Assange: Sweden drops rape probe against him

[Independent voter]

Now if he can just get Britain and the US to drop charges.

He tweeted, "I never forgive and I never forget!" So much power.




Daily Mail sucks but this is probably okay. Much more to read at link

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...n-Assange.html

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange appeared on the balcony of the Ecuadorian Embassy in*London today just hours after Sweden dropped a rape probe against him, declaring it an 'important victory' which saw him 'vindicated'.
The Ecuadorian government has confirmed it will now step up efforts to allow Mr Assange to continue his asylum in its country after Sweden's Director of Public Prosecutions, Marianne Ny, said she had decided to 'discontinue' the investigation into the alleged sex assault.
The 45-year-old, who has spent five years holed up in the embassy, was cheered by crowds as he attacked the UK and America and said threats against Wikileaks 'will not be tolerated'.
He criticised the system which allowed extradition without charge and kept him under house arrest while his children grew up.




He said: 'While today was an important victory and important vindication the road is far from over.
'The war is just commencing. The UK has said it will arrest me regardless. The US has said I and other Wikileaks staff have no rights and our arrest is a priority.'




His appearance on the balcony of the central London building came hours after Sweden's Director of Public Prosecutions discontinued the sexual assault allegations against him.
Sweden's top prosecutor said the case was dropped because there was no possibility of arresting him 'in the foreseeable future'.
The announcement means Assange no longer faces sex crime allegations in Sweden, although British police say he is still wanted for jumping bail in 2012.

Met Police today confirmed there is a warrant for his arrest for not appearing in court in 2012 and that it was 'obliged' to execute if if he leaves the embassy - although the importance of his case is now seen as 'less serious'.
He took refuge in Ecuador's embassy in London in 2012 to escape extradition to Sweden to answer questions about sex crime allegations from two women.*
He stayed in there, fearing that if he was in custody he might ultimately be extradited to the United States for his role at the helm of WikiLeaks, which published tens of thousands of leaked and classified US documents.
US Prosecutors have been drafting a memo looking into charges against Assange and WikiLeaks members which possibly include conspiracy, theft of government property and violations of the Espionage Act.*
Yet Assange gave a clenched fist salute to his supporters and scores of journalists and TV crews before maintaining his 'legal conflict' with the United States and the UK continues.*

[Independent voter]

If you kill someone in the US you're lawyer will tell you the best strategy is to drag things out. Over the years, people get less angry, witnesses forget or move away, evidence is lost.

I wonder if that's what went on here, the women just decided to not to go through with all that mess and drop the charges?

[Zelk]

Must have got same tasty dirt on the Swedish government. Only took him 7 years mind.

[Mackeyser]

It says right in the piece that Sweden dropped the charges because there was little chance of arresting him in the foreseeable future.

I always thought the charges were bogus for a number of reasons and that Sweden maintained them as part of being a US Ally. That said, I think they feel less compelled these days.

[Crissi]

Thread here: http://www.mmo-champion.com/threads/...gainst-Assange

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