Wikileaks: Stop Us? You'll Have to Shut Down the Web

[prodil89]

The arrest and detention of Julian Assange Tuesday on charges of rape and sexual assault was at the least a convenient development for government leaders who've sought ways to contain the leader of the controversial website Wikileaks.

But in an exclusive interview with ABC News' Jim Sciutto, Wikileaks' spokesman Kristinn Hrafnsson insisted Assange's arrest won't alter the site's calculated release of thousands of secret government cables, which still continues according to plan. The site published a new slate of cables Wednesday.

"It is not derailing us in any way," said Hrafnsson, adding that a group of five to six people is running Wikileaks' operations in Assange's absence. "This is a turning tide and starting a trend that you can't really stop unless you want to shut down the Internet."

Meanwhile, supporters of Assange are saying the timing and nature of the personal allegations against him are more than coincidence – they're "politically motivated." And the confluence of recent events gives at least the appearance that could be true.

In mid-August, two Swedish women told prosecutors and news outlets they had each had consensual sex with Assange, but that he didn't use a condom against their wishes and subsequently refused to get tested for sexually-transmitted disease. Their complaint led to a warrant on charges of sexual molestation.

But now prosecutors allege Assange forcibly raped at least one of the women and sexually assaulted the other -- significantly more serious allegations than what investigators initially pursued.

Assange, 39, was formally charged and held without bond in London on one count of rape, two of sexual assault, and one of coercion. He has denied the allegations and insists the sex with both women was consensual.

"Fortunately, the international corralling was successful," Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said shortly after Assange's arrest. "Assange has hurt international diplomatic relations and I hope he is questioned and tried as established by law."

Assange's brainchild, Wikileaks, is also weathering its most intense attacks to date. The site has been bumped from its servers without notice and mysteriously cut off from key funding sources after PayPal and major credit card companies, Visa and MasterCard, pulled the plug pending "further investigation."

"We are getting seriously close to censorship in the U.S., and that must surely go against the fundamental values the country is based upon," said Hrafnsson.

Swiss authorities Monday closed a Swiss bank account tied to Assange, freezing tens of thousands of dollars used to fund the Wikileaks operation, his lawyers said.

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[url=http://abcnews.go.com/International/julian-assange-wikileaks-faces-onslaught-charges-attacks-politically/story?id=12333753]Wikileaks: Stop Us? You'll Have to Shut Down the Web - ABC News[/url]

Cum am mai zis e mai mijto decat oricare film

[plm]

eu inca sper in al 3lea razboi mondial

[WarLord]

Mai daca se poate un pic de filtru la "rahatul" pe care il spuneti! Ce e cu tziganimea asta mai pe site? "Sa-ti iau mortii in .."? Serios? Macar ala nu a injurat, dar tu esti jale mai.

Desi sunt venit recent pe forumul asta, vad incultura cat incape pe siteul asta.

Injuraturile sunt la ordinea zilei!

Edited December 9, 2010 by WarLord

[adonisslanic]

Adevarul e ca si eu as injura pe cineva care vrea razboi, nici macar nu am trait un razboi mondial ca sa putem comenta ceva despre asa ceva.... incearca sa-ti infigi un cutit in picior, si vei simti doar sub 5% din ce inseamna un razboi...(asa zicea bunicul meu )

Si da, chiar ca e un film ce se intampla Sa dea domnul sa castige Wikileaks....