Protests as court is told US spy plotted to poison Wikileaks boss Assange
US intelligence considered having Wikileaks founder Julian Assange kidnapped or poisoned, a court heard yesterday.
Spies discussed the plot with a private security firm as the Australian hid inside London’s Ecuadorean embassy, it was alleged.
Edward Fitzgerald, Assange’s barrister, said the door would have been left open to make access for an attack look like “an accident”.
Details emerged as the 48-yearold’s extradition hearing started amid protests outside Woolwich Crown Court, south-east London.
Mr Fitzgerald told the hearing the deal was struck between the US and David Morales, an agent for Spanish security firm UC Global.
The defence lawyer said evidence had been provided to a criminal case in Spain by a whistleblower, known only as “witness two”.
“There were conversations about whether there should be more extreme measures contemplated,” he said, “such as kidnapping or poisoning Julian Assange in the embassy.” Earlier the US government’s lawyer branded Assange an “ordinary criminal”.
James Lewis claimed he exposed people who risked their lives to help the US fight brutal regimes.
He said secret informers in Iraq and Afghanistan had “disappeared” after Assange’s disclosures left them in danger of torture and murder.
More than 100 supporters, including fashion legend Vivienne Westwood and actress Sadie Frost demonstrated outside.
Miss Westwood, who wore an “angel” headband, said: “I’m the angel of democracy. Nobody knows more about democracies than Julian Assange.”
Others dressed as judges and a “Jesus” demanded his release in chants that could be heard in court.
Assange, who wore a grey suit, told District Judge Vanessa Baraitser he was unable to hear.
He said: “I’m having difficulty concentrating. All this noise is not helpful either. I understand and am very grateful of the public support.”
Mr Lewis said Assange, who faces 18 charges of hacking, theft and disclosing confidential material in the US, did not simply embarrass
Washington. He said most of the offences were the “straightforward criminal activity” of plotting to steal defence information with Chelsea Manning, the army analyst jailed for her part in the breach.
RONNIE Wood swaps a guitar for a frying pan as he joins in a pancake race with his children.
The Rolling Stones superstar, 72, enjoyed a family day out at the weekend, taking part in the tradition at his local church.
Ronnie, who was reunited with his old Faces band-mates Rod Stewart and Kenney Jones onstage at the Brits last week, later shared pictures of the pancake races on social media.
He was accompanied by wife Sally, 42, and their three-year-old twin daughters Alice and Gracie, as well as daughter-in-law Fearne Cotton and her children Rex, seven, and Honey, four.
Ronnie wrote online: “A day of pancake racing with Fearne, Sally and all the kids.”
TV presenter Fearne, who is
But Mr Fitzgerald claimed the prosecution was motivated by politics and Assange could suffer inhuman and degrading conditions in a US prison and would be a suicide risk. He said: “President Trump came
into power with a new married to Ronnie’s son Jesse, said: “Was not expecting my Saturday to end in a pancake race around a church.” approach for freedom of the press... amounting effectively to declaring war on investigative journalists.” Assange has been held on remand at high-security Belmarsh prison, Woolwich, since September after serving a 50-week jail term for breaching his bail conditions when he hid inside the Ecuadorian embassy for seven years.
He fled into the Knightsbridge building in 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden over sex offence allegations, which he has always denied and were subsequently dropped.
The hearing, which is expected to last until Friday, continues.