This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/19/australia-julian-assange-wikileaks

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Julian Assange attacks 'perverted' Gillard government Julian Assange attacks 'perverted' Gillard government
(4 months later)
Julian Assange has delivered a scathing attack on the Australian government in an interview marking one year since he walked into the Ecuadorean embassy in London and sought asylum.Julian Assange has delivered a scathing attack on the Australian government in an interview marking one year since he walked into the Ecuadorean embassy in London and sought asylum.
Assange told the press he hoped the predicted Coalition win in September would clean out the Labor party and prime minister Julia Gillard's "cronies", who he said had relied too heavily on the United States and abandoned himself and WikiLeaks.Assange told the press he hoped the predicted Coalition win in September would clean out the Labor party and prime minister Julia Gillard's "cronies", who he said had relied too heavily on the United States and abandoned himself and WikiLeaks.
"The duty of that government was to protect an Australian organisation and citizen, and it did just the opposite," he said."The duty of that government was to protect an Australian organisation and citizen, and it did just the opposite," he said.
"It bent over more than any country in the world to publicly satisfy the US.""It bent over more than any country in the world to publicly satisfy the US."
Assange has many reasons for his dislike of the current Australian government, which he said was "as perverted a government as you can possibly imagine".Assange has many reasons for his dislike of the current Australian government, which he said was "as perverted a government as you can possibly imagine".
He took aim at Gillard for her initial labelling of him as a criminal and her push for a government inquiry into WikiLeaks, and at former attorney-general Robert McClelland, who considered charging Assange with treason.He took aim at Gillard for her initial labelling of him as a criminal and her push for a government inquiry into WikiLeaks, and at former attorney-general Robert McClelland, who considered charging Assange with treason.
Despite being granted asylum by Ecuador, Assange has refused to leave its London embassy for fear the UK government will extradite him to the US, where he may face espionage charges relating to WikiLeaks' release of classified documents, or to Sweden, where he faces accusations of sexual assault.Despite being granted asylum by Ecuador, Assange has refused to leave its London embassy for fear the UK government will extradite him to the US, where he may face espionage charges relating to WikiLeaks' release of classified documents, or to Sweden, where he faces accusations of sexual assault.
"We know there is an ongoing investigation in the US and we know I am a target of the federal grand jury," he said."We know there is an ongoing investigation in the US and we know I am a target of the federal grand jury," he said.
"There is a 99.97% chance that I will be indicted, so if the Swedish government drops their request (to go to Sweden) tomorrow, I still cannot leave the embassy. My lawyers have advised me I should not leave the embassy because of the risk of arrest and extradition to the US.""There is a 99.97% chance that I will be indicted, so if the Swedish government drops their request (to go to Sweden) tomorrow, I still cannot leave the embassy. My lawyers have advised me I should not leave the embassy because of the risk of arrest and extradition to the US."
He raised the possibility of travelling to the airport in a diplomatic car to avoid arrest, but noted: "We know that the UK police were instructed (in the Sweden case) to break international law and arrest me even if I was in a diplomatic vehicle and had diplomatic immunity."He raised the possibility of travelling to the airport in a diplomatic car to avoid arrest, but noted: "We know that the UK police were instructed (in the Sweden case) to break international law and arrest me even if I was in a diplomatic vehicle and had diplomatic immunity."
Assange's WikiLeaks party, which is fielding candidates for the senate in several states in the September elections, has been buoyed by recent polls which suggest 20 per cent of Australians are considering voting for it.Assange's WikiLeaks party, which is fielding candidates for the senate in several states in the September elections, has been buoyed by recent polls which suggest 20 per cent of Australians are considering voting for it.
The party would announce more senate candidates, including well-known names, Assange said.The party would announce more senate candidates, including well-known names, Assange said.
He dismissed AAP reports that, should he be elected to the senate, he could face a constitutional challenge because he has lived overseas for so long.He dismissed AAP reports that, should he be elected to the senate, he could face a constitutional challenge because he has lived overseas for so long.
"Various claims have been made over the past year by so-called election experts and they've all fallen one by one," he said. "I've personally researched the detail of the constitution and its interpretation.""Various claims have been made over the past year by so-called election experts and they've all fallen one by one," he said. "I've personally researched the detail of the constitution and its interpretation."
The outcome of the election would determine whether he considered it safe to return to Australia.The outcome of the election would determine whether he considered it safe to return to Australia.
Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning.Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning.
Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. Enter your email address to subscribe.
Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox every weekday.