road leading to Assange leaving prison and the UK has been full of legal battles, campaigns and diplomatic tensions for him and his family.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has left prison in the UK after reaching a plea deal with the US over espionage charges.
The 52-year-old Australian national has agreed to plead guilty to a single criminal count of conspiring to obtain and disclose classified US national defence documents.
In a post on X, WikiLeaks said Assange left Belmarsh prison on Monday morning, having been there for 1,901 days.
By the afternoon he was at Stansted Airport where he boarded a plane and left the UK.
His plea and sentencing is scheduled for Wednesday morning, local time in Saipan, the largest island in the Northern Mariana Islands. Once accepted by a judge, he will be free to return to Australia.
Julian Assange at Stansted Airport on 24 June. Pic: WikiLeaks
The road leading to this point has been full of legal battles, campaigns and diplomatic tensions for Assange and his family.
Here is a timeline of some of the key events that has led to Assange's release:
2006
Assange founds WikiLeaks, a website aimed at leakers of classified or sensitive information.
5 April 2010
WikiLeaks releases leaked video from a US helicopter allegedly showing an air strike that killed civilians in Baghdad, including two Reuters news staff.
25 July 2010
WikiLeaks releases more than 91,000 documents, mostly secret US military reports about the Afghanistan war.
August 2010
An arrest warrant is issued over separate allegations of rape and molestation after Assange's visit to Sweden. He is questioned in Stockholm and denies the claims.
October 2010
WikiLeaks releases 400,000 classified military files chronicling the Iraq war. The next month, it releases thousands of US diplomatic cables, including views of foreign leaders and blunt assessments of security threats.
18 November 2010
Interpol put out an international arrest warrant after a Swedish court approves request to detain him on suspicion of rape, sexual molestation and unlawful coercion.
A wanted page for Assange on the Interpol website
December
Assange is remanded in custody after an extradition hearing in London. He later gets bail but is kept behind bars when Swedish authorities challenge the decision.
Conditional bail is reinstated at the High Court when supporters offer up £240,000.
February 2011
The extradition request from Sweden is granted, as a UK judge says it would not breach Assange's human rights. The WikiLeaks founder vows to fight the ruling.
In November of the same year, he loses a High Court appeal against his extradition.
14 June 2012
The UK's Supreme Court rejects Assange's final appeal.
19 June 2012
Assange steps inside the Ecuadorian embassy in Knightsbridge, central London.
Assange on the balcony of the Ecuadorian Embassy in London in 2017
He requests political asylum, fearing he could be eventually end up being extradited to the US to potentially face decades behind bars.
16 August 2012
Ecuador grants the asylum request, meaning Assange can be assured police are not able to enter and arrest him - as long as he doesn't leave the building - because of special diplomatic immunity rules.
Metropolitan Police guard the building in case he tries to flee to the safe haven of the South American country.
December 2014
American linguist and philosopher Noam Chomsky and Hollywood actor John Cusack visit Assange at the embassy.
By this point, Assange's team have lost an appeal in Sweden over the decision to uphold the arrest warrant.
Other famous visitors during his time in the embassy include ex-Baywatch star Pamela Anderson - who dropped by on a number of occasions with a spot of lunch, Lady Gaga, Eric Cantona and civil rights campaigner Jesse Jackson.
Nigel Farage is also spotted leaving the embassy at this time but refused to say whether he had met Assange.
13 August 2015
The inquiry into the sexual molestation and unlawful coercion allegations is dropped after a legal time limit passes - but the more serious rape allegation stands and the investigation remains active.
17 January 2017
Barack Obama, the outgoing US president, decides to free WikiLeaks' key whistleblower Chelsea Manning.
19 May 2017
Sweden's prosecutor says the rape case against Assange has been dropped.
Speaking on the balcony of the Ecuadorian embassy at the time, Assange said Sweden's decision to drop the rape claim investigation was an "important victory".
11 April 2019
Assange is arrested at the Ecuadorian embassy after the Ecuadorian ambassador "invited British police" inside.
1 May 2019
Judge Deborah Taylor jails Assange for 50 weeks for breaching his bail by seeking asylum in the embassy at Southwark Crown Court. At the hearing, a letter is passed to the judge in which Assange apologises "unreservedly" to anyone who feels he "disrespected them" by the way he "pursued" his case.
13 May 2019
Swedish prosecutors announce they are reopening the 2010 rape investigation against Assange.
11 June 2019
The US Justice Department formally asks Britain to extradite Assange to the US to face charges that he conspired to hack government computers and violated an espionage law.
19 November 2019
Prosecutors in Sweden drop their case completely, citing a lack of evidence and that too much time has passed since the alleged offences.
13 January 2020
Assange appears at Westminster Magistrates' Court, where he is backed by dozens of supporters - including rapper MIA.
12 April 2020
It is revealed Assange secretly fathered two children while he was living in the Ecuadorian embassy. His partner Stella Moris, issues a plea for his release, amid fears for his health.
24 June 2020
The US Department of Justice issues an updated 18-count indictment over Assange's alleged role in "one of the largest compromises of classified information in the history of the United States".
4 January 2021
A British judge rules that Assange should not be extradited to the US to face criminal charges, due to fears he may take his own life in prison. The US government says it will appeal the decision, adding that he could serve his jail time in Australia.
10 December 2021
The US government wins its High Court bid to overturn the judge's decision not to extradite Assange.
23 March 2022
Assange marries his fiancee Stella at Belmarsh prison. She wears a dress designed by Dame Vivienne Westwood.
Stella Assange departs Belmarsh after her wedding.
17 June 2022
The UK government approves the extradition of Assange to the US, where he faces espionage charges.
The then-home secretary Priti Patel signs the extradition order for the WikiLeaks founder. He is given 14 days to appeal the decision.
June 2023
Judge at London's High Court rules Assange has no legal grounds to appeal.
20 February 2024
Assange launches what his supporters say will be his final attempt to prevent extradition.
26 March 2024
The extradition is put on hold when the court says the US must provide assurances that Assange will not face a potential death penalty.
10 April 2024
President Joe Biden says the US is "considering" dropping its prosecution of Assange following a request from Australia. The country's prime minister Anthony Albanese backed a motion calling for Assange's return to his birth country.
20 May 2024
The High Court gives Assange permission to launch a full appeal against his extradition on grounds that, as a foreign national on trial, he might not be able to rely on the First Amendment right to free speech.
24 June 2024
The US Justice Department and Assange reveal a deal in which he will plead guilty to one criminal count and be sentenced to time served.
Live Reporting Edited by Owen Amos
Assange's brother confirms pardon bid
As we've reported, Julian Asange pleaded guilty to one charge in the US court in Saipan this morning.
Although he was allowed to walk free, that means he's a convicted criminal, and will need special permission to re-enter the US.
But Assange's brother, Gabriel Shipton, tells the BBC that they will seek a pardon from the US president.
"We're going to campaign now for a pardon for Julian," he says.
"We're going to be asking President Biden for a pardon, so that this conviction can be taken off the books.
"You know our allies in the Congress, Representative Jim McGovern has already tweeted out that this is a very very concerning precedent for people in the United States."
Yesterday, Assange's wife, Stella, also said the family would seek a pardon.
Assange not a hero, says ex-US intelligence chief
James Clapper - the former US director of national intelligence - has spoken to our colleagues on Radio 4's Today programme. He says Assange is "no hero".
"There is somewhat of a religious argument here between those who are proponents of transparency and those who are concerned about security," Clapper says.
"This is an endless argument. I understand what they are saying but I don't think he is a hero."
He adds: "What he did was wrong and illegal and one of our federal grand juries saw fit to indict him on 18 charges, espionage-related charges.
"The concern that we have is the potential identity and compromise of assets, Iraqis and Afghans who were helping us, as well as jeopardising sources and methods."
Assange's return brings a 'difficult case to a close' - US ambassador
The US ambassador to Australia, Caroline Kennedy, has issued a statement about Assange's release.
"The return of Julian Assange to Australia brings this longstanding and difficult case to a close," it says.
"The United States is grateful to the government of Australia for their commitment and assistance throughout this process."
Wikileaks shares moment Assange embraced his lawyer
Wikileaks has shared an image of Assange embracing his lawyer Jennifer Robinson, moments after his plea deal was finalised. Former prime minister Kevin Rudd, who is currently the Australian ambassador to the US, can also be seen in the background.
Robinson, who is also Australian, has been a long-standing member of Assange's legal team and earlier described his release as an "historic day".
"Just a moment," the organisation wrote alongside the image, which it posted on X.
Assange due to land in Canberra slightly later than planned
Assange's arrival into Australia's capital has been pushed back, as it appears his flight departed slightly later than planned from Saipan.
Earlier we reported that he was expected to land in Canberra at 18:41 local time (08:41 GMT) - it looks like that will now be closer to 19:39 (09:39 GMT).
The journey from Saipan - a US territory in the Northern Mariana Islands - to Canberra is roughly six hours and 30 minutes. Assange has been in the air now for over two hours.
Albanese: 'This is what standing up for Australians looks like'
Now that Assange's plea deal has been signed off, Australia's Prime Minister has given his strongest comments yet about the Wikileaks founder's case, and the fight to free him.
"This is what standing up for Australians around the world looks like. It means getting the job done, getting results and getting outcomes," he said in a speech in the nation's parliament.
He added that the majority of Australians would be pleased that Assange was heading home, and that "this saga has been brought to an end".
Wikileaks will hold a press conference in Canberra
Wikileaks has announced that it plans to hold a press conference in Australia's capital, Canberra, at 21:15 (11:15 GMT; 12:15 BST) this evening.
The organisation said it would take place at a four star hotel, located in the heart of the city.
It's unclear if Assange is planning to appear or speak - but we'll bring you the latest as we have it.
'Who did he murder to spend 23 hours a day in solitary confinement?'
Barnaby Joyce, a former deputy prime minister of Australia who lobbied in Washington for Assange, tells BBC's Newsday he believes the extraterritorial aspect of Assange's case is worrying.
"He was not a citizen of the United States, nor was he ever in the United States. So we've sent a person to prison in a third country," said Joyce.
"I don't believe what he did was right. I'm not here to give a warrant to his character. But I do say is what he did in Australia was not illegal... there is no law he broke in Australia."
He also criticised the treatment the Wikileaks founder received while at Belmarsh prison in the UK.
"One day we'll look back at this case and everyone will wonder: honestly, who did he murder to be in solitary confinement 23 hours a day? What was the charge that inspired that?"
If you're just joining us now
It's currently just past 12:30 in Singapore, 05:30 in London and 14:30 in Canberra - where Assange is expected to land later this afternoon. If you're just joining us now, here's what you need to know:
Scenes of celebration in Sydney
Supporters of Julian Assange have gathered outside of the US Consulate General in Sydney to toast his release.
Some popped champagne, others shared food or waved signs at passers by.
Assange has divided public opinion in Australia at times, but in recent years there has been a noticable uptick in support for him.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had been advocating for his release since taking office in 2022, and a large bipartisan group of lawmakers travelled to Washington last September to put pressure on their US counterparts.
Assange did more time than he needed to - ex-CIA chief of staff
A former CIA chief of staff, Larry Pfeiffer, has been talking to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, saying he believes the plea deal is "fair" and "not unusual".
But Pfeiffer says Assange likely would have been reunited with his family even sooner if he hadn't fought every step of the way.
"I believe [he] served more time in his self-imposed exile at the Ecuadorean embassy and his time in UK prisons fighting extradition than he probably would have served if he had came over to America and faced a judge and jury and been convicted."
He said the US probably came to the negotiating table to protect intelligence sources and methods - and because the case was causing "diplomatic irritants" in its relationships with Australia and the UK.
Watch the moment Julian Assange walks free
All cameras were fixed on Assange as he stepped out of the Saipan court building on Wednesday.
He made no statement, but nodded to those gathered outside as he made his way to a nearby car.
Assange's dad says Australia did a 'magnificent' job
Assange's dad says Australia did a 'magnificent' job
Assange's father, John Shipton, has credited Australians for their efforts that led to his release.
"It's the Australian people. I am so proud of them. It is the first time we can walk out and look at the sun and say to ourselves, we did a sovereign act, us," he said in a television interview.
"The flow of feeling from us the people into the government, was manifested to government, solved the problem that we felt existed, I think that's pretty magnificent."
With Assange on his way home, Shipton said "cartwheels is a good expression of the joy that one feels".
He said his son must be looking forward to spending time with his family and being on the beach.