Wikileaks and the pending arrest of its founder, Julian Assang, is the talk of the town in just about all four corners of the world. By the time you read this 'Our Julian' has likely already got handcuffs on. From the golden sands of Bondi Beach, to New Zealand, Macau, China, Washington, Canada, Switzerland...media companies, cafes and hotels won't shut up about the case, and rightly so. Assange has made history, and continues to, as he shakes diplomatic process and the information age to its foundations. Critics are divided about his motives, but public opinion is widely with with the media and tech entrepreneur. It's the Wikipedia lovers VS the Wiki haters (mainly the folks with something to hide). Media Man and Gambling911 with the latest on this historic situation...
Most journalists, newsrooms (and gamers and gamblers) are with Assange. Why? How about because its about freedom of information and Wikileaks itself has not broken any laws, however at least a couple of its informers - leakers have.
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has one again been not able to name any Australian laws broken by internet publishing powerhouse WikiLeaks website or its founder Julian Assange.
Western governments in a bit of a panic to red face level, are increasingly demanding for Assange's animal to be haulted or "killed" as WikiLeaks continues to publish more than 250,000 confidential documents from the United States State Department.
When probed what Australian laws had been broken by Assange or WikiLeaks Gillard replied that the Australian Federal Police were investigating.
"The foundation stone of it is an illegal act," PM Gillard told the press earlier today.
Let it be known that the "foundation stone" was the leaking of the documents to the website, not the actual publishing of the cables. It would not happen, information would not be on WikiLeaks, if there had not been an illegal act undertaken," Gillard stated.
A Media Man spokesperson said "This Wikileaks story is the biggest news story in the world right now, and is going to remain in the spotlight for a long time to come. Not only are politicians and Joe and Jane average watching closely, so are folks in the media, gaming and health professionals. Anyone with an interest in truth, human rights and freedom of the press should be interested. Website operators and journalists with any content online that may be viewed as controversial... gaming, adult, political, religion. The rules of media and publishing are changing rapidly, Wikileaks currently leading the charge. Existing media laws are having a hard time keeping up the with rate of change, the speed of news, and Wikileaks is all the proof we need. The online gaming, adult industry and political arena is glued to this case".
It is widely understood the man responsible for the leaks, or at least most of them, is a courageous and truth seeking US soldier who is already in jail for previous leaks.
"It's grossly irresponsible and anybody who looks at the pages of today's newspaper and sees that things like critical infrastructure lists are being put on WikiLeaks ... would understand how grossly irresponsible this is," Gillard said.
A classified cable listing infrastructure critical to the US was published by the site on Monday, and some Australian-based infrastructure including the undersea Southern Cross Cable got a mention, but so did an Aussie snake venom base.
Opposition legal affairs spokesman George Brandis rightly accused Gillard of being "clumsy" with her language on the issue of illegality. 'Our George' would know.
"As far as I can see, he (Assange) hasn't broken any Australian law. Nor does it appear he has broken any American laws", he said.
Senator Brandis, a Queen's Counsel, is requested for any debate about the publishing of the cables to have a well-defined understanding of the difference between something which appeared to be morally wrong and an act that was illegal.
"As far as I can see, nothing Mr Assange has done does break the law," he said.
Attorney-General Robert McClelland said yesterday that he believed the release of the cables could threaten the lives of people providing information to intelligence and law enforcement officials.
The AFP (Australian Federal Police) were not only looking at whether any Australian law had been broken by Assange, but would be pleased to help US law enforcement authorities in their ongoing investigations, he said.
Australian "Lefty" party bought into the situation as you might expect. Australian Greens leader Bob Brown said yesterday the government had a responsibility to look after Assange as an Australian citizen.
"He's been convicted of nothing," Brown told reporters in Tasmania's Hobart.
Brown said leaking the information was not a crime.
Opposition Leader Tony 'The Bruiser' Abbott told Barrie Cassidy and his audience on the ABC's Insiders program on Sunday that if Assange had broken the law he should be prosecuted.
"He is accused by the Swedish authorities of one count of unlawful coercion, two counts of sexual molestation, and one count of rape, all alleged to have been committed in August 2010," London's Metropolitan Police said in a statement today.
Assange is scheduled to appear at Magistrates Court in the City of Westminster in London later today, the police said. The police's extradition unit arrested him on a European arrest warrant by appointment this morning. It's curious timing.
Assange has flatly denied the charges, which first surfaced months ago. "The charges are without basis and their issue at this moment is deeply disturbing," he said via popular social networking website, Twitter in August.
The arrest of 'Our Julian' is a further serious setback for WikiLeaks, whose actions have incurred the wrath of politicians and all sorts but also attracted allies drawn to its cause and disturbed by the response to WikiLeaks.
The organization said today that despite the arrest, it's continuing with its current project, releasing 250,000 diplomatic cables. "Today's actions against our editor-in-chief Julian Assange won't affect our operations: we will release more cables tonight as normal," WikiLeaks tweeted.
In addition, Assange, an Australian citizen, is scheduled to publish an opinion piece in Rupert Murdoch's The Australian newspaper. An excerpt from a preview begins, "In 1958, a young Rupert Murdoch, then owner and editor of Adelaide's The News, wrote: 'In the race between secrecy and truth, it seems inevitable that truth will always win.'"
Media Man also tips that Murdoch and / or Assange fans (or anti fans) should check out the movies 'Black & White', 'Citizen Kane' and 'The Shawshank Redemption' for further insight into the media and legal systems. Social media fans will also enjoy 'The Social Network' which focuses on 'Facebook', who has also also seen a lot of legal and media action since they first hit the web, even before the world caught internet mania, with most getting hooked into the information pandoras box.
Wikileaks: Wonderful or wicked? You be the judge, jury and executioner.
How did you find the report today? Offer your opinion in the Gambling911 forum.
If you have a bet, bet with your head, not over it, and for God's sake, have fun.
*Greg Tingle is a Special Contributor to the Gambling911.com website and proprietor of Media Man International
*Media Man is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They also offer political analysis.
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