Justice Department released an indictment. As expected, it is all about 2010, not a trace of 2016 in it.
https://www.justice.gov/usao-edva/pr/wi ... conspiracyFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, April 11, 2019
WikiLeaks Founder Charged in Computer Hacking ConspiracyALEXANDRIA, Va. – Julian P. Assange, 47, the founder of WikiLeaks, was arrested today in the United Kingdom pursuant to the U.S./UK Extradition Treaty, in connection with a federal charge of conspiracy to commit computer intrusion for agreeing to break a password to a classified U.S. government computer.
According to court documents unsealed today, the charge relates to Assange’s alleged role in one of the largest compromises of classified information in the history of the United States.
The indictment alleges that in March 2010, Assange engaged in a conspiracy with Chelsea Manning, a former intelligence analyst in the U.S. Army, to assist Manning in cracking a password stored on U.S. Department of Defense computers connected to the Secret Internet Protocol Network (SIPRNet), a U.S. government network used for classified documents and communications. Manning, who had access to the computers in connection with her duties as an intelligence analyst, was using the computers to download classified records to transmit to WikiLeaks. Cracking the password would have allowed Manning to log on to the computers under a username that did not belong to her. Such a deceptive measure would have made it more difficult for investigators to determine the source of the illegal disclosures.
During the conspiracy, Manning and Assange engaged in real-time discussions regarding Manning’s transmission of classified records to Assange. The discussions also reflect Assange actively encouraging Manning to provide more information. During an exchange, Manning told Assange that “after this upload, that’s all I really have got left.” To which Assange replied, “curious eyes never run dry in my experience.”Assange is charged with conspiracy to commit computer intrusion and is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, and Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after the charges were unsealed. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kellen S. Dwyer, Thomas W. Traxler and Gordon D. Kromberg, and Trial Attorneys Matthew R. Walczewski and Nicholas O. Hunter of the Justice Department’s National Security Division are prosecuting the case.
The extradition will be handled by the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:18-cr-111.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
Attachment(s):
Download assange_indictment.pdf
Topic(s):
Cyber Crime
National Security
Component(s):
USAO - Virginia, Eastern
Contact:
Joshua Stueve
Director of Communications
joshua.stueve@usdoj.gov
Really strange this is the best they've come up with. I should say, "the best." Some lawyer team must have researched and brainstormed a good long time. I am impressed with Assange's discipline (in all things non-sexual) if this was truly his only fuck-up.
Look at the Lamo-Manning transcripts as an example. Everything was in there, they had them talking about everything. If this happened, they will have better evidence than what the DoJ is citing in the indictment.
INDICTMENT, full text.
https://int.nyt.com/data/documenthelper ... d/full.pdf22. In orderto further the goals and purposesofthe conspiracy, Assange andhis coconspirators committed overt acts, including, but not limited to, the following:
23. Onorabout March 2, 2010, Manning copied a Linux operating system to a CD,to
allow Manning to access a United States Department of Defense computerfile that was
accessible only to users with administrative-level privileges.
24. Onorabout March 8, 2010, Manning provided Assange with part of a password
stored on United States Department of Defense computers connected to the Secret Internet
Protocol Network.
25. Onorabout March 10, 2010, Assange requested more information from Manning
related to the password. Assange indicated that he had beentryingto crack the password by
stating that he had “no luck so far.”
Now the extradition has to get through UK court. Anyone know what this involves? How long can the lawyers delay? Can they WIN?!
With some luck, in two months Corbyn will be the PM.
But I tell you if the Americans get their clutches on him another six charges will drop, equating him with Osama bin Ladin raining Russian nukes down on churches in Arkansas.
I expect the password cracking charge is a teaser to justify extradition.
There's no way they are not going to bring out sixteen other charges with medieval consequences soon as they've got him. I mean, I figure.
How can they tolerate the possibility of losing on a case without having a backup case?
We meet at the borders of our being, we dream something of each others reality. - Harvey of R.I.
To Justice my maker from on high did incline:
I am by virtue of its might divine,
The highest Wisdom and the first Love.
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