WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange made a rare appearance in the Australian media tonight, featuring on ‘The Project‘ in a lengthy interview with Waleed Aly.
The conversation largely revolved around Assange’s instrumental part in the Chelsea Manning case – Assange said he would agree to be extradited to the United States if Manning’s sentence was commuted (which it was).
If Obama grants Manning clemency Assange will agree to US extradition despite clear unconstitutionality of DoJ case https://t.co/MZU30SlfGK
— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) January 12, 2017
Assange said to Aly that the only way he would leave the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, and go ahead with his original pledge, is to perpetuate an ongoing conversation with the Department of Justice.
“It continues on, forever. From my perspective, it is better to engage with the US case, have a discussion with the DOJ. ‘Are you going to keep it going? Am I going to have to stay here in the Embassy forever, or is there some way you guys can drop it or can we look at under what circumstances I would be extradited to the United States?’”
Aly pressed Assange a little on this point, as it kinda sounded like this doesn’t really have anything to do with Manning’s fight for justice, and was more a way to bring his own case back into the limelight – but Assange was pretty adamant that of course he’d bring his context into it, because his situation is so similar to Manning’s.
“I am not a complete idiot. We had a major strategic victory in liberating Chelsea Manning – the most significant alleged whistleblower in the last 10 years.
“Saying I am willing to accept extradition doesn’t mean I am saying that I am willing to be a complete idiot and throw my lawyers away, and so on…
“We are going to have a discussion with the DOJ about what that looks like. The ball is in their court.”
Assange also reckoned that Obama’s decision to commute Manning was, actually, all about him.
“If we get Chelsea Manning clemency, what’s the result? It’s going to make life hard for Assange, because either he is going to get extradited to the United States, or we’re going to show he’s a liar.”
The interview explored further Assange’s newfound respect with conservative US pollies. Ever since WikiLeaks published emails hacked from the Clinton campaign, Donald Trump appears to be a big fan (although he was quoted, years earlier, as saying that Assange deserves the death penalty).
There was a strange shift in Assange’s political leanings – he went from whistleblower left-wing legend to the hero of the alt-right uprising.
When Aly asked whether Assange is totally confident that their source was in no way linked to the Russian state, Assange asserted that they are “not a member of the Russian government,” but refused to confirm whether they were linked to Russia in any capacity.
While the leaked information boosted the likelihood of a Trump presidency, Assange was pretty cryptic on WikiLeaks’ involvement with his victory; just repeating the phrase “We care” in a variety of ways.
At the end of the day, it looks like Assange isn’t going to make a move any time soon. He is hosting a virtual tour and video link Q&A of the Ecuadorian Embassy that will be streamed in Sydney and Melbourne. Why, you ask? For that sweet dosh, of course.
“It’s pretty difficult to earn a living when you’re detained illegally in an embassy for four-and-a-half years.
“As an intellectual… my life is very rich. Family life, of course, it’s extremely poor.”
Poor lil’ Assange. Check out the whole interview here:
Waleed asks Julian Assange if he will leave the Ecuadorian Embassy, discusses his sources and why he has organised a tour. #TheProjectTV pic.twitter.com/rV6JR95ew0
— #TheProjectTV (@theprojecttv) January 24, 2017
Source: Channel 10 / The Project.
Photo: Channel 10 / The Project.
