Revealed: Canberra Shared Intel on Assange with Washington [View all]

[Matilda]

Source: The Age, Melbourne, Australia

WikiLeaks and Julian Assange have been the subject of intelligence exchanges between Australia and the United States for more than two years, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has revealed.

The WikiLeaks publisher was also the subject of Australian intelligence reporting from Washington shortly before he sought political asylum in Ecuador's London embassy.

In a freedom of information decision yesterday, Foreign Affairs confirmed to Fairfax Media the existence of an intelligence report concerning WikiLeaks and Mr Assange cabled to Canberra from Australia's Washington embassy on June 1.

(snip)

In another document released by Foreign Affairs, former Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd wrote on November 15, 2011, to seek former Attorney-General Robert McClelland's view on reports that "the most likely route to a successful prosecution would be to show that Mr Assange had acted as a co-conspirator – soliciting, encouraging or assisting [US Army private] Bradley Manning, to obtain and provide the documents".





Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/revealed-canberra-shared-intel-on-assange-with-washington-20121017-27qo6.html

---

I'm sure that if the boot were on the other foot, the U.S. would not be sharing its secrets with Australia. They would defend one of their own citizens against any foreign power, right or wrong.

That's what's really wrong about Australia's crawling attitude, especially in view of the fact that to date, the U.S. has NOTHING ON ASSANGE.