Journalists, political analysts, and press organizations expressed shock on Sunday over a report that claimed members of former president Donald Trump’s administration had plotted to assassinate WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
Yahoo Information interviewed greater than 30 former Trump administration officers for its article revealing that the US Central Intelligence Company (CIA) below Trump’s then-CIA Director Mike Pompeo had mentioned assassinating or kidnapping Assange whereas he took refuge within the Ecuadorian Embassy in London.
The report additionally claimed that the Trump administration, in partnership with the UK authorities, was getting ready to doubtlessly interact in harmful avenue battle with any Russian operatives, ought to they try to assist Assange escape from the nation.
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Following the discharge of the report, the Freedom of the Press Basis issued a press release calling the CIA “a shame,” including, “The truth that it contemplated and engaged in so many unlawful acts towards WikiLeaks, its associates, and even different award-winning journalists is an outright scandal that ought to be investigated by Congress and the Justice Division.”
The muse additionally known as on President Joe Biden and his administration to instantly drop all fees towards Assange, describing the CIA’s alleged plans as “past the pale.”
Horrified journalists, political commentators, and analysts from around the globe additionally expressed shock on the particulars contained within the report.
Cease what you are doing and browse this. The CIA developed plans to kill or kidnap an award-winning journalist whose work they didn’t like — earlier than they charged him with against the law.The case towards Julian Assange have to be dropped—and condemned.https://t.co/5TCFks1p95
— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) September 26, 2021
So whereas Trump was speaking about how he beloved Wikileaks in 2016, he and his administration had been plotting to kidnap or kill Assange. The amorality and malleability of Trump and his motion is past the rest we’ve seen in politics. https://t.co/n1ART0ruSqpic.twitter.com/w9XUG9KQta
— Richard Hanania (@RichardHanania) September 26, 2021
Some folks may be stunned he contemplated killing Assange as a result of Trump campaigned on being anti-establishment. However once you get sufficient energy you develop into the institution. This is the reason no president has divulged Saudi Arabia’s position on 9/11.
— Max Abrahms (@MaxAbrahms) September 26, 2021
“You can’t extradite someone you plotted to assassinate,” reacted The Intercept’s Washington DC Bureau chief Ryan Grim, whereas journalist Glenn Greenwald tweeted, “Habits like this from the CIA and now from the Biden DOJ is what *actual press freedom assaults* appear like.”
As I’ve stated earlier than, conduct like this from CIA and now from the Biden DOJ is what *actual press freedom assaults* appear like. I’ve had imply tweets posted about me by many individuals, together with Bolsonaro. I do know the distinction. I hope some day the US media will be taught it, too. pic.twitter.com/TTh6GwSmNp
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) September 26, 2021
Tommy Vietor, a former spokesperson for President Barack Obama, known as on Home Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff and Senate Intel Committee Chairman Mark Warner to carry hearings on the CIA’s alleged plot.
Others used the report back to discredit public figures comparable to Bureau of Investigative Journalism editor James Ball, who had argued – whereas the CIA had been discussing assassinating Assange – that the WikiLeaks founder can be protected if he left the Ecuadorian Embassy and was “unlikely to face prosecution within the US.”
Assange was forcibly faraway from the embassy in 2019 by London’s Metropolitan Police and incarcerated within the maximum-security Belmarsh jail, the place he stays to this present day because the US authorities makes an attempt to extradite him to face fees, together with violating the Espionage Act, regardless of the actual fact he’s an Australian citizen.
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