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Britain, Not Sweden, Appealing Julian Assange Bail

The Guardian reports it was Great Britain, not Sweden, that decided to appeal the release of Wilileak's founder Julian Assange on bond.

The Crown Prosecution Service will go to the high court tomorrow to seek the reversal of a decision to free the WikiLeaks founder on bail, made yesterday by a judge at City of Westminster magistrates court.

It had been widely thought Sweden had made the decision to oppose bail, with the CPS acting merely as its representative. But today the Swedish prosecutor's office told the Guardian it had "not got a view at all on bail" and that Britain had made the decision to oppose bail.

The spokesperson for the Swedish Prosecutor's office says they don't have a view on bail and will not be submitting any evidence at tomorrow's hearing. The CPS has confirmed this. [More...]

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Julian Assange Gets Bail, Sweden Appeals



(Image via MGM-online)

Update: Sweden is appealing the decision. A ruling in the appeal could take a week. Also, Assange's bond is L200,000, which must be in cash because cheques take a week to clear. His lawyer says: "So I have to go around to find cash and have it delivered to court, and until the court has it an innocent man stays in jail."

A British Court has granted bail to Wikileak's founder Julian Assange.

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Stockholm Bombing E-Mail References Cartoonist

There were two bombing incidents in Sweden today. One was a car bomb and one was a pipe bomb carried by a suicide bomber. One person was killed -- the suicide bomber.

An email was received by a news agency TT, shortly before the blasts:

The agency said the mail had sound files in both Swedish and Arabic attached. It said the voice on the sound file addressed Sweden and the Swedish people and talked about Sweden's silence over the caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed by artist Lars Vilks and Sweden's presence in Afghanistan.

"Our actions will talk for themselves. As long as you do not end your war against Islam and humiliation of the prophet and your stupid support for the pig Vilks," TT quoted the man on the sound file as saying.

There have been several other attacks aimed at Lars Vilks over the last few years. While some think today's bombs in Sweden were the result of a few lone wolves, not an organized terror group, no one really knows yet.

Closer to home, Vilks' cartoons and the Danish newspaper that published them, along with Lashkar e Tayyiba, the terrorist group that allegedly was hatching the plot against the newspaper, will be featured prominently in a U.S terror trial in Chicago beginning in February. It's the case of David Headley, aka Daood Gilani's co-defendant. [More...]

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Julian Assange Jailed, No Bail

Wikileak's founder Julian Assange is in jail in Great Britain. A judge has denied bond, ruling he is a flight risk, even though he voluntarily appeared at the police station this morning.

Five people, including journalist John Pilger, film director Ken Loach and Jemima Khan, the sister of Conservative MP Zac Goldsmith, stood up in court offering to put up sureties. But District Judge Howard Riddle refused bail for Australian Mr Assange and he was remanded in custody until 14 December.

Assange will appeal the decision. And his lawyer says Wikileaks will keep on publishing. ""We are on cable 301 and there are 250,000 secret cables."

The Swedish charges against him are based on the allegations of two women, "Ms A" and "Ms W": [More...]

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UK Receives Arrest Warrant for Julian Assange

The UK has received an arrest warrant for Julian Assange of Wikileaks. Extradition is being sought by Sweden.

The warrant is being processed by the Serious Organised Crime Agency and will be sent to the Metropolitan Police as he is thought to be in the London area. Mr Assange is wanted in Sweden to face sex allegations which he denies.

The Swiss have closed his bank account, but no criminal charges will result and he will get the money.

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Military Gives Ultimatum to Rio Drug Traffickers, Dozens Dead

It's an urban war in the favelas (slums)of Rio De Janeiro. The military have joined police and given an ultimatum to the drug gangs to surrender or face a big-time assault.

Defence Minister Nelson Jobim authorised the deployment of 10 military armoured vehicles, two Air Force helicopters and 800 soldiers, to be added to the 17,500 police already engaged in the crackdown. About 300 federal police were also dispatched to bolster local forces.

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Obama: U.S. Will Defend South Korea

Update: President Obama said tonight the U.S is going to hold "joint military exercises" with South Korea and is sending a carrier to the region. The purpose is to deter N. Korea attacks and " to signal to China that unless it reins in its unruly ally it will see an even larger American presence in the vicinity."

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Are we going to enter yet another war? President Obama today addressed the crisis in South Korea. Does he mean diplomatially or militarily? So far, no troops have been repositioned. But, Obama wouldn't speculate on U.S. military options.[More...]

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Lori Berenson Ordered Freed From Prison...Again

Lori Berenson, who was granted parole and freed from prison, only to have the decision appealed and lose, resulting in her return to a Peruvian prison in August, has again been ordered freed.

She and her son should leave prison in a few days, but they won't be able to leave Peru. The prosecutor says he's going to appeal again. Her family's statement is here. They say the process could take another two to three months.

Peru is treating her like a ping pong ball. Enough already. The judge today said she should be released on parole because she has fulfilled d all necessary requirements. Send her home.

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Yemen Military Launches Attack on Al Qaeda

CNN reports 1,000 Yemen military and security forces have launched an attack in the Shabwa province of Yemen, believed to be home to al Qaeda members, including Muslim Cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, but they say he is not the only target.

Last week, there were other raids. They didn't kill any al Qaeda members, just a 65 year old man and two women. From the Yemen Observer:

Yemeni warplanes launched strikes in the Modia district of Abyan province on Tuesday, targeting locations believed to be home to al-Qaeda commander Abdul Munem al-Fahtani, according to the defense ministry website.

“The raids at Thaooba area, Modia district, killed a 65-year-old man and two women. No al-Qaeda members were killed,” a security official told Yemen Observer on a condition of anonymity.

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Singapore May Cane U.S. Man Who Overstayed Visa

Shades of teenager Michael Fay, only this time it's a Florida businessman who overstayed his visa. Sinapore is deciding whether to impose caning as a punishment on Kamari Charlton, 37, a former Florida State University college football player who owns a construction company in Florida.

Charlton's case is unique, his defense team argues. His wife was in the country on a six-month medical visa, while he was on a three-month tourist visa. Unlike most offenders who overstay, Maaran said, Charlton was not in Singapore to take advantage of its strong economy by working illegally. He overstayed by 169 days, according to court documents.

Charlton was arrested as he was leaving Singapore with his pregnant wife. He also faces six months in jail.[More...]

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Rescue in Chile: Success

The third miner has just surfaced. If you aren't watching, turn it on. It's heartwarming and real. Everyone is calm and joyous.

The President and First Lady of Chile are right there, they seem so down to earth and connected to the relatives, the workers and the miners. Watching the President physically bear-hug the miners as they emerge is amazing. His smile is a mile wide.

The emotion on everyone's faces is palpable. It's rare to see such expressions of pure joy these days.

A lot of expertise and planning went into this rescue and it shows. Congratulations, Chile (and those from other countries who helped.) You've done yourselves proud. The world is watching and we are all impressed and smiling with you.

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Factors in the Killing of the Mexican Investigator in Lake Disappearance

Mexican authorities say the killing of Mexican police investigator Rolando Flores (Commander of state investigators in Ciudad Miguel Aleman) who was part of the team investigating the disappearance of Texan David Hartley while vacationing with his wife on the Mexican side of Falcon Lake, is not related to the investigation. Hartley's wife said they were attacked by pirates who shot and killed him.

Mexican authorities say Flores "was making further inquiries in New Ciudad Guerrero, which have nothing to do with the death of David Hartley, when he was killed."

Nor has Mexico confirmed the Flores "decapitation" story. That information stems from Zapata County, TX Sheriff Sigifredo Gonzalez (who gave it to the state congressman who tweeted it.) Mexican authorities will only say he was assassinated, and they don't know how.

According to a Texas local ABC News station, over the weekend, Flores met with them, gave them documents identifying two potential suspects, brothers who allegedly are with the Zetas drug cartel, and said the hunt for the pair was stepping up. [More...]

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