Britain 'threatened to storm Ecuador's London embassy' to arrest Julian Assange
 

Britain 'threatened to storm Ecuador's London embassy' to arrest Julian Assange

• From: AP
• August 16, 2012 1:10PM

"
The accusation comes ahead of an imminent decision on whether Ecuador will grant asylum to Mr Assange, who has been taking refuge in its London embassy since June, Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino says.
As news broke of the pending decision, a number of police officers were seen reinforcing Scotland Yard's presence outside the embassy in Knightsbridge near the Harrods department store.
Mr Patino said on Wednesday that Ecuador ''has made a decision'' and will announce it on Thursday at 7.00am (2200 AEST). He had earlier presented a report on the case to Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa.
Meanwhile Britain has said it was ''determined'' to extradite Mr Assange to Sweden where he faces sexual assault claims.


''The UK has a legal obligation to extradite Mr Assange to Sweden to face questioning over allegations of sexual offences and we remain determined to fulfil this obligation,'' said a Foreign Office spokesman." "

Conflict Brewing Between UK And Ecuador As Latin American Country Agrees To Grant Asylum To Assange

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 08/16/2012 09:15 -0400

Are we about to see a mini-war on UK soil, if and when Britain decides to storm the Ecuadorian embassy, which moments ago announced it has granted asylum to Julian Assange? From Reuters: "Ecuador granted political asylum to Julian Assange on Thursday, ratcheting up tension in a standoff with Britain which has warned it could revoke the diplomatic status of Quito's embassy in London to allow the extradition of the WikiLeaks founder. The high-profile Australian former hacker has been holed up inside the red-brick embassy in central London for eight weeks since he lost a legal battle to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he is wanted for questioning over rape allegations. Ecuadorean Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino said he feared for the safety and rights of Assange which is why he said his country had decided to grant him asylum. "Ecuador has decided to grant political asylum to Julian Assange," Patino told a news conference in Quito. Ecuador's decision takes what has become an international soap opera to new heights since Assange first angered the United States and its allies by publishing secret U.S. diplomatic cables on his WikiLeaks website." The UK, needless to say, is not happy, and the UK foreign ministry has said it will carry out binding obligation to extradite Assange to Sweden. Looks like posturing is about to hit a crescendo and someone will have to do something. Because foreign politics and diplomacy is (luckily) not central planning.

How will the UK go about declaring a non-war war on Ecuador's embassy, which is technically Latin American terrritory?


Before the decision was announced, Britain said it could use a little-known piece of legislation to strip Ecuador's embassy of its diplomatic status so that Assange could be detained.

"It is too early to say when or if Britain will revoke the Ecuadorean embassy's diplomatic status," a Foreign Office spokesman said before Ecuador's decision was announced. "Giving asylum doesn't fundamentally change anything."

"We have a legal duty to extradite Mr Assange. There is a law that says we have to extradite him to Sweden. We are going to have to fulfill that law."

The Ecuadorean government has bristled at Britain's warning. It's foreign minister said Britain was threatening Ecuador with a "hostile and intolerable act" and accused London of blackmail.

Britain's threat to withdraw diplomatic status from the Ecuadorean embassy drew criticism from some former diplomats who said it could lead to similar moves against British embassies.At this point the only thing that we haven't seen is Colin Powell and Hillary Clinton announcing that weapons of mass destruction have been found at the Ecuador embassy. Only then will the farce be truly complete.

Julian Assange granted political asylum by Ecuador; Britain maintains extradition pledge

By Karla Adam, Updated: Thursday, August 16, 7:12 AM

"WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was granted asylum on Thursday by Ecuador, raising the possibility of a diplomatic showdown between British and Ecuadoran authorities.


The transparency campaigner has been holed up at the Embassy of Ecuador in London for nearly eight weeks after seeking refuge there in a bid to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he is wanted for questioning over alleged sex crimes."

"At a news conference in Quito, Ecuador’s foreign minister, Ricardo Patino, said Ecuador had decided to grant asylum “because of the fears expressed by Mr. Assange, we believe that his fears are legitimate, and there are threats that he could face political persecution if the measures aren’t taken to avoid them.”"

"Ratcheting up diplomatic tensions further, Ecuadoran officials revealed Wednesday night that they had received a written warning from Britain saying that British police could enter the Ecuadoran Embassy to arrest Assange under the Diplomatic and Consular Premises Act, a little-known piece of legislation passed in 1987."

I wonder if they can land a helicopter here?

Maybe on the helipad (zoom in)? This is the Colombian embassy. Is the Ecuadorian nearby?

It may show as the Colombian embassy, but it is also the Ecuador embassy. (edited)

51°29'56.15"N 0° 9'41.14"W

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ba...ed=0CBcQ8gEwAA

If that is the case, then that is how they get Assange. Colombia is our new partner in South America. They are on the inside of the compound, and could extract Assange and turn him over to the Brits.

Only Ecuador and Colombia appear to be at that location:

http://www.mydestination.com/bristol...-and-embassies

ECUADOR SHOCK AT THREATS FROM BRITISH GOVERNMENT
August 15, 2012

An Ecuadorian government spokesperson commenting on the threats by the British Government to enter the Embassy said:
“We are deeply shocked by British government’s threats against the sovereignty of the Ecuadorian Embassy and their suggestion that they may forcibly enter the embassy.

This is a clear breach of international law and the protocols set out in the Vienna Convention.
Throughout out the last 56 days Mr. Julian Assange has been in the Embassy, the Ecuadorian Government has acted honourably in all our attempts to seek a resolution to the situation. This stands in stark contrast to the escalation of the British Government today with their threats to breakdown the door of the Ecuadorian Embassy.

Instead of threatening violence against the Ecuadorian Embassy the British Government should use its energy to find a peaceful resolution to this situation which we are aiming to achieve. “

Ecuador should make Assange a citizen then appoint him a diplomat. Free passage to his new home.

That could be the plan. When it is time to leave, he is wearing a diplomatic badge, and says 'I dare you'.

A starring role in his & The Brits. own "show".

Good plan. Bill Maher goes to London for an interview. Stops by the Ecuadorian embassy with a news entourage. Goes in. Assange comes out in the same suit, goes to airport.

Later Bill Maher comes out, and when the billys pounce on him, he pulls his passport and says, 'hey, you got the wrong guy'.

Someone put a bit of work into this, dont even look like photochop!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...de-pounce.html

40 cops. WTF

They probably already got him out weeks ago. All the posturing was cover a distraction as he swam across the channel.

More likely!

sub.jpg

The Ecuadorian Navy Class X attack sub! Notice the steel tip. If you ram it into a ship it goes 'bnnnk'.