Iraq war logs give 'justice for victims': Assange

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange believes the publication of the Iraq war logs gave victims of the fighting a “sense of justice”.

The whistleblower said disclosing 400,000 classified United States documents created a better understanding of how war can go wrong.

Speaking in an interview to be broadcast on Monday, Assange said he hoped the controversial move would dissuade people from engaging in “immoral conduct”.

He said: “I hope it creates disincentives for engaging in immoral conduct in war. Disincentives for engaging in war crimes, in Iraq, in other places.

“It gives the victims of war in Iraq a sense of justice. A better understanding of how war goes and how war goes wrong.”

WikiLeaks was condemned by the British and US Governments after it released 400,000 files on the war in Iraq last October.

The material suggested evidence of torture was ignored and detailed the deaths of thousands of Iraqi civilians.

The move came after similar documents about the war in Afghanistan were released and was followed by a mass of hugely controversial diplomatic cables.

Assange, 39, is expected to learn on February 24 whether he should be extradited to Sweden to go on trial accused of rape and other sex charges.

On the final day of the extradition hearing yesterday, his lawyer, Geoffrey Robertson QC, told Belmarsh Magistrates’ Court in south east London that “inflammatory” criticism of Assange by the Swedish prime minister had turned him into public enemy number one, and could damage his chance of a fair trial.

He said: “He has effectively been denounced as an enemy of the people.”

Prime minister Fredrik Reinfeldt’s remarks were said to include claims that Assange and his lawyers had been “condescending and damaging to Sweden” and to have implied that they thought women’s rights were worthless.

Mr Robertson said: “In a small country... it has created a toxic atmosphere, media are reporting it and it is a basis for comment. Mr Assange is public enemy number one as a result of the prime minister’s statement.

“People will believe... that Mr Assange has been damaging Sweden.”

But Clare Montgomery QC, for the Swedish authorities, dismissed the notion that the prime minister had vilified Assange, suggesting that the comments were a reaction to media briefings given by the defence outside court.

She said: “You might think those who seek to fan the flames of a media firestorm can’t be surprised when they get burnt.”

Assange faces three charges of sexually assaulting one woman and one charge of raping another during a week-long visit to Stockholm in August.

He denies committing any offences and his supporters claim the criminal inquiry and extradition request are unfair and politically motivated.

Mr Reinfeldt’s remarks followed two days of evidence presented by the defence earlier this week, which included implicit criticism of the country’s justice system.

But the prime minister’s intervention was “extraordinary”, Mr Robertson said, since he had previously indicated he thought it would be inappropriate for him to comment on the case.

“Why then, only days later, does he launch a full-blooded assault on Mr Assange and his defence in these proceedings?” he said. “Was it political motives?”

District Judge Howard Riddle refused to grant Assange’s lawyers more time to prepare evidence on the potentially damaging impact of the prime minister’s comments.

He said: “In a case such as this there are always likely to be further developments.”

:: The full Assange interview – WikiLeaks: War, Lies And Videotape – will be screened on Quest on Monday, February 14, at 10pm.