Missing out on meeting Julian Assange
Posted by Ellee on Dec 7, 2010 in Blog, News | 7 commentsEvery now and again I think it would be useful to have membership at a London club, but I don’t think I spend enough time in the City to justify it – though I will be spending the next couple of days there.
One that appeals to me is the Frontline Club – a haven for media folk, particularly journalists, and it would be right up my street as their speakers and events sound stimulating, and I would most likely meet lots of interesting people there. I am still on their email list following my tentative inquiry. This afternoon I received an email from the club telling me how the hunted man-of-the-moment Julian Assange has spent much of the last few months at the club – surrounded by dozens of hacks who I suspect were clueless about his activities. Interesting, isn’t it! And he has been offered continued refuge there.
This is what I was told in an email by journalist Vaughan Smith who founded the club:
“I attended court today to offer my support for Julian Assange of Wikileaks on a point of principle.
“In the face of a concerted attempt to shut him down and after a decade since 9/11 that has been characterised by manipulation of the media by the authorities, the information released by Wikileaks is a refreshing glimpse into an increasingly opaque world.”
The Frontline Club was founded seven years ago to stand for independence and transparency.
Recent informal canvassing of many of our more than 1,500 members at the Frontline Club suggests almost all are supportive of our position.
I am suspicious of the personal charges that have been made against Mr Assange and hope that this will be properly resolved by the courts. Certainly no credible charges have been brought regarding the leaking of the information itself.
I can confirm that Mr Assange has spent much of the last several months working from our facilities at the Frontline Club. Earlier today I offered him an address for bail.”
However, bail was refused and Julian Assange was remanded in custody until 14 December pending proceedings to extradite him to Sweden where he faces four charges relating to sexual offences, including rape. He is not short of influential supporters, including Jemima Khan, John Pilger, Ken Loach who were in court today offering to stand bail.
Just imagine if I had joined the club, our paths might have crossed. Is Assange a hero or villain? Certainly if there is a chance that lives could be at risk, some facts are best kept secret…..
So Assange feels he can open his trap and tell it as it is, well lets have someone tell the world where he is right now. Or is that one of those secrets we are not allowed to tell? If so who gets to say which secrets we can and cannot tell? The problem with this man is that he knows a little about something, and does not have the moral or ethical backbone to keep quiet. Or for that matter to remember that knowing a little about something is very dangerous. All he is trying to do is to justify why someone who was sworn to secrecy opened their mouth and told what they should not have. There are some things better not said, and mostly those things fall into the realm of governments and military.
disaffected, the London Evening Standard today has a whole page about how the Frontline Club provided sanctuary to Assange. You read it here first!
Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow
I believe in freedom of speech, but in the interests of National Security some things should be kept secret.
In the light of the wikileaks those charges coming to light at this time seem quite convenient!
That of course should have read guilty or innocent ,perhaps I need to go back to primary school never mind university !
I think it somewhat alarming to find that hes been holed up in the club for months with seemingly all this media protection .
They surely knew he was wanted on rape charges ( its for the courts to decide juilty or innocent )
Were they just all determined to be first when he ran out of hiding to get his version of the facts or is this yet another example of the 5th column enemy within brigade who in reality wish to sweep away the present democratic ( though flawed ) system and replace with something very different ( there are plenty of examples of that in that other prominent profession , the law )
Hes only lucky he didnt try this in Russia or hed possibly no longer be anywhere .
Jemima Khan, John Pilger and Ken Loach will find out how ‘influential’ they are soon enough.
Personally I think you did well to steer clear, Ellee.