Assange warned – no more delays on extradition case

Julian Assange has been told there can be no delay in his US extradition case, as he appeared before magistrates yesterday, notes a report in The Guardian. At a case management hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, Assange’s legal team requested a longer period to submit evidence and claimed the charges against him were politically motivated. After the defence and prosecution clashed over the timetabling of the case, District Judge Vanessa Baraitser refused to grant more time to gather evidence and told Assange his next case management hearing would take place on 19 December and there would be a full extradition hearing in February. Earlier she asked Assange if he understood what was happening in court. ‘Not really. I can’t think properly,’ he said. ‘I don’t understand how this is equitable. This superpower had 10 years to prepare for this case and I can’t access my writings. It’s very difficult where I am to do anything but these people have unlimited resources. They are saying journalists and whistle-blowers are enemies of the people. They have unfair advantages dealing with documents. They (know) the interior of my life with my psychologist. They steal my children’s DNA. This is not equitable what is happening here.’ Mark Sommers, defending Assange, claimed the US had been spying on Assange. ‘This is part of an avowed war on whistle-blowers to include investigative journalists and publishers,’ Sommers said. ‘The American state has been actively engaged in intruding on privileged discussions between Mr Assange and his lawyer.’ Assange (48), the founder of WikiLeaks, faces extradition to the US over allegations he conspired to break into a classified Pentagon computer. He faces 17 charges of spying and one of computer hacking, meaning he could face a 175-year sentence in a US jail if convicted.