WikiLeaks founder criticizes Obama via satellite link

LONDON WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange addressed UN leaders via video feed on Wednesday and lashed out at U.S. President Barack Obama. Assange “mocked” Obama and around 150 people listened to his address, Reuters has reported. WikiLeaks founder criticizes Obama via satellite link The WikiLeaks founder criticized the U.S. president for supporting freedom of speech in the Middle East while simultaneously "persecuting" his organization for leaking diplomatic cables. "It must have come as a surprise to the Egyptian teenagers who washed American teargas out of their eyes (during the Arab Spring) to hear that the U.S. supported change in the Middle East," Assange, who has been holed up in the Ecuadorean Embassy since June to avoid extradition, said. Assange claims that the case against him in Sweden is just a part of the conspiracy to put him on trial in the U.S. for his work in WikiLeaks that published many secret U.S. cables. Sweden and the U.S. deny the accusations. “It's time for President Obama to keep his word ... and for the U.S. to cease its persecution of WikiLeaks," Assange stressed. Ecuador has stated that it is prepared to provide Assange refuge in its London embassy for years if necessary. “We will not change our decision,” Ecuadorean Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino told diplomats, officials and reporters at the UN session. Ecuador granted the WikiLeaks founder political asylum on August 15 but the British authorities have surrounded the Ecuadorean Embassy and said if Assange sets foot outside, they will arrest him and extradite him to Sweden to face rape and sexual assault allegations. The U.S. military has in the meantime designated Assange as the enemy of the state. This is according to recently declassified U.S. Air Force counter-intelligence documents, Australian media have reported. Any military personnel who contact WikiLeaks or WikiLeaks supporters may be at risk of being charged with "communicating with the enemy", a military crime that carries a maximum sentence of death. The U.S. military placed Assange in the same legal category as the al-Qaeda terrorist network and the Taliban insurgency. Julian Assange (Beta/AP) Tanjug

WikiLeaks founder criticizes Obama via satellite link

The WikiLeaks founder criticized the U.S. president for supporting freedom of speech in the Middle East while simultaneously "persecuting" his organization for leaking diplomatic cables.

"It must have come as a surprise to the Egyptian teenagers who washed American teargas out of their eyes (during the Arab Spring) to hear that the U.S. supported change in the Middle East," Assange, who has been holed up in the Ecuadorean Embassy since June to avoid extradition, said.

Assange claims that the case against him in Sweden is just a part of the conspiracy to put him on trial in the U.S. for his work in WikiLeaks that published many secret U.S. cables. Sweden and the U.S. deny the accusations.

“It's time for President Obama to keep his word ... and for the U.S. to cease its persecution of WikiLeaks," Assange stressed.

Ecuador has stated that it is prepared to provide Assange refuge in its London embassy for years if necessary.

“We will not change our decision,” Ecuadorean Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino told diplomats, officials and reporters at the UN session.

Ecuador granted the WikiLeaks founder political asylum on August 15 but the British authorities have surrounded the Ecuadorean Embassy and said if Assange sets foot outside, they will arrest him and extradite him to Sweden to face rape and sexual assault allegations.

The U.S. military has in the meantime designated Assange as the enemy of the state.

This is according to recently declassified U.S. Air Force counter-intelligence documents, Australian media have reported.

Any military personnel who contact WikiLeaks or WikiLeaks supporters may be at risk of being charged with "communicating with the enemy", a military crime that carries a maximum sentence of death.

The U.S. military placed Assange in the same legal category as the al-Qaeda terrorist network and the Taliban insurgency.