On 24 June Wikileaks boss Julian Assange agreed to plead guilty to one count of violating the US Espionage Act in exchange for release. The agreement entails the US Department of Justice seeking a sentence of 62 months, the time Assange has already served in British prisons while awaiting extradition. Note the agreement awaits approval by a US federal judge.
Assange has boarded a private jet from the UK, will be stopping in Bangkok for refuelling, and then on to Saipan. Saipan is the largest Pacific island and capital of the US territory of the Northern Marianas.
A plea hearing and sentencing is scheduled for 26 June US time (maybe 27 June Sydney time) at the Saipan court. The hearing is apparently taking place in Saipan because Assange opposed being tried in the continental US, and due to the Saipan’s close proximity to Australia.
While most of the international public are only aware of Wikileaks releasing US helicopter footage Wikileaks boasts it released more than 10 million classified documents. The vast majority of the documents were from US traitors, some from the broader West, but tellingly virtually none were from Russia or China. Wikileaks' political links can be assessed in that light.
Scope for Becoming a Repeat Offender?
Now that Assange is close to being freed it would be interesting if Wikileaks again becomes a magnet for Western secrets, while not releasing Russian or Chinese secrets. Wikileaks future coverage of Russia's invasion and occupation of Ukraine will be a key test.
Also, how long will Assange remain in Australia? Will he move to a country more sympathetic to Russia or China?