2010-11-20

This article belongs to And That's the Way It Is column.


Information has come to light as to the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) attempting to interfere with Swedish legal processes in relation to the Julian Assange case and there are now also questions as to communications between US Government officials and Swedish Government Ministers in relation to Mr Assange's case and his involvement with Wikileaks.

It has emerged that two senior CIA operatives recently travelled to Sweden and had discussions with their Swedish counterparts and that subsequently, Swedish Government Ministers and judiciary officials were briefed by Swedish intelligence officers following their discussions with the CIA officers. The two CIA operatives travelled from the US to Germany and then on to Stockholm and returned to the US the same way. They stayed at the US embassy in Stockholm and were in Stockholm for four days.

Questions should now also be asked as to allegations that US officials made threats as to the continuation of US-Swedish defence and other contracts and that such threats had a direct relationship with Mr Assange being present in Sweden at the time.

The questions raised have a direct relationship to the fact that Mr Assange, an Australian, was first interviewed by Swedish authorities and subsequently allowed to leave Sweden after initially not being allowed to do so. The subsequent legal processes by Swedish legal processes also raise serious questions as to legal consistency which in turn, raises the question as to Swedish legal processes having been interfered with under US and Swedish Government pressure. The question of Swedish Government Ministers knowing as to how the prosecution processes would proceed and provide a decision accordingly well prior to (days) the warrant being considered should also be raised and indeed investigated.

Mr Assange is currently accused of rape, sexual molestation and unlawful coercion, charges which don't seem have resemblance to the initial Swedish investigations and Mr Assange's version of events.

Serious issues and serious questions will need to be raised and accounted for by both US and Swedish Government officials and agencies.

My name is Henk Luf.

That's The Way It is.