Thread by @flemingjude

Important blog post from a former UK diplomat on yesterday's court hearing in the Assange extradition case: craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2019/…
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Craig outlines the blatant prejudice, bias and favoritism toward the US legal team, in open court. I will quote a few of his observations below. FreeAssange

"The US government was dictating its instructions to Lewis (US prosecution), who was relaying those instructions to Baraitser (Judge at the hearing), who was ruling them as her legal decision.

The charade might as well have been cut and the US government simply sat on the bench to control the whole process.

Nobody could sit there and believe they were in any part of a genuine legal process or that Baraitser was giving a moment’s consideration to the arguments of the defence.

Her facial expressions on the few occasions she looked at the defence ranged from contempt through boredom to sarcasm. When she looked at Lewis she was attentive, open and warm.

(jude comment: the psychologic insult to Assange would be cruel)

Just in case anybody was left in any doubt as to what was happening here, Lewis then stood up and suggested that the defence should not be allowed to waste the court’s time with a lot of arguments.

ll arguments for the substantive hearing should be given in writing in advance and a “guillotine should be applied” (his exact words) to arguments and witnesses in court, perhaps of five hours for the defence.

(jude comment: Put Assange defence team in straight jackets)

The defence had suggested they would need more than the scheduled five days to present their case. Lewis countered that the entire hearing should be over in two days.

Baraitser said this was not procedurally the correct moment to agree this but she will consider it once she had received the evidence bundles. (SPOILER: Baraitser is going to do as Lewis instructs and cut the substantive hearing short).
jude comment: Judge B *IS* GINA HASPEL

Jude comment: Craig outlines the next grim step in the case is to migrate the secretive legal proceedings into the Bellows of Belmarsh -- essentially putting not only Assange back there, but now his legal team and defence, in straight jackets...

Moving legal proceedings to Belmarsh signal the following:

Assange ain't gonna get bail btwn now and February.
He ain't gonna be transferred to a less restrictive facility even though he was assessed as a Category B prisoner in a Cat. A maximum security jail.

It also signals:
Public access to Assange's fight against US extradition is severely restricted.
Public support yesterday was a problem for the US as they have worked for 10 yrs to undermine his reputation, allies and psychologic well-being.

ie. Public Support which is rising exponentially is a "problem" for the US. It is something they must actively quell, suffocate, strangle (insert murderous verb) on an urgent basis.

"Assange’s defence team objected strenuously to the move to Belmarsh, in particular on the grounds that there are no conference rooms available there to consult their client and they have very inadequate access to him in the jail."

[Judge] "Baraitser dismissed their objection offhand and with a very definite smirk"

The whole experience was profoundly upsetting. It was very plain that there was no genuine process of legal consideration happening here. What we had was a naked demonstration of the power of the state, and a naked dictation of proceedings by the Americans.

"[...] that the most gross abuse could be so open and undisguised is still a shock.

The campaign of demonisation and dehumanisation against Julian, based on gov't + media lie after government and media lie, has led to a situation where he can be slowly killed in public sight, [...]

and arraigned on a charge of publishing the truth about government wrongdoing, while receiving no assistance from “liberal” society.

Unless Julian is released shortly he will be destroyed. If the state can do this, then who is next?

Jude comment: Thank you for this Craig.

When you see Judge V.B. at the bench, you are really interacting with Gina Haspel, head of the CIA. Judge VB is the persona / mask / role that she is playing. Gina is on the bench. "Make no mistake." (cf. George Bush)
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Craig invited input on the Q: What makes the February (next hearing to be held in Belmarsh prison) date so important to the USA?
It signals who is in the driver's seat (control).
It may be a within the UK's target date schedule for meeting the demands of the US per "deliverables"

ie. In business language, executives are given target sales goals, profit goals and other "deliverable" goals to achieve within a given time frame. If they or their team achieve the goals on schedule, they get bonuses. If they are early, they get more bonuses.

February is 2 mo.s prior to Assange expulsion (April), Feb. was when Assange SC Appeal case was heard in 2012... it seems to be a cycle that the CIA prefers. It forces defence team to work through Christmas, burn out, gives time for Assange to contract flu or pneumonia, (ie. die)

https://twitter.com/flemingjude/status/1186317630405316615

Short version of my thoughts and Craig @CraigMurrayOrg:

The US is hijacking the UK's justice system, as expected, but it is so brazen and cruel that he wrote a blog about it and I've been tweeting.

We must rise up.
Show up.
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ie. Assange and legal team think they are "flying BritishAirways" on a business trip but in reality, they are "flying American Airways" on a *RENDITION* flight where Assange is a captive hostage being tortured en route. It is a hijacking of a UK legal process.
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