What did Julian Assange do? | ABC News In-Depth
Summary
TLDRIn 2010, WikiLeaks and its editor Julian Assange became notorious for releasing classified military footage and documents, including the 'Collateral Murder' video and the Afghan War Diary. These disclosures highlighted civilian casualties and military misconduct, sparking debates on transparency and press freedom. However, the unredacted release of sensitive information put lives at risk and drew criticism. Assange's subsequent legal battles, including rape allegations and asylum in the Ecuadorian Embassy, culminated in his arrest and potential extradition to the US, where he faces charges under the Espionage Act for his role in publishing the leaks.
Takeaways
- 🌐 2010 was a pivotal year for WikiLeaks, catapulting it from obscurity to notoriety as it released a series of controversial documents.
- 🔎 'Collateral Murder' was a video released by WikiLeaks in April 2010, showing a US Apache helicopter attack in Baghdad that resulted in civilian deaths, including two Reuters journalists.
- 🔍 The video was controversial as it was not censored or edited for sensitive content, leading to accusations of endangering lives by revealing the identities of those involved.
- 📚 In July 2010, WikiLeaks published the 'Afghan War Diary,' a collection of secret US military reports about the war in Afghanistan, highlighting the grim realities of the conflict.
- 🗞️ Major news outlets like The New York Times, Der Spiegel, and The Guardian collaborated with WikiLeaks, but disagreed on the extent of redaction needed to protect sensitive information.
- 📈 In October 2010, WikiLeaks released a massive trove of 400,000 classified files on the Iraq War, detailing atrocities, torture, and civilian deaths, further fueling public debate on transparency and war.
- 🌐 November 2010 saw WikiLeaks publish 251,000 US diplomatic cables, exposing sensitive diplomatic communications and potentially endangering sources and relationships with other countries.
- 🚨 Julian Assange, the editor-in-chief of WikiLeaks, faced legal challenges, including an arrest warrant from Sweden over sexual assault allegations, leading to his asylum in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London.
- 🏛️ The US government pursued a case against Chelsea Manning, the intelligence analyst who leaked the military material to WikiLeaks, charging her under the Espionage Act and sentencing her to 35 years in prison.
- 📊 WikiLeaks' actions were seen by some as a threat to national security and diplomatic relations, while others viewed them as a necessary step towards transparency and accountability.
Q & A
What was the significance of the year 2010 for Wikileaks?
-2010 was a pivotal year for Wikileaks as it released several high-profile leaks, including the 'Collateral Murder' video, the Afghan War Diary, and the Iraq War Logs, establishing itself as a major force in the realm of whistleblowing and transparency.
What is the 'Collateral Murder' video?
-The 'Collateral Murder' video is a recording from a US Apache helicopter showing an attack in Baghdad in 2007, which resulted in the deaths of 18 people, including two Reuters journalists. The video was released by Wikileaks in April 2010.
Who was the US intelligence analyst accused of leaking the 'Collateral Murder' video?
-The US intelligence analyst accused of leaking the 'Collateral Murder' video was Private Chelsea Manning, who was known as Bradley Manning at the time.
What was the content of the Afghan War Diary released by Wikileaks?
-The Afghan War Diary, released by Wikileaks in July 2010, contained tens of thousands of secret US military reports about the war in Afghanistan, revealing a grim and unvarnished picture of the conflict.
Why was the release of the Afghan War Diary controversial?
-The release of the Afghan War Diary was controversial because Wikileaks did not redact the names of Afghan civilians, potentially putting them in danger and driving a wedge between Julian Assange and some of his colleagues and media partners.
What were the Iraq War Logs?
-The Iraq War Logs were a collection of 400,000 classified US military files on the Iraq War, detailing atrocities, civilian deaths, and the involvement of Iraqi security forces in torture. Wikileaks released these files in October 2010.
What were the US diplomatic cables released by Wikileaks in November 2010?
-In November 2010, Wikileaks released 251,000 US diplomatic cables, which covered interactions between US embassies from 1966 to 2010, revealing sensitive and often embarrassing details about US foreign relations.
Why was Julian Assange arrested in the UK in 2010?
-Julian Assange was arrested in the UK in 2010 due to an arrest warrant from Sweden over rape and sexual assault allegations, which he denied.
What happened to Julian Assange after he entered the Ecuadorian Embassy in 2012?
-After entering the Ecuadorian Embassy in 2012, Julian Assange was granted diplomatic asylum and remained there for seven years, avoiding extradition to Sweden and the US.
What were the charges brought against Julian Assange by the US in 2019?
-In 2019, Julian Assange was charged by the US with 18 criminal counts, including violating the Espionage Act by conspiring with Chelsea Manning to obtain, receive, and disclose classified information. The charges could result in a life sentence.
Outlines
😱 'Collateral Murder': The Impact of Wikileaks' 2010 Releases
In 2010, Wikileaks and its editor-in-chief Julian Assange gained global notoriety, especially after releasing a video titled 'Collateral Murder', which depicted a 2007 US Apache helicopter attack in Baghdad that resulted in civilian deaths, including two Reuters journalists. The video was controversial as it was seen as a stark contrast to the sanitized images of war typically shown in the media. Wikileaks continued to publish secret US military reports, first from Afghanistan, known as the 'Afghan War Diary', and then from Iraq, revealing higher civilian death tolls and implicating Iranian support for insurgents. Despite claims of transparency, the releases were criticized for not redacting sensitive information, potentially endangering lives. The actions led to the arrest of Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning, who was accused of leaking the footage, and raised questions about the boundaries of transparency and the role of journalism in conflict.
📜 Diplomatic Fallout: Wikileaks' Publication of US Cables
Following the release of military footage and reports, Wikileaks further shocked the world by publishing 251,000 US diplomatic cables in 2010. These cables spanned from 1966 to 2010 and covered a wide range of topics, from nuclear threats to critiques of foreign governments and the handling of intelligence assets. The release was seen as a massive breach of diplomatic confidentiality, potentially endangering sources and damaging international relations. Despite claims of careful redaction, the documents were released uncensored, leading to accusations of recklessness and a disregard for the safety of individuals named in the cables. The releases sparked a debate over the role of transparency in diplomacy and the potential consequences of such disclosures on global politics.
🔒 Assange's Asylum and Legal Battles: From Embassy to Prison
Julian Assange's actions led to significant personal consequences, including an arrest warrant from Sweden over rape and sexual assault allegations, which he denied. This initiated a series of legal battles, culminating in his breach of bail conditions and subsequent asylum at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. Assange's stay at the embassy was marked by a complex relationship with Ecuador's government, which eventually soured, leading to his removal by UK police and arrest on behalf of the US in 2019. The US charges against Assange were numerous, with 18 criminal charges including breaches of the Espionage Act, potentially resulting in a life sentence. The case raised questions about the implications for press freedom and the prosecution of non-US citizens for actions taken outside the country.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Wikileaks
💡Julian Assange
💡Collateral Murder
💡Afghan War Diary
💡Redaction
💡Espionage Act
💡Chelsea Manning
💡Diplomatic Asylum
💡Transparency
💡National Security
💡Extradition
Highlights
2010 marked a pivotal year for Wikileaks and its editor-in-chief Julian Assange, leading to the website being labeled as the most dangerous in the world.
Wikileaks released the video 'Collateral Murder' in April 2010, showing a US Apache helicopter attack in Baghdad that resulted in civilian deaths, including two Reuters journalists.
The video was wrongly identified as a weapon by the crew, leading to the engagement order and subsequent civilian deaths.
The footage was initially denied to Reuters under the Freedom of Information Act by the US government.
Wikileaks released the video with subtitles and eyewitness reports to illustrate a political viewpoint on transparency.
The official military investigation cleared the soldiers involved in the video of any wrongdoing, stating they acted within the Rules of Engagement.
In July 2010, Wikileaks published the 'Afghan War Diary', consisting of secret US military reports about the war in Afghanistan.
Major news outlets协作 with Wikileaks to redact sensitive information from the 'Afghan War Diary' to protect sources and informants.
Wikileaks did not redact the names of Afghan civilians, putting those who helped Coalition forces in danger.
In October 2010, Wikileaks leaked 400,000 classified files on the Iraq War, detailing atrocities and higher civilian death tolls.
The Iraq War files were released with a media strategy for maximum effect, similar to the 'Afghan War Diary'.
In November 2010, Wikileaks published 251,000 US diplomatic cables, covering a wide range of interactions between US embassies.
The diplomatic cables included sensitive information and personal details about world leaders, causing a significant impact on international relations.
Julian Assange claimed to have reached out to the State Department to help redact confidential names from the cables, but this was disputed.
Assange's actions were criticized as sabotaging peaceful relations between nations and endangering sources and activists.
Assange was issued an arrest warrant from Sweden over rape and sexual assault allegations, which he denies.
Assange sought asylum at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, where he remained for seven years.
The US pursued a case against Chelsea Manning, the intelligence analyst accused of leaking the military material to Wikileaks.
Assange's stay at the Ecuadorian Embassy ended with his arrest by UK police on behalf of the US in 2019.
The US charged Assange with 18 criminal charges, including breaches of the Espionage Act of 1917, which could lead to a life sentence.
The charges against Assange raised questions about the implications for national security journalism and the press.
Australian government and parliamentarians from across the political spectrum expressed concern for Assange's treatment and mental health.
Transcripts
2010 was a huge year for Wikileaks and
its editor-in-chief Julian Assange a
mostly unknown website by the end of the
year it would be labeled the most
dangerous in the world the Iraq War had
been going on for seven years by this
point it was a remote conflict and for
the International Coalition a battle
based on Optics from shock and awe to
accomplished pictures were streamed
across cable news showing operation
Iraqi Freedom Live from the
Battlefront this was not one of those
videos and a warning this is hard to
watch in April of 2010 Wikileaks
released this video on its website
titled collateral murder it's a
recording of a US Apache Gun Site as it
strafes over Baghdad in
2007 it shows 18 people including two
Reuters journalists walking through a
courtyard the camera being carried by
one of the journalists is wrongly
identified as a weapon that's a weapon
the order is given to engage light them
all up and the helicopter opens
fire after the volley of shots a van
pulls up to rescue any survivors before
it too is fired upon CL come
on it's a shocking sight and in jarring
contrast with what we here oh yeah look
at that right through the
windshield later it's revealed the van
was carrying two
children oh fa for bringing their kids
to a battle that's right Reuters the
employer of the two journalists had
tried to get a hold of the footage under
the Freedom of Information Act but was
denied by the US government namir was 22
years old s was 40 years old both were
much
loved and uh in an instant gone we had
no idea what it really happened the
video Wikileaks released is highly
produced edited subtitled supplemented
with eyewitness reports and beginning
with a George or will quote it's clearly
meant to illustrate a political point of
view and not merely to inform Assange
claims to have decrypted and published
the video in the interest of trans
Arcy the official military investigation
cleared the soldiers in the video of any
wrongdoing stating that the crew acted
within the Rules of
Engagement however two months later the
Army intelligence analyst accused of
leaking the footage private Chelsea
Manning then known as Bradley Manning
was arrested but Wikileaks didn't stop
there that release was in April 2010 in
July they published 10 tens of thousands
of secret US military reports about the
war in Afghanistan dubbed the Afghan war
diary sending copies to Major news
outlets ahead of the drop the New York
Times called it an unvarnished and Grim
picture of the Afghan war and along with
the Spiegel and the guardian as news
outlets unanimous in their belief that
there is a Justified public interest in
the material also adding they have
agreed that they would not publish
especially sensitive information
in the classified material like the
names of the US military's Afghan
informants or information that could
create additional security risks for
soldiers stationed in Afghanistan but
here's the thing Wikileaks made no
attempt to redact any of the names of
Afghan civilians putting those who
helped Coalition forces in danger it was
an issue that drove a wedge between
Assange and his Wikileaks
colleagues we had this really
complicated situation with with our
three collaborating newspapers uh the
New York Times guardian and theel where
we found out he made promises about
redacting part of that publication but
no work was put into these redactions at
all this was a secret document dump laid
bare for anyone to see Wikileaks made
76,000 Pages available on their website
claiming to have withheld an additional
15,000 emails in an effort of harm
minimization and then October 2010 the
largest leak in US military history
400,000 classified files on the Iraq War
they detail the atrocities of War
involvement of Iraqi security forces in
the torture of prisoners of War document
higher civilian death tolls and describe
Iran support for Iraqi insurgents again
the release organized by Assange for
maximum effect granting access to select
media Outlets ahead of time and then
orchestrating a media frenzy to
accompany the release online it really
is the most extraordinary compendium of
war that has ever been released all in
the name of
transparency still in 2010 November
Wikileaks went on to post
251,000 us diplomatic cables covering
all interactions between US embassies
from 196 6 to
2010 every message from analyzing
nuclear threats to critiquing local
governments to high level handling of
intelligence assets and supporting of
dictatorships all the way down to
embarrassing details of how they view
other world laders it's really uh almost
apocalyptic to have uh
250,000 uh cables lost it affects our
relations with every country in the
world uh and and puts uh
uh sources of information not only
government sources but human rights
activists and dissidents and others at
Great
risk in what they saw as an evolving
method of release Assange claimed the
documents would be fed slowly and
carefully with confidential names
blacked out he even claimed to reach out
to the state department to help sort
through the material the request was
made to Assange to redact this material
so these lives could be protected uh he
and his colleagues were pretty much
contemptuous of this and said well you
know let the chips fall where they may
they weren't interested in negotiating
they were interested in revealing and
they did reveal with all
251,000 documents released online and
uncensored for the world to
see and there is nothing Brave about
sabotaging the peaceful relations
between nations on which our common
security depends so is this J jism this
was opening a fire hose of classified
material to anyone who wanted it is it
still in the public interest or had
Assange assumed the role of
provocator so are you a
revolutionary well we'll see if if if we
end up with a decent Revolution um then
perhaps uh others can make that
judgment 2010 draws to a dramatic close
with an arrest warrant issued for Julian
Assange from Sweden over rape and sexual
assault allegations that he denies
Interpol follows up issuing a red notice
for his extradition Assange hands
himself into UK police pleads his
innocence and is granted bail by 2012
though the sexual assault case has gone
all the way to the UK Supreme Court
which rules Assange should be extradited
to Sweden for further
questioning the Expedition proceeding to
Sweden which is occurring in a very
strange usual way uh is actually an
attempt to uh get me into a jurisdiction
uh which will then make it easier to
exodite me to the United States so he
breaches baale and enters the Ecuadorian
Embassy an idealistic stand for press
Freedom or perhaps a distraction from a
media Crackdown at home Ecuador's
president grants diplomatic Asylum to
Julian Assange and the US pushes ahead
with its case against Chelsea Manning
the intelligence analyst who leaked the
military material she's charged under
the country's Espionage Act convicted
and sentenced to 35 years
jail Julian Assange remained in Refuge
granted Asylum by the Ecuadorian
government for the next seven years this
patch of Ecuador in London is where he
meets Stella Morris the woman who'll
become his wife and fathers their two
children he remains inside locked in his
diplomatic Sanctuary while on the other
side of the Atlantic the US presidential
race was reaching a
crescendo Russia if you're listening I
hope you're able to find the
30,000 emails that are missing turns out
Russia was listening as highlighted in
the Muer report almost immediately after
this request a hacking and fishing
campaign was launched by Russian
operatives against members of America's
Democratic party email accounts 20
thousand pages of emails mostly stolen
from the inbox of Clinton campaign chair
John podesta with drip fed out on
Wikileaks in the months leading up to
the election as confirmed just today by
Wikileaks it's been amazing what's
coming out on Wikileaks they want to
distract us from Wikileaks The Wonder of
WikiLeaks Wikileaks has done a job on
her has it and while none of the emails
were that explosive it added to a
narrative that Clinton was a calculated
political operator with funding from Big
corporate donors and that was seized
upon by her opponent who ultimately won
out the general election Julian
assange's role again called out as an
act of Espionage can you tell the
American people a th% you did not get it
from Russia or anybody associated with
Russia we we can say um we have said
repeatedly over the last 2 months uh
that our source uh is not the Russian
government uh and and it is not State
party after the election the new
president tried to separate himself from
Assange and Wikileaks I know nothing
about Wikileaks it's not my thing the
new CIA director going further to call
out the actions of WikiLeaks and go
after Assange Assange and his ilk make
common cause with dictators
today yes they try unsuccessfully to
cloak themselves in their actions in the
anguage of Liberty language of Liberty
and privacy but in reality the champion
did nothing but their own celebrity
their currency is clickbait their moral
compass non-existent their mission
personal self-aggrandisement through
destruction of Western
values in Ecuador a new president there
isn't so sympathetic to a San's cause
lenam neno's government sees him as a
rude and expensive guest who's hampering
their relationship with the US
[Music]
by 2019 Assange is removed from the
embassy by UK police who arrest him on
behalf of the US before he's transferred
to B Marsh prison no one is above the
law Julian mange is no hero he is hidden
from the truth for years and years and
it is right that his future should be
decided in the British judicial
system after conducting a comprehensive
assessment the evidence is not strong
enough to formed the basis of filing an
indictment the Swedish investigation is
dropped and it's at this point the
extent of the US charges are laid bare
18 criminal charges including obtaining
receiving and disclosing classified
information the obtaining part is a
fairly low-level hacking charge and
refers to a single count of Assange
agreeing to help private Manning break a
password for a US Department of Defense
computer something they ultimately
failed to achieve
but the receiving and disclosing parts
make up the bulk of the charges 17 of
the 18 counts and in this Assange is
accused of breaching the Espionage Act
of
1917 by conspiring with Chelsea Manning
and Publishing the material online the
Chargers could see him jailed
effectively for Life the Espionage Act
is intended to stop American military
officials from recruiting or aiding the
enemy during wartime but this is an
Australian civilian who was given these
documents while in a foreign country and
as for the publishing of these
classified documents how do they
prosecute him without Prosecuting the
times post and guardian for the same
thing publishing stories based on the
leaks after being given Early Access by
Assange but the US didn't view him as a
journalist in the same way the charges
point to him being a hacker or data
dumper a digital Rah with a goal to
discredit the US
government US government uh in terms of
its attack on Wikileaks uh has tried to
construct a theory which if permitted
will be the end of National Security
journalism uh not just in the United
States but also about the United States
Chelsea Manning says she will refuse to
testify against Assange she's now free
after having her sentence commuted by
Barack Obama Chelsea Manning
has served a tough prison sense quiet
diplomacy has been the approach of
consecutive Australian governments there
is nothing to be served by his ongoing
incarceration and I am concerned about
Mr assange's mental health Julian
Assange support in Parliament crosses
party lines this was always political uh
it remains political uh I think the
solution is political this Australian
citizen who didn't commit a crime in the
United States is in Australia jaying an
Australian citizen whose only crime was
telling the truth and being a journalist
and Joe Biden's planned visit to
Australia presented an opportunity to
plead his case but the Biden visit was
cancelled at the last minute swamped by
the US debt sealing crisis Julian
Assange is almost out of legal options
to stop his extradition to the US enough
is enough this needs to be brought to a
conclusion yeah to me it's the sheer
hypocrisy
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