BRITAIN: Tearful Assange Battles Extradition To US

The London Evening Standard reports:

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange struggled to say his own name as he appeared in the dock facing extradition to the US. The 48-year-old is wanted in the United States over claims that he was involved in the hacking and leak of a mass of classified documents in 2010 through the Wikileaks website.

But Assange says he is the victim of a politically-driven campaign by the Trump administration against journalists and whistleblowers, and claims his privileged discussions with lawyers have been spied on by the US.

Appearing at Westminster magistrates court this morning, Assange stuttered as he struggled to tell the court his name. Fighting back tears, Assange said he has been denied access to a computer behind bars and is “in fear of my life”. He called the case “not equitable” and added: “I can’t think properly.”

EXCLUSIVE: Julian #Assange recorded inside prison van during transportation pic.twitter.com/zj9hwwzKHe

— RT (@RT_com) October 21, 2019

Right now in front of Westminster magistrates court! pic.twitter.com/D8xVIDhr6s

— Don’t Extradite Assange (@DEAcampaign) October 21, 2019

Hectic scenes as #Assange leave Westminster court#FreeAssange pic.twitter.com/TFoAg5OWM1

— Gordon Dimmack (@GordonDimmack) October 21, 2019

John Pilger outside Westminster court denounced the brutal treatment of Assange as the actions of a “rogue state”@SEP_Britain#DontExtraditeAssange pic.twitter.com/mhOnvu62NL

— SEP London (@Sep_london) October 21, 2019

Speaking outside the court, WikiLeaks editor Kristinn Hrafnsson, described the conditions of Julian Assange’s detention as “shameful” and accused the CIA of attempting to spy on his legal team pic.twitter.com/lPq6ftA1gw

— Jon Ironmonger (@JonIronmonger) October 21, 2019

Wikileaks editor-in-chief Kristinn Hrafnsson gives his comments outside the courthouse in London, as a British judge declined a request by Julian Assange’s lawyers to delay proceedings by three months https://t.co/0QWO3eEIRO pic.twitter.com/7DwhQHq9ns

— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) October 21, 2019