US DoJ preparing to file additional indictment against Julian Assange based on testimony by convicted conman
The star witness in the pending new indictment of the US DoJ against Julian Assange is a convicted fraudster and FBI informant Sigurdur Thordarson.
The United States Department of Justice is preparing a new superseding indictment against WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange before the extradition deadline on June 14th.
Dutch public broadcaster NOS reported that Sigurdur Thordarson was flown to the United States last week where he was "comprehensively interrogiated", in preparation for the filing of a new superseding indictment against Julian Assange by the end of next week.
NOS reported that on May 6th this, FBI Special Agent Megan Brown, who leads the FBI investigation against Assange, travelled to Iceland together with prosecutor Kellen Dwyer from the Eastern District of Virginia, to re-interrogiate FBI informant Thordarson with the help of Icelandic police. Dwyer's cut-and-paste error led to revelation in November 2018 that the Department of Justice had indicted Assange.
On May 27th, US authorities flew Sigurdur Thordarson to Washington D.C. for further interrogiations, where he remained until June 1.
Kristinn Hrafnsson, editor-in-chief of WikiLeaks:
"The Trump administration is so desparate to build its case against WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange that it is using a diagnosed sociopath, a convicted conman and sex criminal, who was exposed by the highest levels of the Icelandic government as an FBI informant and who was involved in an entrapment operation in 2011 against Julian Assange."
Thordarson, who was recently released from prison, agreed to be interrogiated to help build a case against Assange. Thordarson had served a three-year sentence for multiple counts of embezzlement and fraud, including against WikiLeaks and sex crimes against nine minors. Thordarsson stole tens of thousands of dollars from WikiLeaks, and impersonated Julian Assange in order to carry out the embezzlement.
As part of the criminal prosecution of Thordarson in Iceland, he was examined by a forensic psychiatrist who diagnosed him as a sociopath.
Thordarson told NOS that the interrogiations focussed on his own communications with fellow FBI-informant Hector Monsegut (aka "SABU"). These contacts involve an operation by the FBI that was exposed as an "entrapment" operation "against Julian Assange" by the Interior Minister of Iceland, Ogmundur Jonasson, as reported by the Daily Mail in 2013.
While the case would collapse in the U.S. due to the prosecution's reliance on testimony by Thordarson and Monsegur, who are not credible witnesses, the United States can conceal their witnesses identities during UK extradition proceedings in order to boost their chances of winning. This will make it impossible for Assange to challenge the credibility of the witnesses during UK extradition proceedings, which will commence on 14 June.
In 2011, the Icelandic government expelled "eight or nine" FBI agents and prosecutors who had flown from the Eastern District of Virginia because they were conducting unauthorised activities on Icelandic soil against Assange and WikiLeaks. The episode was reported in the New York Times in 2013.
By contrast, the current Icelandic government has cooperated with the Trump Administration's efforts to build a case against WikiLeaks.
Kristinn Hrafnsson, editor of WikiLeaks, yesterday sent a letter demanding an explanation from Icelandic Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir, Foreign Minister Guolaugur Por Poroarson, Justice Minister Pordis Kolbrun Gylfadottir, Chief of the National Police Haraldur Johannessen, and General Procescutor Sigriour J. Friojonsdottir regarding the Icelandic governments participation in what is widely recognised to be a US-led political persecution against foreign members of the press including Icelandic citizens, for their role in exposing war crimes and other illegal activities during consecutive US administrations.
Last week, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Nils Melzer presented his findings that a "collective persecution" is underway against Assange, after having conducted an investigation into the situation of the WikiLeaks publisher, who is arbitrarily detained in Belmarsh prison in London.
The rapporteur told Australian public radio ABC that Assange's health was in serious decline and that there is a "very real" risk that he could die in prison.
The first substantive US extradition hearing will be held in London on 14 June.
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