Assange ‘violated Espionage Act’

WASHINGTON: In a case with significant First Amendment implications, the US filed new charges on Thursday against Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, accusing him of violating the Espionage Act by publishing secret documents containing the names of confidential military and diplomatic sources.

The Justice Department’s 18-count superseding indictment alleges that Assange directed former army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning in one of the largest compromises of classified information in US history.

Assange’s lawyer, Barry Pollack, said on Thursday that the “unprecedented charges” against his client imperilled “all journalists in their endeavour to inform the public about actions that have been taken by the US government”.

The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press called the case a “dire threat” to media freedom and the American Civil Liberties Union said it was the first time in history a publisher was charged for disclosing truthful information.

But Justice Department officials sought to make clear that they believed Assange’s actions weren’t protected under the law, though they declined to discuss the policy discussions that led to the indictment

“Julian Assange is no journalist,” said Assistant Attorney General John Demers, the Justice Department’s top national security official.

“No responsible actor, journalist or otherwise, would purposely publish the names of individuals he or she knew to be confidential human sources in war zones, exposing them to the gravest of dangers.”