Assange finally released from prison, with restrictions

[nsane.forums]

Thanks supporters and the legal system for freedom

Julian Assange has been freed from a British prison after nine days of incarceration.

His release comes after supporters put up the $240,000 in bail demanded by the British authorities. He has to surrender his passport, wear an electronic ankle cuff, reside in one property in the country and report nightly to local police as part of his bail terms.

“It's great to feel the fresh air of London again,” Assange told journalists at a press conference on the steps of the High Court.

“I hope to continue my work and continue to protest my innocence in this matter and to reveal as we get it, which we have not yet, the evidence from these allegations.”

Assange surrendered himself to police after Swedish prosecutors issued an arrest warrant for the WikiLeaks editor-in-chief. Initially denied bail, Assange was jailed at Wandsworth prison and remained there even after bail terms were agreed earlier this week, after a request from Swedish prosecutors.

The bail, which is unusually high for such a case, was paid by a large number of supporters, including film makers Ken Loach and Michael Moore and human rights campaigners Jemima Khan and Bianca Jagger.

“I had faith that the British justice system would do the right thing and the judge would uphold the magistrates' decision, and that faith has been reaffirmed," said Assange’s mother, who was at court to see her son.

Assange is wanted for questioning by prosecutors in Sweden over charges of sexual misconduct against two women. Charges were initially dropped but the case was reopened by a new prosecutor.

The release comes as news broke as a possible attempt by the US State Department to bring new charges against Assange.

According to the New York Times prosecutors are trying to establish if Assange encouraged Private Bradley Whitfield to cop the confidential cables that formed WikiLeaks’ latest release. If so it is thought Assange could be tried as a co-conspirator in the leak, rather than a passive recipient of the data.

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