Assange - Corporate Media & Government Collusion - USA - 60 Minutes - CBS Network

ꕤ Media Selling Unicorns❄ Corporate-Serving Media In Service of Aggressive Neoliberal Foreign Policy |  Manufacturing Consent Bias.  Compliance.  Censorship. Disinformation.  Distraction.  Diversion.  Suppression.  Smear. censorship & disinformation is denial of informed consent Dishonourable Mention 60 Minutes (CBS TV Network) 60 Minutes (CBS TV Network) Re:   WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange Australian journalist & political prisoner (London) US Government e-mail from Philip J Crowley to then US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton CONFIRMS 60 Minutes raised questions US Government planted with the program. Link  |   here Program & Network Info source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/60_Minutes 60 Minutes is an American television program broadcast on the CBS television network Debut:  1968 2002 60 Minutes was ranked #6 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time The New York Times has called it "one of the most esteemed news magazines on American television". NSA Report 2013, 60 Minutes aired a report on the National Security Agency (NSA) that was widely criticized as false and a "puff piece." The story was reported by John Miller, who once worked in the office of the Director of National Intelligence and an ex-FBI spokesman. John Miller (journalist) Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence & Counter-terrorism of the NYPD former Associate Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Analytic Transformation and Technology former Assistant Director of Public Affairs for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) formerly FBI national spokesman former ABC News reporter and anchorman, best known for conducting a May 1998 interview with Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan named senior correspondent for CBS News on Oct. 17, 2011 reported for all CBS News platforms and broadcasts, including "CBS This Morning" and occasionally for "60 Minutes"  Other Son of:  late John J. Miller, a syndicated columnist and freelance writer roles:   Hollywood gossip columnist, foreign correspondent, Broadway critic, crime investigator, and political pundit. "My dad wrote seven columns under six different names... Antonio from Rome. Pierre from Paris. Nigel from London," Miller has said. father was also a close friend of Luciano crime family boss Frank Costello, whose wife, Lauretta, was Miller's godmother. Married 2002 -- Miller married Emily Helen Altschul, daughter of banking mogul and Goldman Sachs Group partner Arthur Goodhart Altschul and member of the Lehman family. Miller's brother-in-law, Arthur Altschul, Jr., worked for Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley before becoming chairman of Medicis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Miller_%28journalist%29 Lehman Family Article that puts a face on some of corporate America http://www.newyorksocialdiary.com/social-history/2007/lots-of-lehmans NSA goes on 60 Minutes: the definitive facts behind CBS's flawed report http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/16/nsa-surveillance-60-minutes-cbs-facts EXTRACT The National Security Agency is telling its story like never before. Never mind whether that story is, well, true. On Sunday night, CBS’s 60 Minutes ran a remarkable piece that provided NSA officials, from director Keith Alexander to junior analysts, with a long, televised forum to push back against criticism of the powerful spy agency. It’s an opening salvo in an unprecedented push from the agency to win public confidence at a time when both White House reviews and pending legislation would restrict the NSA’s powers. But mixed in among the dramatic footage of Alexander receiving threat briefings and junior analysts solving Rubik’s cubes in 90 seconds were a number of dubious claims: from the extent of surveillance to collecting on Google and Yahoo data centers to an online “kill-switch” for the global financial system developed by China. Reporter John Miller, a former official with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and an ex-FBI spokesman, allowed these claims to go unchallenged. Above http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/16/nsa-surveillance-60-minutes-cbs-facts  CBS Sister businesses: Media conglomerate Viacom which owned CBS from 2000 to 2005, and is now a separate company owned by National Amusements, which is also the parent of CBS Corporation) Publisher Simon & Schuster (which remains a part of CBS Corporation after the 2005 CBS/Viacom split) History CBS from network's former name:  Columbia Broadcasting System American commercial broadcast television and radio network owned by:   CBS Corporation aka "Eye Network" (see logo, since 1951) founder William S. Paley origins:  collection of 16 radio stations that were purchased by Paley in 1928 Under Paley CBS would first become one of the largest radio networks in USA /  eventually one of the Big Three American broadcast television networks Westinghouse Electric Corporation acquired the network in 1995 2000 CBS came under the control of Viacom, which was formed as a spin-off of CBS in 1971 {so it acquired itself?  lol} 2005 Viacom split itself into two separate companies,  re-established CBS Corporation – through the spin-off of its broadcast television, radio and select cable television and non-broadcasting assets – with the CBS television network at its core.  CBS Corporation is controlled by Sumner Redstone through National Amusements, which also controls the current Viacom. CBS continues to operate a radio network -- mainly provides news and features content for its portfolio of owned-and-operated radio stations in large and mid-sized markets, and affiliated radio stations in various other markets.  CBS television network -- has more than 240 owned-and-operated and affiliated television stations throughout USA. Above https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CBS William S. Paley Jewish-American family in cigar business 1927 -- Paley's father, brother-in-law and business partners buy struggling Philadelphia-based radio network of 16 station called the Columbia Phonographic Broadcasting System https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_S._Paley Sumner Redstone aka  Sumner Murray Rothstein Jewish-American  majority owner and Chairman of the Board  of National Amusements theatre chain Redstone and his family are majority owners of CBS Corporation and Viacom (itself the parent company of Viacom Media Networks, BET Networks, and the film studio Paramount Pictures).  According to Forbes, as of March 2014, Sumner Redstone is worth US $6.2 billion. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumner_Redstone ꕤ

AUDIO TRANSCRIPT - 'John Pilger on WikiLeaks, Julian Assange & Jeremy Corbyn' - Radio NZ National

AUDIO TRANSCRIPT  [For quotation purposes, confirm audio] Title:  John Pilger on WikiLeaks, Julian Assange & Jeremy Corbyn "John Pilger is an Australian born journalist and film-maker who has twice won Britain's Journalist of the Year award." Originally aired on Sunday Morning, Sunday 23 August 2015 PROGRAM LINK | http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/sunday/audio/201767629/john-pilger-on-wikileaks,-julian-assange-and-jeremy-corbyn DIRECT LINK AUDIO | http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/201767629 ---------------------- ꕤ  ---------------------- Wallace Chapman Presenter, Radio NZ National For 3 years, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, has sought asylum within the Ecuadorian embassy, London, at a cost of millions of pounds. He has been facing sexual assault allegations, which actually expired this past week, although he can still face charges on a rape allegation for a further 5 years. John Pilger is an Australian-born journalist & film-maker. He's twice won Britain's Journalist of the Year Award. And he says it's been an unrelenting campaign by Sweden and the US to deny Julian Assange justice and, of course, his freedom. John Pilger is in no doubt about the impact that Julian Assange and WikiLeaks has on society. John Pilger Investigative Journalist I think it's had a huge impact on both society and on journalism. I mean, the best of journalism, in my experience, always relied on what we called 'whistleblowers.' People from inside who can tell us the things that vested interests and governments don't want us to know; and I think they've done that with such a dimension that we now have quite a different standard of investigative journalism, now, to reach. And as far as society is concerned, I think they've told people what so many people — millions of people — suspected anyway: that their governments weren't telling them the truth; and that vested interests weren't telling them the truth; that they were being deceived; that democracy wasn't working properly; that there wasn't the kind of accountability that they suspected. WikiLeaks' contribution to that, I think, has been quite extraordinary. Wallace Chapman Presenter, Radio NZ National It's been compared, hasn't it, to Daniel Ellsberg's revelation of the Pentagon Papers (US war related secrets of 1971). Do you think that's a fair or valid comparison? John Pilger Investigative Journalist Yes, it is. Absolutely. I know Dan Ellsberg and I've talked to him about it and he makes that comparison. That he's very much a supporter of WikiLeaks now. And Ellsberg — what Ellsberg released (and this was a whistleblower from within the system), he — the Pentagon Papers actually told the truth about the Vietnam war. It told the truth — the kind of official truth that people didn't know. They were official documents, and they really had an extraordinary impact then on public opinion. They supported that all-truth that information is power. People then had information. Now, what people do with information is up to them. But to be able to get it — as they got it through Ellsberg, and they got it through WikiLeaks, and they got it through Chelsea Manning, and they got it through numerous other very courageous whistleblowers. That's very important, and it's a lesson for us journalists. Wallace Chapman Presenter, Radio NZ National The nature of the whilsteblower. Let me ask you this, then, John. Daniel Ellsberg over 40 years ago, Julian Assange now — to some, you know, to many he's a hereo (people like Yoko Ono & Ken Loach have visited him at the Ecuadorian embassy) — but what was the - what did people think of Daniel Ellsberg at the time, because there's been quite a level of vitriol to Julian Assange. How was Daniel Ellsberg treated by the public and by the establishment. John Pilger Investigative Journalist I think Ellsberg was also, really, was subjected to a certain level of vitriol. Usually, whistleblowers are. I remember Ellsberg actually being called a traitor. Wallace Chapman Presenter, Radio NZ National [Interjects] Really? John Pilger Investigative Journalist — and, indeed, he won his court actions, which were really based on that broad allegation that he'd committed some form of treason. So, you know, his character was called into question and so on, in a different way from the attacks on Julian Assange. Another great whistleblower — long forgotten — who's now the subject of a movie called, interestingly, 'Shoot the Messenger,' whose name is Gary Webb:   Gary Webb disclosed, in the United States, that — how the CIA was involved in drug trafficking into the United States. Now, Gary Webb's greatest enemies were the rest of media, who hadn't got the story and attacked him. Something similar has happened with Julian Assange. It's certainly muddied by the fact that he was caught in a situation in Sweden, which those who were his enemies, anyway, were able to exploit. And — but, my understanding (and I've known Assange for quite some time and I followed this case very quickly) is, that the amount of vitriol comes down to the degree of truth-telling: truth-telling about great power. There is — and I've found this in my career — there is a real ruthlessness in great power:   be it in governments, big corporations, vested interests — particularly in very, very powerful governments.  There is a ruthlessness in their response, if you expose what they are doing, and if it's something they don't want the public to know about. Wallace Chapman Presenter, Radio NZ National And you've experienced it yourself? John Pilger Investigative Journalist Yes, I have, most certainly, in a lot of the work I've done right throughout south-east Asia and in investigative work in the UK. For example, I had a lot to do with revealing the thalidomide — the extent that thalidomide, the drug, was was damaging children. I found myself subjected to all kinds of abuse and smear. Smear. Smear is probably an investigative journalist's greatest enemy. There was a very interesting document that WikiLeaks got hold of in 2008 which foretold everything — [laughs] almost everything - that has happened to Julian Assange. It said that (and I paraphrase it) - that if - that, because WikiLeaks was revealing so many of these truths, the only way to deal with it was to discredit it, and to discredit Assange. To smear, in other words. I mean, it really spells it out, in very plain English, that there's going to be a campaign of discrediting against anyone like Assange who dares to tell the public the kinds of secrets that it needs to know, that it's prevented from knowing. Wallace Chapman Presenter, Radio NZ National Well, in fact, you say on Julian Assange — you write that in Alexandria, Virginia, a secret grand jury spent 5 years attempting to contrive a crime for which Assange can be prosecuted. Can you explain a little bit for us, what do you mean by that? John Pilger Investigative Journalist Well, yes. I mean, that's, that's — they've admitted that now. There is, in Virginia, which — the grand jury in the United States— The grand juries draw from the area in which they sit. Now this area [laughs] has in it the US Defence Department, the Pentagon, the CIA, and all the great institutions of American power, so that determines, really, the character of the grand jury. And the grand jury can then issue indictments. Now, this grand jury has been sitting in secret, now, for several years, and the problem it faces in trying to bring a charge against Assange and WikiLeaks is that the constitution (the US constitution), says very clearly that whistleblowers — truth-tellers — are protected it (by the Constitution) and, ironically, it was President Obama (a professor of constitutional law) who said, very early in his presidency, that whilstleblowers had the protection of the constitution. Now, I say 'ironically,' because more whistleblowers have been prosecuted under Obama than during all the presidents of the past. So, this grand jury has an uphill task, and the one charge it seems that it might be able to come up with is a First World War espionage charge, which was really directed at conscientious objectors during the First World War, all those years ago: a century ago. That's all it can find. The problem there is that Julian Assange isn't an American. That never seams to bother American courts that people — there are some people in the world who are not Americans. So, it's a difficult thing. But there's no question that what the documents show — the FBI has something like a 50,000 page file on him — what all these documents that have come out have shown, and what they've virtually admitted: that the moment Assange sets out the door of the Ecuadorian embassy in London, in some way — in some way — the United States (with help from its so-called allies) will get its hands on Julian Assange. Wallace Chapman Presenter, Radio NZ National And is that why the 24 hour around the clock police cordon? There are police appearing — John Pilger Investigative Journalist Well, no because [laughs] — they don't prevent people going in, but Assange isn't going anywhere. All that is, this 24-hour cordon, it's theatrical. It's a show of force by the state. It's the British government saying — and the Metropolitan Police in London — saying: Well, we're not having this. How dare this man go and seek political refuge and be granted it by another government. It's pointless — Wallace Chapman Presenter, Radio NZ National [Interjects] John — John Pilger Investigative Journalist — one policeman outside the door is more than enough because, as everybody knows, Assange isn't going anywhere. Wallace Chapman Presenter, Radio NZ National I'm speaking with Julian As— John Pilger. And there are those who listen to this, too, who will say that there — these, you know, these charges — these allegations — they— John Pilger Investigative Journalist [Interjects] You've got to be careful with that. That's a very common slip. And I understand you make it.  There— Assange has been — The disgrace about all of this is this man has not been charged with anything.  What's more, that the original prosecutor in this case in Sweden, threw it out — threw allegations out — and the second prosecutor, who has perused him, allowed him to leave Sweden, and said that's fine. The second prosecutor has been offered every facility to question Julian Assange over 5 years. The British government has pleaded with her, virtually, to come to London. It's a normal procedure. At the same time, Sweden has (in London) interviewed something like 44 other people connected with allegations in Sweden, but not Assange. Wallace Chapman Presenter, Radio NZ National So what's going on here — why? John Pilger Investigative Journalist Why? Well, I think it's a combination of reasons, here. There's no evidence — that's number one. I've seen the evidence; there's no evidence. Both these women have said they were not raped. They've both said it's consensual — it was consensual sex. Their SMS messages — one says the police have tried to railroad them into this. The pressures on these two women have been extraordinary. One can only have — one can only have sympathy for them. It's a combination of whys. There's an obsession about this prosecutor, and my sense is that the Swedish authorities haven't quite known what to do about it. The Swedish High Court has reprimanded her for not getting on with the case. Wallace Chapman Presenter, Radio NZ National Is this Marianne Ny? John Pilger Investigative Journalist Yes, Marianne Ny. Wallace Chapman Presenter, Radio NZ National What's the relationship, John, between Swe— Washington and Stockholm?  Is, because Sweden is, you know, meant to be something of a liberal bastion, isn't it? So what is— John Pilger Investigative Journalist [Interjects] Well— Wallace Chapman Presenter, Radio NZ National —what sort of relationship do they have? John Pilger Investigative Journalist Well, Sweden is not a liberal bastion. Sweden has basked in its—   It is in some areas, yes.  It has enlightened social policies towards the vulnerable and the elderly, and so on, although these have been much broken down over the years. But, in a cultural sense, that image of Sweden going back to the 1960s, as a great libertarian country, no longer exists. Sweden has rather a dark side. It's not a member of NATO, but it's almost a much more committed associate of the United States in that part of the world, and the last government in Sweden had very close links with the extreme right in the Republican party, and it has various associations in the arms business, and so on. So Sweden has a— Swe— Swe— I suppose Sweden plays the same games that countries within a certain sphere of do these days. It is no different from that. But what it does have, as I mentioned, is a very close relationship with the US, and The Independent newspaper, here, revealed that there had been discussions between the Swedish authorities and the US on Assange. I don't think that anyone really has any serious doubts that should Assange go to Sweden (where there is no bail —therefore he goes— would go straight into prison regardless of having not been charged with anything) — that once confined — that something similar would happen to him, as has happened to other people who have been subjected to rendition to the United States from Sweden. This is all guess work, of course, but the assumption has a great deal of credibility. Wallace Chapman Presenter, Radio NZ National John Pilger, how do you think, then, this will all play out? He's been, what, 3 years inside the Ecuadorian embassy. As I understand it — you might have gone and visited him — but, as I understand it, no sunlight, small room. Ken Loach, the film director, he gave him a walker, I think, one of those exerciser machines, didn't he? John Pilger Investigative Journalist Yes. Wallace Chapman Presenter, Radio NZ National So, what's going to happen, is my question? John Pilger Investigative Journalist I see Julian Assange regularly, and I've been to the embassy many times.  And, it's really — inside, it's like your living room and my living room.  Yes, sunlight comes in through the windows, but with the police pretty well outside, you have to keep the curtains closed, otherwise you have a member of the constabulary looking in on you and, so, it's a very confined space. And it's the kind of thing that no human being should have to go through. It's the sort of detention that, really, is against all the post war covenants of human rights and so on. But it is a place of refuge, and that's why he's there. Wallace Chapman Presenter, Radio NZ National Finally, John Pilger, I just — before you go, I just wonder if you've got a couple of thoughts on the Labour leadership in the UK — Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader contender - he continues to do well in the polls. In fact, the press has dubbed it 'Corbyn Mania.' His views are very much to the left of the Labour mainstream: he wants to, you know, withdraw from NATO; abolish the UK's nuclear arsenal. So, where, can I ask you, where is he drawing his support, and why do you think it's happening? John Pilger Investigative Journalist It says something about the mainstream [laughs] when you describe it that way. Jeremy Corbyn is actually the mainstream. And who these people are - it's such fun to watch them so hysterical over somebody who might be democratically elected by ordinary people. What a terrible thing to happen. They used to call this democracy. But because they've stitched up the system for such a long time; especially, since the rise of Tony Blair and his evangelical followers, who dominate the Labour party, still; because this man who has rather moderate views and old fashioned views (the kind of old fashioned views that most people subscribe to), and because people are so frustrated all over the world — I'm sure it's true in New Zealand, as well (it certainly is in Australia) — are frustrated that there isn't a functioning democracy; that the views of people - the frustrations of people — are not reflected by their politicians. Suddenly, out comes a man who, first of all, he's completely incorruptible; he's decent; he doesn't abuse people; he doesn't play all their games; he doesn't want to go to war with countries; he doesn't want to bomb countries; he doesn't want to see people impoverished; and he doesn't want to see extremely rich interests make off with billions of pounds. So having these outrageous views — thoroughly 'outrageous,' 'extremist' views - Jeremy Corbyn has attracted an enormous support from people. I was in Edinburgh recently and I gave a talk, and I would have thought that, probably, most of the people in the audience had voted for the SNP — voted for Independent — gee, were they interested in Corbyn, even up there. So, don't know. I think it's very likely the elected leader of the Labour party whether he can get through and keep that rather corrupted organisation in a shape that it might win the election, I have no idea. But he's certainly given people — he's cheered people up. He's given them a sense that maybe some things are possible. Wallace Chapman Presenter, Radio NZ National Journalist and film-maker, John Pilger, thank you very much for your time. John Pilger Investigative Journalist You're very welcome. Bye, Bye. ——— end audio ——— Please Support journalist Julian Assange Under Siege Ecuador embassy London (3 Years) Detained 5 Years No Charge FAQ & Support https://justice4assange.com/ ꕤ

British Government Observes International Law Regarding Netanyahu Immunity | Violates International Law On Political Asylum Granted to Assange

Petition  Benjamin Netanyahu to be arrested for war crimes when he arrives in London Benjamin Netanyahu is to hold talks in London this September. Under international law he should be arrested for war crimes upon arrival in the U.K for the massacre of over 2000 civilians in 2014 Sign this petition 76,065 signatures SOURCE | here SOURCE http://rinf.com/alt-news/editorials/british-government-benjamin-netanyahu-immune-from-arrest/ British Government: Benjamin Netanyahu immune from arrest Aug 22, 2015 RINF Alternative News As the petition for the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu reaches in excess of 75,000 signatures, the British Government has issued an official statement which clears the war criminal of any wrong doing, despite tens of thousands of UK citizens calling for his arrest for the massacre of more than 2000 civilians in 2014. Today the British Government issued this statement: Under UK and international law, visiting heads of foreign governments, such as Prime Minister Netanyahu, have immunity from legal process, and cannot be arrested or detained. The British Government has invited Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as head of the Israeli Government, to visit the UK in September. Under UK and international law, certain holders of high-ranking office in a State, including Heads of State, Heads of Government and Ministers for Foreign Affairs are entitled to immunity, which includes inviolability and complete immunity from criminal jurisdiction. We recognise that the conflict in Gaza last year took a terrible toll. As the Prime Minister said, we were all deeply saddened by the violence and the UK has been at the forefront of international reconstruction efforts. However the Prime Minister was clear on the UK’s recognition of Israel’s right to take proportionate action to defend itself, within the boundaries of international humanitarian law. We condemn the terrorist tactics of Hamas who fired rockets on Israel, built extensive tunnels to kidnap and murder, and repeatedly refused to accept ceasefires. Israel, like any state, has the right to ensure its own security, as its citizens also have the right to live without fear of attack. The UK consistently urged Israel to do everything possible to avoid civilian casualties, to exercise restraint, and to help find ways to bring the situation to an end. The UK continues to urge the parties to give priority to reaching a durable solution for Gaza which addresses the underlying drivers of conflict, and to take the necessary practical steps to ensure Gaza’s reconstruction and economic recovery. We welcome the fact that Israel is conducting internal investigations into specific incidents during Operation Protective Edge. Where there is evidence of wrongdoing those responsible must be held accountable whatever their position in society. Both parties must also demonstrate robust and credible internal investigations which are in line with international standards. We have also encouraged the Israeli authorities, as we do all countries, to cooperate with the independent Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) regarding the preliminary examination into the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories since 13 June, 2014, whilst noting that Israel is not a State Party to the ICC. The UK is a close friend of Israel and we enjoy an excellent bilateral relationship, built on decades of cooperation between our two countries across a range of fields. Our priority for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains the achievement of a two-state solution, based on 1967 borders. We continue to believe that negotiations will be necessary in order to achieve this, and that both parties need to focus on steps that are conducive to peace. The UK Government will reinforce this message to Mr Netanyahu during his visit. SOURCE http://rinf.com/alt-news/editorials/british-government-benjamin-netanyahu-immune-from-arrest/ ---------------------- ꕤ  ---------------------- COMMENT Britain’s David Cameron and his government are selective when it comes to observing international law. Israel may commit large-scale civilian slaughter with impunity, and David Cameron's Britain is in full support.  But, of course.  That's to be expected. Cameron relies on 'international law' in this instance, to justify Britain’s refusal to act against Israel. On the other hand, Britain doesn't have the same regard for international law when it comes to the political asylum granted by Ecuador to Julian Assange. 1. The Right of a State to Grant Asylum. The right of a state to grant asylum is well established in international law. It follows from the principle that every sovereign state is deemed to, have  exclusive control over its territory and hence over persons present in its territory. One of the implications of this generally recognized rule is that every sovereign state has the right to grant or deny asylum to persons located within its boundaries.' Traditionally, thus, in international law, the right of asylum has been viewed as the right of a state, rather than the right of an individual.  There is little dispute as to this general principle of international law. It is confirmed in international and regional instruments as well as in state practice. First, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights provides in Article 14(1) inter alia the right of each individual to "enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution".  The late Professor Hersch Lauterpacht noted that this wording was introduced by the British delegation, interpreting it as meaning "the right of every state to offer refuge and to resist all demands for extradition.".. Professor Lauterpacht commented that such a right is one, "which every state.., possesses under international law. Second, the Declaration on Territorial Asylum adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1967 provides in Article 1(1) that, "[a]sylum granted by a State, in the exercise of its sovereignty, to persons entitled to invoke Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,... shall be respected by all other States."  Further, the Article 1(3) of this Declaration vests the state of asylum with authority "to evaluate the grounds for the grant of asylum."   [...] Under international law, states have a right to grant asylum and a duty not to prevent those who wish to emigrate or seek asylum elsewhere from doing so. SOURCE |  PDF - Duke University | here Ecuador relies on Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human rights (1948), among an extensive number of other instruments  | here British hypocrites own words regarding asylum here: "the right of every state to offer refuge and to resist all demands for extradition." Check out what else the sneaky, hypocritical, British government is getting up to: Tories plan to withdraw UK from European convention on human rights [Chris] Grayling said a Tory government would withdraw from the convention if parliament failed to secure the right to veto judgments from the European court of human rights (ECHR). Tories would reverse more than half a century’s tradition of human rights authority residing in Europe by giving parliament the right to veto judgments. The authority of the court in Strasbourg would be severely curtailed, with parliament given the final say in deciding whether or not to adopt ECHR decisions. SOURCE |  here Move also clears the way for military abuses: "The impact would be wide-ranging. UK armed forces would cease to be subject to human rights legislation overseas"  [ibid] ꕤ

Cecilia Malmström | European Commissioner for Home Affairs | Interferes Judicial Process 2012 | Prejudicial Statement

⟴   Malmström Worked closely with US interests | 2012 joint briefing with US attorney-general Eric Holder |  Malmström has co-authored an article with Holder  | here CHECK THIS OUT PEOPLE PREJUDICIAL PRESS STATEMENT BY SWEDISH MINISTER Top EU official tells Julian Assange: 'Just go to Sweden and answer the questions' Martin Bentham 3 December 2012 09:24 London 2012-12-03 09:24:50 Monday 3 December 2012 09:24 GMT One of Europe’s leading officials has waded into the row over the Julian Assange case by telling the WikiLeaks founder that he should “just go” to Sweden to face the sex crime allegations against him. Cecilia Malmström, the European Commissioner for Home Affairs, said Mr Assange, 41, who is sheltering in the Ecuadorean embassy in London, should “answer the questions” about his alleged attacks on two women. She also dismissed his claim that he would be extradited to the US, saying that she did not “believe for a minute” that it would happen and that it was only a “purely theoretical” risk. “I’m not engaged in this, I know there are talks. But he’s accused of rape, of sexual harassment and if he’s innocent, which he might be — I don’t know — why doesn’t he just go and answer the questions? I don’t believe for a minute that’s why he would go to the US,” Ms Malmström said. Her comments, made after a briefing with journalists in Brussels, will be welcomed by ministers as they try to extradite Mr Assange to Sweden on a European arrest warrant. The WikiLeaks boss fled to the Ecuadorean embassy, where he is now reported to be suffering from a chronic lung condition, in June to claim asylum after judges ruled that he should be sent to Sweden to face prosecutors. He claims the Swedish extradition bid is a ploy to secure his transfer to the US and denies the allegations against him, which include having sex with a sleeping woman and having unprotected intercourse without consent. But Ms Malmström, who comes from Sweden, dismissed his claims about the threat from American prosecutors. “He is asked to come to Sweden because he’s accused of some crimes. He stays in the embassy. For the moment there is no solution. Whether Sweden would extradite him to the US or not, that is up to the Swedish authorities to decide. I don’t think that would happen. That’s purely theoretical.” Ecuador’s ambassador to London, Ana Alban, has called for Mr Assange to be granted safe passage so that he can receive hospital treatment. Ministers have said that they will not prevent Mr Assange, an Australian citizen, from receiving medical treatment, but have warned that he will be arrested if he leaves the embassy. SOURCE http://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/top-eu-official-tells-julian-assange-just-go-to-sweden-and-answer-the-questions-8375231.html COMMENT   “I’m not engaged in this, I know there are talks. But he’s accused of rape, of sexual harassment ... Cecilia Malmström ---------------------- ꕤ  ---------------------- (1) disregarding for a moment that these are flimsy and highly suspect Sweden police allegations, publicly contradicted by the alleged 'victims' [here]; (2) Setting aside the remarks from a woman minister, calculated to stir up a frenzy of outraged, public response by invoking alleged accusations of 'rape' and 'sexual harassment,' as an obligatory AND 'beyond-question' rationale, slyly imposed upon the target of political persecution, to leverage demand for submitting to what amounts to risk of life imprisonment or death sentence, attached to WHAT IS UNREASONABLE DEMAND for TRANSFER to SWEDISH SOIL for an 'INTERVIEW' ... that could be conducted in United Kingdom ...  regarding mere *investigation* of highly suspect Sweden police allegations (allegations which were previously dismissed by a competent Swedish prosecutor); ... read on:   Malmstrom is a Swedish minister who has either taken it upon herself, or has been instructed, to stage a press propaganda smear of Assange, while innocently batting her eyelids, stating to the gathered press: I don’t know — why doesn’t he just go and answer the questions? Cecilia Malmström * not responsible for this matter * So, this is not her area of responsibility and she is not in a position to make credible assessments or statements (leaving aside the problem of political figures making such prejudicial public statements concerning matters before the courts). Oh, puleez!  As if Swedish minister, Malmstrom, and her fellow politicians don't know exactly what the score is. As for the progress of the Swedish inquiry, it is incumbent on the Swedish prosecution to take the first - and ALL necessary steps - towards furthering any legal matter, including this Swedish 'inquiry'. Of course, the shift of focus is from the more pertinent question:  Why had Sweden *not* made appropriate interview arrangements, as at Malmstrom's Dec 2012 statement:  2 years into the fake 'inquiry' - despite ample opportunity and legal precedent? July 2012 Ecuador Embassy notification of willingness to facilitate interview for which Assange is available August 2015 Reality Sweden Refused to Interview Assange in Britain Where Sweden Interviewed 44 Others Between 2010 & 2015 POLITICAL PERSECUTION The Target of the prejudicial propaganda and media smear was not interviewed by Sweden, although interview was sought by Assange throughout, and ample opportunity was given for such an interview in Britain. THREE (3) YEARS after Malmstrom's performance for the world media, Sweden has shown itself unwilling and uninterested in furthering their bogus 'inquiry' into flimsy, Sweden police allegations. Sweden has interviewed 44 persons in Britain between 2010 and 2015, but has not interviewed Julian Assange in London, because:  THIS is political persecution and Sweden is both committed and determined to force Julian Assange onto Swedish soil, so that he can be extradited to the United States. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT  ⟴   Malmström Worked closely with US interests | 2012 joint briefing with US attorney-general Eric Holder |  Malmström has co-authored an article with Holder  | here ---------------------- ꕤ  ----------------------   Please Support Journalist Julian Assange Justice4Assange https://justice4assange.com/ ꕤ

Massive US Intelligence Incursion on Civilian Population Planned | 'US Wants Private Companies to Spy on Americans'

SOURCE http://www.sott.net/article/300055-U-S-intelligence-agencies-want-even-more-cooperation-from-private-business-to-monitor-people U.S. intelligence agencies want even more cooperation from private business to monitor people RT Tue, 11 Aug 2015 13:46 UTC Image © Beawiharta / Reuters The US Office of the Director of National Intelligence wants to make it easier for private, "uncleared" companies, which don't usually aid the intelligence community (such as ridesharing company Uber) to contribute to next generation surveillance needs. The strategy to encourage unconventional partners to collaborate with intelligence agencies is part of a recently released, unclassified roadmap that outlines the future of data analysis. The "Enhanced Processing and Management of Data from Disparate Sources," as the plan is called, explains six areas that the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), led by James Clapper, believes will be crucial for surveillance community in the near future. "One of our goals for the coming year is to try and extend our outreach via whichever trade associations are willing to take it on, into the uncleared community as well," David Honey, the ODNI director of science and technology, told Nextgov. "That's why getting this information on to the ODNI's open website was so important to us. We want to have that outreach to the nontraditionals to include the uncleared performer community so that they can gain insight into what the challenges are that we face so that they can come forward with ideas." Accessing private sector research and syncing it with ODNI threat assessments for the future means "the right technology will be ready at the right time at the right price," Nextgov reported. For example, ride-sharing company Uber could offer the government tools that could be molded to fit intelligence-gathering needs, Honey said. "Maybe they've got scheduling algorithms that would help us with our logistics problems," he said. "If we can leverage those kinds of tools, maybe we gotta adapt them a little bit, but that certainly beats having to go and pay for those things from scratch." Comment: It's hard to believe that a relatively recent business like Uber could be better at logistics than the U.S. government. This is likely just a bland excuse given to hide the real purpose, to be better able to monitor as many people as possible. Some areas ODNI is seeking to develop, according to Nextgov, include: "expertise in determining the biases of social media site moderators, geolocation in the presence of encryption, room temperature quantum computing, and immersive virtual world user experience." While the intelligence community's go-to technology development firms are reliable partners, Honey said some of the nontraditional players have the luxury of thinking outside intelligence-gathering frames that could lead to applications valuable to ODNI. Honey said US intel agencies and those reliable partners are crowdsourcing updates to their five-year science and technology strategy in order to match ODNI needs with corporate projects via a classified website. Spy agencies "need to be able to post the challenge in a way that the system automatically alerts the right technology suppliers," Honey said, adding "if you're a technology provider and you are posting new solutions, the solutions need to be able to find their way to the customer" with ease. With that in mind, he said ODNI may create an unclassified public online portal for those without a security clearance to offer suggestions for the strategy. Honey said ODNI will gather interested businesses next week to begin developing ways to measure the intel community's progress in addressing their five-year strategic plan. "If you are too close to the classified information, you are going to try to create a faster horse," Honey said. "Quite often, people who have just a general knowledge of what we're trying to do are in a better position to help us think about new solutions, than those who are deeply ingrained in the machine." The Obama administration has requested $53.9 billion to fund the ODNI in 2016. SOURCE http://www.sott.net/article/300055-U-S-intelligence-agencies-want-even-more-cooperation-from-private-business-to-monitor-people ---------------------- ꕤ ---------------------- SUMMARY US Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI)   Head:  James Clapper, Director ODNI Program:  'Enhanced Processing and Management of Data from Disparate Sources' 6-Area Plan Civilian Surveillance Partner Outreach Areas of expertise sought: biases of social media site moderators geolocation in the presence of encryption room temperature quantum computing immersive virtual world user experience Seek to utilise non-traditional players outside of intel community to exploit: thinking outside the box / ie outside intelligence-gathering frames may create public online portal for anyone who wishes to assist the totalitarian state in becoming more totalitarian nutting out how to measure the progress/success of the 5-year strategic plan ---------------------- ꕤ ---------------------- COMMENT What happens in the US doesn't stay in the US. Expect this to be applied by US intelligence partners as well, in some form or other. That's $53.9 billion in 2016 for this sector assigned to keeping the subjugated population under totalitarian control ... Mein Gott! And this is only a fraction of what this totalitarian state spends on maintaining surveillance and other forms of such control. Hypocrites have smeared the Russians for years for what they themselves have done and continue to do.    lol PS ... sounds like they're hiring hackers.  lol Oh, and this social media surveillance stuff sounds seriously sick.  ꕤ

FREE ASSANGE | 10 Reasons Assange Held 5 Years No Charge, London

TEN REASONS ASSANGE DETAINED 5 YEARS, NO CHARGE LONDON HERE Assange has been granted political asylum and is under siege in the Ecuador embassy because WikiLeaks have exposed US and allied war crimes.  The authorities who have deprived Assange of liberty for almost 5 years without charge on flimsy Sweden police allegations of 'sexual misconduct,' are themselves stained by blood of war crimes which were exposed by WikiLeaks. As evidenced by: a litany of atrocities and illegal abuses (exposed by WikiLeaks and others); and the subsequent, politically motivated, persecution of journalist, Julian Assange; the West is controlled by a coterie of corrupt, lying, increasingly totalitarian, corporate-serving, politician and intelligence representatives of unseen, modern-day 'kings' of what has become a single, corporate imperialist,  supranational state. Unseen and unelected, these usurping 'kings' of surrendered Western national democracies and their politician servants, have consistently shown contempt for democracy, democratic freedoms, civil liberties, transparency, accountability, justice, and both international and domestic law. Lip service is paid to 'freedom,' 'democracy' and 'values' by the politician puppets of the powerful, even while these same puppets sanction violation of principles upon which they claim to rely. These are the same principles that are routinely misused and violated in order to commission, and to conceal, crimes and attrocities committed all over the world. Detaining Assange for almost 5 years, based on flimsy Sweden police allegations has been engineered in order to extradite Julian Assange to the US, by authorities whose position of corrupt power was exposed and therefore challenged. War crimes, state criminality, CIA torture, mass surveillance, and many more violations have been exposed. As a ground-breaking whilstleblower publisher and journalist, Assange is facing US extradition and a life sentence, or the death penalty:  in a nominally democratic usurped American republic whose plutocrat-controlled and campaign-bought politicians rightfully have no mandate to silence journalism - nor jurisdiction over foreign journalism.    To that end, the US is making moves to redefine journalism as 'espionage' and 'terrorism.' Assange is under siege because his gaolers and the war criminals that WikiLeaks exposed are one and the same. Each day for almost 5 years, these guilty, colluding, partnered supranational coalition of powers have committed the injustice of detaining Julian Assange on politically and otherwise expedient, flimsy Sweden police allegations, while deceiving the public by claiming to uphold 'justice.' In reality, these authorities have no regard whatsoever for justice (see release of Pinochet (crimes against humanity) by Britain; Britian & other(s) sidestepping Tzipli Livni arrest warrant (see alleged war crimes, Israel), & more). Meanwhile, the corporate serving press that's supposed to be the pillar of this exalted 'democracy,' disseminates a diet of propaganda and smear to the uninformed public. M O C K E R Y Mouthpieces of a nation lulled into commission of: ⟴ War Crimes ⟴ ⟴ CIA Torture ⟴ ⟴ Massacres ⟴ DECLARE Julian Assange 'Terrorist' for revealing TRUTH And Call for Assassination of Assange MILLIONS OF POUNDS BRITAIN SPENDS to POLITICALLY PERSECUTE JOURNALIST JULIAN ASSANGE |   https://govwaste.co.uk/   |  Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zty2WxVnklI [ FREE ASSANGE - AUG 2015 - 'MANIFESTO' ] ꕤ