Thread by @kgosztola

We have only a few more days of witness testimony in WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's extradition trial.

I'll have live updates on Day 17 in this thread. #AssangeTrial

Yesterday, attorney Lindsay Lewis, who represented Mostafa Kamel Mostafa in high-profile extradition case, warned against US government's "unreliable assurances" in that case. She contended officials are misleading British court again. dissenter.substack.com/p/assange-tria… #AssangeTrial

Lewis outlined abuse Mostafa has suffered in ADX Florence under SAMs, despite his poor health and physical disabilities.

"There is no reason to conclude that SAMs imposed on Mr. Assange would be any less arbitrary, oppressive, or difficult to challenge..." #AssangeTrial

Proceedings begin with statement from journalist Patrick Cockburn, who is a Middle East correspondent for The Independent #AssangeTrial

Summers: Cockburn was in Kabul, Afghanistan, "when first heard about WikiLeaks revelations which confirmed much of what he and others had suspected," that civilians were being killed in large numbers. #AssangeTrial

We have several statements this morning, and I will do my best to share tidbits. But for fuller details, I will have to go back after. #AssangeTrial

Statement from Ian Cobain, a journalist who reported on US rendition and torture and the complicity of Britain in those operations, is read to the court. #AssangeTrial

Statement from Stefania Maurizi, Italian investigative journalist, on her reporting on Assange, WikiLeaks, and her visits to the Ecuador embassy is read in court. #AssangeTrial

Maurizi established joint agreement with L’Espresso on US diplomatic cables from Italy. She was given access to "portion of the cables." #AssangeTrial

Summers reads details from Maurizi's statement involving the CIA rendition and torture of Abu Omar. There was relentless pressure from US government on Italian prosecutors in order to thwart justice. Cables helped her expose key details. #AssangeTrial

Maurizi described "cautious process" of redaction. For example, she would mark a name with 12 Xs so the "number of letters didn't provide a clue." Only then, WikiLeaks would publish redacted version having been guided by media partners with local sensitivities. #AssangeTrial

Describing the security WikiLeaks employed, Maurizi said it was "first time ever worked in any publishing enterprise involving strict procedures of this kind." More strict security than stories on the Italian mafia. #AssangeTrial

Summers: Maurizi was present at Ellingham Hall when Assange was calling State Department in order to deal with situation that had arisen (from publication of unredacted diplomatic cables) #AssangeTrial

Nothing in Maurizi's statement submitted to court on her visiting Ecuador embassy.

And now we have a statement from Guy S. Goodwin-Gill, who was with United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees when visited Ecuador embassy.

Goodwin-Gill described visiting Ecuador embassy, leaving his phone and tablet at door with unlocked luggage. He presumed conversations during legal conference would be confidential, but in late 2019, his meeting was highlighted in Spanish proceedings into UC Global. #AssangeTrial

Statement from Robert J. Boyle, an attorney who has done work on misuse of federal grand juries, is read in court. It includes details on Chelsea Manning, including her statement to the court from February 2013 on why she disclosed information to WikiLeaks. #AssangeTrial

Boyle provides background for judge on how US federal grand juries work. "Extremely rare for court to quash or limit scope of grand jury subpoena." Universal rule against use to gather evidence for trials, but exceptions have swallowed up universal rule #AssangeTrial

Boyle describes the grand jury subpoena issued against Chelsea Manning to testify, which came after US secured first indictment against Assange. Manning believed US planned to set a perjury trap. Manning was confined at ADC and put in solitary. #AssangeTrial

After detailing the second grand jury subpoena issued in May 2019 (after Assange was arrested and expelled from Ecuador embassy), Boyle argues US government abused grand jury process and was using to gather evidence for prosecution against Assange. #AssangeTrial

There is a second statement from Boyle. It covers Manning's continued incarceration in "deplorable conditions" into 2020 and the intentional mental and physical suffering that was inflicted upon her to coerce her to testify. #AssangeTrial

Manning attempted suicide in March. Two days later, judge found it was not necessary to coerce her to provide testimony anymore. Secrecy means it is unknown why this finding was issued, but she was finally released. #AssangeTrial

Boyle warns there would be no bar to grand jury subpoenaing him for coercive interrogation by prosecutors, if Assange was acquitted at trial. They could pose questions intended to force him to reveal confidential sources. #AssangeTrial

Statement from Bridget Prince, executive director of One World Research, is read into court. Prince's testimony relates to who would be in jury pool if Assange was brought to US and put on trial. #AssangeTrial

The defense had Prince research right-wing billionaire and Trump bankroller Sheldon Adelson and his company Las Vegas Sands. (This relates to UC Global espionage operation.) #AssangeTrial

I'll state clearly my opposition to this court for only permitting parts of witness statements to be read in record because judge *already* has materials.

This is not how US military judge conducted Manning's trial. Any statements or rulings were read in full. #AssangeTrial

We're hearing statement from Witness #1. This is evidence on the UC Global espionage operation. #AssangeTrial

Witness #1, referring to trip Morales took to Las Vegas security trade fair & inked contract with Sheldon Adelson.

"The contract did not make sense because it’s purpose was to provide security for a boat owned by [Adelson] but the boat had its own security." #AssangeTrial

Witness #1 says Morales had "real obsession" in "recording lawyers" meeting with Assange because "our American friends were requesting it.” #AssangeTrial

Witness #1: Purpose of installing microphones was to record meetings Assange had with visitors but specifically legal team, especially attorney Baltasar Garzon.

Garzon had passport photographed. He was followed. #AssangeTrial

Moving quickly, we had a statement from a Spanish lawyer involved in case against Morales. Now, we're on to a statement from Noam Chomsky. #AssangeTrial

Chomsky: "Assange’s opinions and actions should be understood in relation to priorities of government." And, "Assange’s actions, which have been categorized as criminal, are actions that expose power to sunlight." #AssangeTrial

The majority of Chomsky's statement addresses the relevant extradition treaty issue of whether Assange was targeted for his political opinions. #AssangeTrial

Characterizing the approach of government, Chomsky adds, "The public on the contrary is an enemy that must be kept in ignorance." #AssangeTrial

With all of the statements entered in court, that leaves four witnesses: Jameel Jaffer, Gareth Peirce, Michael Tigar, and Andy Worthington.

Worthington is scheduled to give live testimony this afternoon #AssangeTrial

Going back, Witness #2 was instructed to place stickers on windows of Ecuador embassy indicating CCTV was in operation. "American friends" supposedly had laser microphones to capture all conversations. But Assange's white noise machine thwarted capability. #AssangeTrial

We have a rather long break, which I will be using to compile what I imagine will be one of several articles by the time I am done with these statements. #AssangeTrial

Dear Assange's Legal Team, please release the statements from Witness #1 and Witness #2 to journalists. Thank you. #AssangeTrial

All journalists and media outlets in general that found #AssangeTrial to be "slightly repetitive" and lost interest likely missed all evidence related to UC Global.

Back from lunch, but defense needs more time to come to agreement with prosecution on witness testimony that will be submitted. Break for 30 minutes. #AssangeTrial

Adding more detail from Guy Goodwin-Gill, former legal adviser for the office of UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). He wasn't in this position anymore when he met with Assange in embassy on June 16, 2016, but he discussed international law and his asylum. #AssangeTrial

Goodwin-Gill suggests the espionage operation by UC Global may have not only violated sovereignty of Ecuador, which granted asylum, but also violation of due process rights, including equal opportunity to make a case, given privileged information was targeted. #AssangeTrial

Statement from journalist Andy Worthington, who was a media partner on the "Gitmo Files," read in court. #AssangeTrial

Worthington says "Gitmo Files" contained "wealth of important and previously undisclosed information," including health assessments, photos, and summary of tribunals, etc #AssangeTrial

Worthington notes the "Gitmo Files" shows innocent men were "detained by mistake" or because US was offering substantial bounties to allies for al Qaida or Taliban suspects #AssangeTrial

Statement from Jameel Jaffer, executive director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, is read in court. #AssangeTrial

Jaffer: "Indictment of Mr. Assange poses a grave threat to press freedom in United States."

Focuses almost entirely on activities journalists engage in routinely. #AssangeTrial

Jaffer: Espionage Act is "notoriously convoluted." It criminalizes "wide range of activities that may bear little resemblance to espionage."

Indifferent to motive and whether harm from disclosures were outweighed by benefit to public #AssangeTrial

Jaffer: "Public debate would take place in information environment controlled almost entirely by Executive Branch officials"—if US press didn't publish classified information without authorization.

This relates to torture, warrantless wiretapping, & drone warfare. #AssangeTrial

We are adjourned, and there will be one more day of proceedings tomorrow.

I'll have a live report in a few minutes on Day 17: #AssangeTrial

Two former UC Global employees submitted testimony on US intelligence-backed espionage operation against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

One of them, an IT expert, said they thwarted plan to bug every room in the Ecuador embassy.

shadowproof.com/2020/09/30/uc-… #AssangeTrial