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Israel was happy with Rudd's stance: WikiLeaks
Posted Mon Dec 13, 2010 9:18am AEDT
The latest WikiLeaks cables show Israel's ambassador to Australia was happy with former prime minister Kevin Rudd's pro-Israel stance.
The leaked US diplomatic cables, published in Fairfax newspapers, indicate Yuval Rotem was pleased with Mr Rudd's support of Israel and his tough stance against Iran's nuclear program.
Separate diplomatic cables show Australia's intelligence agencies were worried Israel might launch a unilateral attack on Iran.
The Australians expressed concern that Iran's nuclear program could prompt Israel to launch a military strike and spark a war which would eventually draw in the US and Australia.
The cables also indicate Mr Rotem was impressed with Prime Minister Julia Gillard's handling of Australia's response to fighting in Gaza while in the role of acting prime minister.
The Israelis told US officials she was far more supportive than expected.
The documents also suggest Mr Rudd's condemnation of Iran led the Iranian government to make it harder for the Australian officials at the embassy in Tehran to go about their work.
Tags: federal-government, foreign-affairs, world-politics, israel
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Assange says Pentagon plans prosecution
Updated Mon Dec 13, 2010 12:20pm AEDT
Julian Assange says he is facing prosecution by the Pentagon. (Reuters: Valentin Flauraud)
Related Story: Hundreds rally in support of Assange
Related Story: Assange moved to isolation in London jail
Related Story: Obama slams 'deplorable' WikiLeaks WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who has angered Washington by releasing more than 250,000 secret diplomatic cables, said in a documentary he faced prosecution by the Pentagon and was disappointed with how Swedish justice had been abused.
Assange has been remanded in custody in Britain after a European arrest warrant was issued by Sweden, which wants to question Assange about allegations of sexual crimes made by two women.
He has denied the allegations.
"I came to Sweden as a refugee publisher involved with an extraordinary publishing fight with the Pentagon, where people were being detained and there is an attempt to prosecute me for espionage," Assange said in an interview in the documentary, aired on Swedish public television.
"So I am unhappy and disappointed with how the Swedish justice system has been abused," the 39-year-old Australian added in the documentary, which was made before his arrest.
Assange faces a fresh British hearing on December 14. His Swedish lawyer has said he will fight extradition to Sweden.
One of his British lawyers, Jennifer Robinson, said a US indictment of Assange was imminent, but offered no further details or comment why she believed charges were likely to be filed.
The US justice department has been looking into a range of criminal charges, including violations of the 1917 Espionage Act, that could be filed in the WikiLeaks case involving the release of hundreds of confidential and classified US diplomatic cables.
- Reuters
Tags: security-intelligence, world-politics, internet, journalism, print-media, australia, sweden, united-states
First posted Mon Dec 13, 2010 11:56am AEDT
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US scepticism over Australian defence spending
Updated 46 minutes ago
Related Story: Media chiefs throw support behind WikiLeaks
He has denied the allegations.
"I came to Sweden as a refugee publisher involved with an extraordinary publishing fight with the Pentagon, where people were being detained and there is an attempt to prosecute me for espionage," Assange said in an interview in the documentary, aired on Swedish public television.
"So I am unhappy and disappointed with how the Swedish justice system has been abused," the 39-year-old Australian added in the documentary, which was made before his arrest.
Assange faces a fresh British hearing on December 14. His Swedish lawyer has said he will fight extradition to Sweden.
One of his British lawyers, Jennifer Robinson, said a US indictment of Assange was imminent, but offered no further details or comment why she believed charges were likely to be filed.
The US justice department has been looking into a range of criminal charges, including violations of the 1917 Espionage Act, that could be filed in the WikiLeaks case involving the release of hundreds of confidential and classified US diplomatic cables.
- Reuters
Tags: security-intelligence, world-politics, internet, journalism, print-media, australia, sweden, united-states
First posted Mon Dec 13, 2010 11:56am AEDT
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US scepticism over Australian defence spending
Updated 46 minutes ago
Related Story: Media chiefs throw support behind WikiLeaks
Related Story: Government fears nuclear war in Middle East
Related Story: Assange says Pentagon plans prosecution
Related Story: Israel was happy with Rudd's stance: WikiLeaks A leaked diplomatic cable shows United States officials questioned how Australia could pay for the military equipment it plans to buy over the next 20 years.
Citing a cable released by WikiLeaks, Fairfax newspapers report US officials based in Australia suggested the budgeting for the Government's defence plan was based on "fuzzy math".
The cable says the Government appears prepared to sell defence real estate to help pay for the extra submarines, patrol boats and fighter jets listed in the plan.
Separate cables show US officials were critical of former Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon's handling of the portfolio.
Tags: defence-and-national-security, defence-forces, security-intelligence, government-and-politics, federal-government, internet, australia, united-states
First posted 1 hour 5 minutes ago
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Media chiefs throw support behind WikiLeaks
Updated Mon Dec 13, 2010 7:43pm AEDT
There is no evidence Julian Assange and WikiLeaks have broken any Australian law, say media chiefs. (Reuters : Valentin Flauraud )
Video: Gillard attacked over Wikileaks (7.30 Report) Related Story: Assange says Pentagon plans prosecution Related Story: Rudd blames US, not Assange for leaks Related Story: Assange hunt a political stunt: lawyer Some of Australia's most senior media professionals, including bosses of major newspapers, television networks and websites, have written to Prime Minister Julia Gillard to express their support for WikiLeaks.
The letter was initiated by the board of the Walkley Foundation, Australia's professional journalism organisation.
The letter said the leaking of 250,000 confidential American diplomatic cables was the most astonishing leak of official information in recent history and its full implications were yet to emerge.
"In essence, WikiLeaks, an organisation that aims to expose official secrets, is doing what the media have always done: bringing to light material governments would prefer to keep secret," the letter said.
"It is the media's duty to responsibly report such material if it comes into their possession.
"To aggressively attempt to shut WikiLeaks down, to threaten to prosecute those who publish official leaks and to pressure companies to cease doing commercial business with WikiLeaks is a serious threat to democracy, which relies on a free and fearless press."
The letter, signed by editors and news directors, including ABC director of news Kate Torney, said the reaction of the US and Australian governments "to date has been deeply troubling".
"We will strongly resist any attempts to make the publication of these or similar documents illegal," it said.
"Any such action would impact not only on WikiLeaks but every media organisation in the world that aims to inform the public about decisions made on their behalf."
But the group does not support "the publication of material that threatens national security or anything which would put individual lives in danger".
"Those judgments are never easy, but there has been no evidence to date that the WikiLeaks material has done either," it said.
"There is no evidence, either, that Julian Assange and WikiLeaks have broken any Australian law.
"The Australian Government is investigating whether Mr Assange has committed an offence and the Prime Minister has condemned WikiLeaks's actions as 'illegal'.
"So far, it has been able to point to no Australian law that has been breached."
The Walkley Foundation letter said WikiLeaks "is part of the media and deserves our support".
"WikiLeaks has no doubt made errors. But many of its revelations have been significant," it said.
"It has given citizens an insight into US thinking about some of the most complex foreign policy issues of our age, including North Korea, Iran and China."
Tags: business-economics-and-finance, industry, media, information-and-communication, broadcasting, abc, radio, television, internet, print-media, australia
First posted Mon Dec 13, 2010 7:30pm AEDT
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Media says government's reaction to WikiLeaks 'troubling' December 14, 2010 - 8:22AM
Australia's main media players say the federal government's reaction to the release of diplomatic correspondence by the WikiLeaks website is "deeply troubling".
The country's newspaper editors, along with television and radio directors, have written an open letter to Prime Minister Julia Gillard in support of WikiLeaks and its founder Julian Assange. The letter is supported by the editor-in-chief of The Sydney Morning Herald and Sun Herald, Peter Fray, whose newspapers have reported on the secret US embassy cables provided exclusively to Fairfax newspapers.
"The volume of the leaks is unprecedented, yet the leaking and publication of diplomatic correspondence is not new," the letter, initiated by the Walkley Foundation, states.
Advertisement: Story continues below "We ... believe the reaction of the US and Australian governments to date has been deeply troubling.
"We will strongly resist any attempts to make the publication of these or similar documents illegal."
The editors and directors say any attempt to shut down WikiLeaks, prosecute those who publish official leaks, or pressure companies to cease working with the whistle-blower website "is a serious threat to democracy which relies on a free and fearless press".
Ms Gillard has declared the actions of WikiLeaks and Mr Assange "illegal".
Attorney-General Robert McClelland has said the initial leaking of classified documents and their subsequent distribution by WikiLeaks are likely to be illegal.
But the media's open letter notes that so far the government "has been able to point to no Australian law that has been breached".
The editors and directors state that WikiLeaks is simply doing what the media has always done - expose official secrets that governments would prefer to keep in the dark.
"WikiLeaks, just four years old, is part of the media and deserves our support."Almost 600,000 people have signed a separate online petition in support of WikiLeaks ahead of a second appearance in court in London by Mr Assange.
The petition on campaigning website Avaaz calls on the US and other nations to "stop the crackdown on WikiLeaks and its partners immediately" and to respect "the laws of freedom of expression and freedom of the press".
AAP
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Citing a cable released by WikiLeaks, Fairfax newspapers report US officials based in Australia suggested the budgeting for the Government's defence plan was based on "fuzzy math".
The cable says the Government appears prepared to sell defence real estate to help pay for the extra submarines, patrol boats and fighter jets listed in the plan.
Separate cables show US officials were critical of former Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon's handling of the portfolio.
Tags: defence-and-national-security, defence-forces, security-intelligence, government-and-politics, federal-government, internet, australia, united-states
First posted 1 hour 5 minutes ago
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Media chiefs throw support behind WikiLeaks
Updated Mon Dec 13, 2010 7:43pm AEDT
There is no evidence Julian Assange and WikiLeaks have broken any Australian law, say media chiefs. (Reuters : Valentin Flauraud )
Video: Gillard attacked over Wikileaks (7.30 Report) Related Story: Assange says Pentagon plans prosecution Related Story: Rudd blames US, not Assange for leaks Related Story: Assange hunt a political stunt: lawyer Some of Australia's most senior media professionals, including bosses of major newspapers, television networks and websites, have written to Prime Minister Julia Gillard to express their support for WikiLeaks.
The letter was initiated by the board of the Walkley Foundation, Australia's professional journalism organisation.
The letter said the leaking of 250,000 confidential American diplomatic cables was the most astonishing leak of official information in recent history and its full implications were yet to emerge.
"In essence, WikiLeaks, an organisation that aims to expose official secrets, is doing what the media have always done: bringing to light material governments would prefer to keep secret," the letter said.
"It is the media's duty to responsibly report such material if it comes into their possession.
"To aggressively attempt to shut WikiLeaks down, to threaten to prosecute those who publish official leaks and to pressure companies to cease doing commercial business with WikiLeaks is a serious threat to democracy, which relies on a free and fearless press."
The letter, signed by editors and news directors, including ABC director of news Kate Torney, said the reaction of the US and Australian governments "to date has been deeply troubling".
"We will strongly resist any attempts to make the publication of these or similar documents illegal," it said.
"Any such action would impact not only on WikiLeaks but every media organisation in the world that aims to inform the public about decisions made on their behalf."
But the group does not support "the publication of material that threatens national security or anything which would put individual lives in danger".
"Those judgments are never easy, but there has been no evidence to date that the WikiLeaks material has done either," it said.
"There is no evidence, either, that Julian Assange and WikiLeaks have broken any Australian law.
"The Australian Government is investigating whether Mr Assange has committed an offence and the Prime Minister has condemned WikiLeaks's actions as 'illegal'.
"So far, it has been able to point to no Australian law that has been breached."
The Walkley Foundation letter said WikiLeaks "is part of the media and deserves our support".
"WikiLeaks has no doubt made errors. But many of its revelations have been significant," it said.
"It has given citizens an insight into US thinking about some of the most complex foreign policy issues of our age, including North Korea, Iran and China."
Tags: business-economics-and-finance, industry, media, information-and-communication, broadcasting, abc, radio, television, internet, print-media, australia
First posted Mon Dec 13, 2010 7:30pm AEDT
@@@
Media says government's reaction to WikiLeaks 'troubling' December 14, 2010 - 8:22AM
Australia's main media players say the federal government's reaction to the release of diplomatic correspondence by the WikiLeaks website is "deeply troubling".
The country's newspaper editors, along with television and radio directors, have written an open letter to Prime Minister Julia Gillard in support of WikiLeaks and its founder Julian Assange. The letter is supported by the editor-in-chief of The Sydney Morning Herald and Sun Herald, Peter Fray, whose newspapers have reported on the secret US embassy cables provided exclusively to Fairfax newspapers.
"The volume of the leaks is unprecedented, yet the leaking and publication of diplomatic correspondence is not new," the letter, initiated by the Walkley Foundation, states.
Advertisement: Story continues below "We ... believe the reaction of the US and Australian governments to date has been deeply troubling.
"We will strongly resist any attempts to make the publication of these or similar documents illegal."
The editors and directors say any attempt to shut down WikiLeaks, prosecute those who publish official leaks, or pressure companies to cease working with the whistle-blower website "is a serious threat to democracy which relies on a free and fearless press".
Ms Gillard has declared the actions of WikiLeaks and Mr Assange "illegal".
Attorney-General Robert McClelland has said the initial leaking of classified documents and their subsequent distribution by WikiLeaks are likely to be illegal.
But the media's open letter notes that so far the government "has been able to point to no Australian law that has been breached".
The editors and directors state that WikiLeaks is simply doing what the media has always done - expose official secrets that governments would prefer to keep in the dark.
"WikiLeaks, just four years old, is part of the media and deserves our support."Almost 600,000 people have signed a separate online petition in support of WikiLeaks ahead of a second appearance in court in London by Mr Assange.
The petition on campaigning website Avaaz calls on the US and other nations to "stop the crackdown on WikiLeaks and its partners immediately" and to respect "the laws of freedom of expression and freedom of the press".
AAP
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