US dismisses Australian govt's calls to end pursuit of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange

In a meeting focused on military cooperation in Brisbane, the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, pushed back against the Australian government's calls to end the pursuit of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. Blinken insisted that Assange is alleged to have "risked very serious harm to our national security" through his actions. According to a report from The Guardian, this stance from the US will be perceived as a setback to the campaign seeking the release of the Australian citizen.

During the high-level talks, key announcements were made regarding increased visits of nuclear-powered submarines to Australia, stepped-up rotations of maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft, and new rotations of US army watercraft. The US also pledged to assist Australia in commencing domestic missile manufacturing within two years. The talks further emphasized that attempts to secure congressional support for the Aukus deal were on track, despite some Republicans advocating for greater funding for US production.

Assange remains in British prison

Assange, who remains in Belmarsh prison in London, is currently fighting against US extradition attempts. The charges against him are in connection with the publication of hundreds of thousands of leaked documents about the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, as well as diplomatic cables.

Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong confirmed that she had raised Assange's case with the US government. She expressed the view that the case had dragged on for too long and hoped for its conclusion. However, she acknowledged the limitations of the discussions between governments until Assange's legal processes had concluded.

Secretary Blinken, while acknowledging Australia's concerns, defended the US charges against Assange. He stated that Assange's alleged actions risked grave harm to national security, benefiting adversaries and endangering named human sources.

Assange's brother, Gabriel Shipton, called on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to advocate for the Australian citizen during his upcoming visit to the US. The case of Julian Assange remains a point of tension between the US and Australian government, reflecting the complexities surrounding extradition and the implications for national security and freedom of the press.