UK threatens to storm embassy to get Assange

France 24 ^ | 8/16/2012

[bruinbirdman]

Britain threatened to storm Ecuador’s London embassy on Wednesday in order to arrest WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who is seeking political asylum in the South American country. Quito said a decision would be announced Thursday.

The diplomatic standoff over WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange escalated on Wednesday after Britain threatened to raid Ecuador’s embassy in London if Quito did not hand over Assange, who has been taking refuge there for two months.

The Ecuadorean government said such an action would be considered a “hostile and intolerable act” as well as a violation of its sovereignty.

“Under British law we can give them a week’s notice before entering the premises and the embassy will no longer have diplomatic protection,” a Foreign Office spokesman said.

“But that decision has not yet been taken. We are not going to do this overnight. We want to stress that we want a diplomatically agreeable solution.”

Quito bristled at the threat and said it would announce its decision on Assange’s asylum request on Thursday at 7 a.m. (1200 GMT).

“We want to be very clear, we’re not a British colony. The colonial times are over,” Ecuadorean Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino said in an angry statement after a meeting with President Rafael Correa.

“The move announced in the official British statement, if it happens, would be interpreted by Ecuador as an unfriendly, hostile and intolerable act, as well as an attack on our sovereignty, which would force us to respond in the strongest diplomatic way,” Patino told reporters.

Ecuador, whose government is part of a left-leaning bloc of nations in South America, called for meetings of regional foreign ministers and the hemispheric Organization of American States to rally support in its complaint against Britain.

“We are deeply shocked by British government’s threats against the sovereignty of the Ecuadorean

[Vanders9]

First of all, contrary to the generally held but incorrect view commonly held, an Embassy is NOT owned by the foreign power whose embassy it is. It is NOT their sovereign territory, and therefore a raid upon it is NOT a threat to their sovereignty, and nor can it be construed as a hostile act. Secondly, Ecuador is not and never has been a British Colony, so the Ecuadoran attempt to rally opposition to this action by bringing up colonialism is simply a blatant attempt to hide from their legal duties. As for hostile acts, I consider their tissue of lies and innuendo a hostile act.

[bruinbirdman]

It's interesting how the EU extradition works.

Just tell a member state you want someone. No warrant necessary.

Since xenophobia is a crime in EU, most FReepers could be arrested anywhere on the continent and ordered to France if some Kermit doesn't like what has been written on this forum.

yitbos

[Berlin_Freeper]

Ecuador at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London
Competitors 36 in 11 sports
Flag bearer César de Cesare
0 Gold
0 Silver
0 Bronze
0 Total

[Cowboy Bob]

Ecuador would be wise to talk to Argentina before making any more threats against England...

[ansel12]

I was fortunate enough to spend time with the SAS, the Ecuadorians might have cause to worry.

Who dares mutinies: How the SAS defied orders to launch the most audacious rescue of the Iraq war

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1278520/How-SAS-defied-orders-launch-audacious-rescue-Iraq-war.html

[bruinbirdman]

Ecuadorean Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino is just mad because the greenback is still the official currency of Ecuador.

yitbos

[ansel12]

In the 1990s or so, an American that sold Nazi literature from the US, was snatched when he went on a trip to Holland, and was turned over the Germans, he was sent to prison, and there was media silence, I don’t recall ever hearing anything in the MSM about it.

[stormer]

You weren’t in Tehran back in ‘79 by chance, were you?

[SeminoleCounty]

You weren’t in Tehran back in ‘79 by chance, were you?

---

Good point

Although no one here is happy with Assange weaseling out....it would not behoove the Brits to storm the Ecuadorian embassy to get Assange.

Not only it would violate all forms of diplomatic protocol....it would PO every Latin American nation. The retalliation against the Brits would be worse

Any Brit travelling in Latin America would need to learn how to speak “like an American or Canadian” if they want to keep their head attached to their shoulders

Also, it would give Argentina more “support” and push from its fellow SA nations in their Racist Reconquista of the Falklands

[Venturer]

Sooner or later they will get tired of feeding this a-wipe.

[Truth29]

I trust that Britain has already removed its Ambassador, its embassy staff and all British subjects from Ecuador in advance of this action.

[camle]

they ought to consider how we got noriega from the vatican embassy: blockaded it, surrounded it with loudspeakers, and played “I fought the law...”

[driftless2]

I don’t know is Assange is worth the trouble of storming the embassy. While I view him as a criminal, he’s not Bin-Laden. But he has to leave sometime. There will be opportunities in the future to grab this worthless crud.

[Lurker]

which would force us to respond in the strongest diplomatic way,” Patino told reporters.

They'll write an angry letter. Do it Brittania. Do it.

[subterfuge]

You have to read way down in the article to see Asange is accused of rape by two wikileaks “supporters.” And the article doesn’t say it was male rape (I think). but it doesn’t mattter. It is the seriousness of the charge that matters.

[CrazyIvan]

Is it against the Geneva convention to play Yoko Ono?

[Vanders9]

Eek - to be delivered into the hands of monsieur Jean Crapaud! No way, no how man!

[Vanders9]

No.

But I understand your meaning. However civilised nations dont let their criminal element swarm over diplomats.

[camle]

yuck-o? ohNO!

now that’s too cruel...