[1 Thump]

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/08/15/britain-threatens-to-storm-embassy-to-arrest-wikileaks-assange-ecuador-says/?test=latestnews

[AgentX]

Right now he technically has "refuge," not asylum.  If and when he gets to Ecuador, then they can grant him asylum.

I seriously doubt Britain would assault the embassy of another sovereign country.  Sounds like grandstanding by the Ecuadoreans, and the sensationalist URL (former headline, I am assuming, until they decided or were pressured into acting like semi-responsible journalists) isn't even broached in the actual article.

[Maturin]

I´m not a big fan of Mr. Assange, however I really apprechiate his work for Wikileaks. I truthfully respect everyone who fights for King and fatherland, but war crimes have to be pursued and punished. Wikileaks put a lot of pressure to the ones who did evil in the name of their countries, and so I´m thankfull for that.
I also deeply respect Britains liberal and democratic tradition, that is so much older and - so I thought - stronger than the traditions of my own country.
I´m shocked to read, that British diplomats threatened to storm the Ecuadorian embassy. This is not tolerable. I sincerly hope that this doesn´t reflect the way the British government is thinking about this issue, and that they will take stock of themselves and think before running into a disaster. Best regards
Maturin

[ace.cafe]

What I don't get about this is why the Brits are getting involved.
Supposedly, Assange has some warrants in Sweden, and he's going to Ecuador.

So, why are the Brits threatening to storm the embassy?
What's their beef?

[Maturin]

What I don't get about this is why the Brits are getting involved.
Supposedly, Assange has some warrants in Sweden, and he's going to Ecuador.

So, why are the Brits threatening to storm the embassy?
What's their beef?

Rumors are widespread. It is said that Sweden acts only on the behalf of the US who wants him handed over in order to put him in front of a military court. Many Questions, of course. Sweden helped the US in several similar extradition cases in the past, and the Swedish allegations are somewhat weak - they weren´t able to press charges yet. The whole thing is about consensual intercourse, but two women accuse him of having removed the condom in the meantime. I really don´t want to talk down rape in any way, but Sweden is the only country on this planet where this is considered to be  a crime - not to mention how hard it will be to proove that.
Britain is involved because Wikileak´s basis is London and Assange lives there. After the release of thousands od documents there was a lot of pressure on wikileaks, mainly from the US, but also from parts of his own staff who maligned his character and narcism. Many important people left wikileaks, and due to the blocking of their credit card accounts their finances went bang.
It is suspected that the allegations against Assange are fabricated to finish him off. However, the whole mess shows that the affair is considered to be extraodinary important by the British government, who claim to be determined to hand Assange over to the Swedes. But storming embassies is not the standard procedure for dealing with suspects. Regards
Maturin

[The Garbone]

There is no telling how many lives that scumbag has cost and who they were.  A lot of what was leaked has most likely not been aired to the general public and the repercussions will not be discussed as not to compromise whatever is left.   

The US and a lot of European nations most assuredly work together in NATO and such and he probably compromised a lot of different networks.   It also is not only him but information they can get out of him about his sources etc.   

I hope we get our hands on him, suck every last bit of information out of him and then make him disappear forever.

[GlennF]

Crimes against the Reich cannot go unpunished.

[The Garbone]

Ya, because covert operations against groups that fly airliners into buildings full of inocent people are a bad thing. 

[AgentX]

Tom:  Under some sort of mutual legal assistance treaty, Britain has obligations to the Swedes to extradite.  If they fail to do so, the Swedes will reciprocate when it's time to extradite a wanted British citizen, and refuse other sorts of legal assistance as well.

I am unaware of the independent verification of claims of 'threats' by the Brits against the Ecuadorean embassy.  I do believe, however, the Brits have a law passed in the wake of Libyan terrorists taking refuge at that embassy...the law apparently tries to give the British the power to violate the embassy's protections in order to pursue a wanted person.

It's probable the Brits sent a diplomatic note informing the Ecuadoreans that Assange is a wanted person and requesting cooperation in rendering him to the authorities.

[Lwt Big Cheese]

There is no telling how many lives that scumbag has cost and who they were.  A lot of what was leaked has most likely not been aired to the general public and the repercussions will not be discussed as not to compromise whatever is left.   

[deleted]

I hope we get our hands on him, suck every last bit of information out of him and then make him disappear forever.

Oh dear , oh dear. The charges are trumped up so they can get him in to custody. Swedens rape charges include leering at someone, so impossible to prove. The fear is that one he goes to Sweden there will be pressure on the Swedes to hand him over to the US. If he had caused the death of others then he would be charged accordingly - he hasn't

The US government have stated that NO lives have been lost by the leaks. They are upset because their illegal actions around the world have been exposed to the world.

As ever, in the land of the free the last thing you have is free speech!

[Lwt Big Cheese]

As to lives lost:
http://www.collateralmurder.com/

[AgentX]

This is helpful and surprisingly accurate as far as I know:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/wikileaks/9479711/QandA-Julian-Assange-Ecuadorean-embassy-dispute.html

Using a diplomatic pouch to extract him from the embassy of Ecuador, however, also contravenes international law and were the Brits to break into the pouch, there's little recourse for Ecuador.  Israelis tried to smuggle a drugged, kidnapped Palestinian terror suspect out of England via a diplomatic pouch (crate) and were caught by British border authorities.

Here's a link to a story including the actual text of the "threat" by Britain. 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/wikileaks/9478896/Wikileaks-Government-threatens-to-take-Julian-Assange-out-of-Ecuadors-embassy.html

Like I thought, it was a mention of the law they could employ to enter the premises, by revoking the dip status of the facility.  Sketchy under the Vienna Conventions depending on how it's done and likely to end up with far too much blowback for them to undertake it.

There's no way for Assange to leave the premesis and take advantage of asylum in Ecuador, so the grandstanding continues on both sides.  The Brits would be wise just wait it out, and monitor the comings and goings of Ecuador's diplomatic vehicles.

[redcat]

I doubt Britain will force their way into a foreign embassy, as it would endanger British diplomats world wide. As far the "crimes" of Assange, it is now the way of the world right or wrong.

[Maturin]

I hope we get our hands on him, suck every last bit of information out of him and then make him disappear forever.

The good ones are not allowed to use the methods of the bad ones. If they do, they´re not the good ones anymore. Savvy?

[Drifter]

I think he might live a long...not so happy life in that cage...er building. If he leaves he is screwed.

What happens if he has a sex change then changes his name?   Maybe julie arseole