Richard Medhurst Profile picture
Sep 8, 2020 28 tweets 9 min read Read on X
Julian Assange's lawyer Jennifer Robinson and partner Stella Morris queue up outside the Old Bailey.

Day 2 of #Assange hearing begins shortly with several witnesses expected to testify incl. Pentagon Papers whistle blower @DanielEllsberg and investigative reporter Nick Hager. Image
-Human rights lawyers, Stafford Smith of @Reprieve is first witness to take the stand.

-He asserts the diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks on US drone strikes in Pakistan were essential in helping curtail the killings and in conducting human rights investigations.
-Leaks were essential in exposing US targeted assassination and torture programs

-US was killing journalists, drug traffickers with no proof/questionable ties to any terrorist activity

-Smith: "drone program was unlawful, morally & ethically reprehensible"
-Asked about his work at Guantanamo Bay, Smith affirms WikiLeaks helped him prove numerous defendants innocent in court

-Smith details how appalled he was by all the US government's tortures and murders

-Says Gitmo would be closed if public actually knew what it was
-Smith says the torture methods used by US gov were so brutal they were akin to those of the Spanish Inquisition.

-All in all, WikiLeaks helped him to free innocents, take cases to ICC and were essential for his work.
-Prosecution is now cross examining Stafford Smith of @Reprieve

-Lewis QC (Prosecution) claims #AssangeCase isn't being prosecuted for things the NYT and WaPo also published, but instead for leaks marked classified which allegedly put people's lives at risk
-Rather amusingly, Smith is schooling Lewis on how the counts will be interpreted in the US, having worked many national security cases.

-#Assange interrupts Lewis to say "this is nonsense" (lmao). Judge stops hearing for 10 mins, urges Julian to speak to his counsel
-Judge threatens Julian that if he continues to interrupt, the court can continue without him (essentially threatening to try him in absentia). Preposterous. As if this could be anymore of a sham trial.
-Prosecution is trying very hard to get Smith to concede that @wikileaks documents were a threat to national security by attacking his credibility with things like: have you ever classified docs? Had security clearance? Are you an authority on such matters?
-Smith says covering up torture does not pertain to "national security". Has seen countless pages of abuse/torture marked "classified".

-Prosecution reasserts they're not prosecuting Julian for leaks but for allegeldy putting informants at risk w/ names in cables.

#AssangeCase
As I said in yesterday's live: people forget that Abu Qatada, a Jordanian cleric connected to Al Qaeda, was not only let out of Belmarsh (where Julian is) on house arrest, but an entire extradition treaty drawn up to protect him. He's now free in Jordan.
-Prof. of Journalism Feldstein resumes his testimony after tech issues yesterday.

-Says indictment vilifies journalism and Trump ramped up prosecution of journalists

-Feldstein: even Obama dropped the case because it violated 1st amendment and couldn’t go ahead
-Prosecution viciously attacking Feldstein’s credibility, essentially accusing him of purposely leaving out that prosecution was continued by Trump admin (implying case has merit)

-Lewis says tweet by @wikileaks also indicates admission of guilt

#Assange Image
-Prosecution makes ridiculous argument that the New York Times publishing same info is not a crime because they received leaks “passively”

-Lewis presses Feldstein whether journalists are above the law, cornering him into saying no
-Lewis continues grilling Feldstein. Asks him: “are journalists above the law, do they have a first amendment right to steal information?”.

Feldstein answers: no.
Lewis: are you aware of any case of the NYT conspiring with Manning [to steal info]

Feldstein: no

Lewis: so there is a difference between #Assange and the NYT?

Feldstein: yes
Lewis once again goes back to argument that #Assange is being charged for unredacted cables (attempting to contrast him with NYT)

Odd. Since not one person’s life has been put at risk by @wikileaks
Yes/no questioning of Feldstein by prosecution really doesn’t inspire any confidence tbh.

Lewis attempting to create a stark contrast between NYT and #Assange and keeps cornering Feldstein
Lewis quotes David Leigh, citing discomfort at Guardian about publishing unredacted names.

Asks Feldstein if there’s any fundamental difference between NYT and Assange to which Feldstein answers: yes.
Lewis: should journos disclose names of other parties endangering them when avoidable?

Feldstein: no

Lewis: are there legitimate things nations should keep secret?

Feldstein: yes
-In regards to the espionage act, Lewis says proof of damage to US must be provided to convict. Feldstein says he's no legal expert, but upon reading the counts doesn't think that's true (implying #Assange could still be extradited even if no damage is proven).
-Lewis tries to build on allegations of ties between Trump and WikiLeaks, in order to dismantle the idea that the hearing is politically motivated (as Feldstein suggested). Prosecution essentially delving into Russiagate territory now. #AssangeCase #Assange
-It's now #Assange's defense team's turn to question Feldstein.

Feldstein replies it's perfectly normal for journalists to ask gov officials for info. @nytimes actively helped @DanielEllsberg in obtaining Pentagon Papers.

Feldstein: journalists not passive stenographers
Feldstein asserts that the scope of the indictment is so large it's beyond just going after unredacted names/endangering lives – it's about going after journalists.
Feldstein: "proof is in the pudding". Obama admin only went after Manning, and then commuted sentence. If there was any legal basis to go after #Assange and @wikileaks they would've done so. #AssangeCase
Prof. Feldstein's testimony has ended. Court is adjourned. #AssangeCase
Fuck me this is grueling. Can't imagine what Julian, his family and team are going through.

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More from @richimedhurst

Mar 14
Khalil Mahmoud, it turns out, used to work at the British embassy in Beirut, one of his former colleagues confirmed to MEE. This was at a time when the UK's efforts there regarding Syria were to overthrow the government in Damascus.

Obviously the Americans have no right to harass him for views on Palestine, that is a given. But this section of his life def looks off.

Usually, working at a UK embassy that is busy trying to overthrow a government next door usually means a close association or rapport with the security services.

His colleague describes Khalil's usefulness with language, contacts, and providing context on Syria to the embassy staff.

Well, we can all see right now what overthrowing the govt in Damascus got us.
Giving a foreigner a security clearance to enter and work in a UK embassy, esp in a place like Beirut, is no joke. You must be providing a lot of value to the FCDO's efforts to warrant such an exception.
Bottom line, Khalil was a Syrian working with a foreign power to overthrow his own govt in Syria— the only Arab state in the world still supporting the Palestinians and Lebanese.

This is such a glaring contradiction for anyone who claims to support the Palestinian cause.
Read 4 tweets
Dec 20, 2024
While Germans are being attacked at a Christmas market, their diplomats are in Damascus establishing ties with a man who carried out countless attacks like this as a senior commander in ISIS and Al Qaeda. But the media are whitewashing him because Al Qaeda and ISIS are assets of Western intelligence. They don't care who is in power as long as they can take Syria's land, control its resources, and protect Zionism.
Ironically, both the attacker in Germany and Jolani are from Saudi Arabia. Which is where Wahhabism, the extremist ideology that Al Qaeda and ISIS are based on, also comes. The Saudis continue to export this sectarian ideology with the full knowledge and support of the West.
Wahabism shares many similarities with Zionism. Its followers are sectarian; believe the Levant belongs to them; that killing is acceptable; that those who do not practice their faith, or who practice it slightly differently are goyim/kuffar (subhumans/infidels); Natural allies.
Read 4 tweets
Sep 19, 2024
The deadliest terrorist attack in history against British subjects was carried out by Zionists.

Never forget this fact.

Menachem Begin, responsible for the King David Hotel bombing, even became Israeli Prime Minister because Israeli society rewards violence.
In 2006, the Israelis unveiled a plaque at the site of the King David Hotel to commemorate the attack.

A bit like if Al Qaeda would unveil a commemorative plaque at the site of the Twin Towers.

Netanyahu attended this celebration of terrorism.
The plaque even blamed the victims for not evacuating fast enough. The same way Israelis think you deserve to die for not leaving quickly enough after a roof knock.

It was so offensive the British govt officially protested & the Israelis changed the text— but only in English, not Hebrew.
Read 4 tweets
Aug 24, 2024
Police: you have the right to tell someone you've been arrested

Me: yes, I'd like to do that

Police: Due to the nature of the alleged offense your calls are withheld

Me: but you just said I have the right to inform someone

Police: the right can be waived

Lol. Basically "shut your mouth, you have no rights". This is what their idea of "'counterterrorism" means and what laws like this lead to.
Another great exchange:

Police: you have the right to know why you've been arrested

Me: yes, can you please tell me why. What is section 12 and what "prescribed orgs"? What is being alleged?

Police: we're just the arresting officers / you'll be told when you're questioned
Imagine you're taken off a plane for fucking "terrorism" and this is all the info you're left to go off of lol.

Go sit in the urine-smelling cell in solitary, where we film and record you sleeping, eating, peeing. And wait around for 15 hours until we decide to enlighten you with what it is we claim you've done wrong.
Read 5 tweets
Aug 10, 2024
Unfortunately, it seems we were not successful at denazifying Germans like this one
Schools could indeed lose their status as protected civilian objects if used for military purposes— but the civilians inside do not. You cannot justify murdering over 100 people in order to kill 19, who are not even in Hamas. The israelis just publish random photos and names:

Read 4 tweets
Aug 10, 2024
Yes, precisely. A ceasefire is just the first step. Then the settlers must return to their countries and hand over the land. All of it. We will accept nothing less. The fact that a ceasefire is so controversial and difficult for the West shows they are hell-bent on murder.
No Arabs were involved in the negotiation of a Partition Plan for Palestine. It was imposed. Then when the Palestinians signed Oslo, they got stabbed in the back and Israel said "no two state solution". Fine, but that goes both ways. When you annul a contract the other party is also released from it.
Read 4 tweets

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