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Wikileaks Founder Julian Assange Has Passport Confiscated

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the no-more-colbert-for-you dept.

Taco Cowboy writes "The Australian founder of the whistleblower website Wikileaks had his passport confiscated by police when he arrived in Melbourne last week. While Assange has made himself particularly unpopular with the US military by publishing video of attacks on civilians in Iraq, he's been something of a thorn in the side for the Australian government too. Last year, Wikileaks published a list of websites which were to be banned under the government's proposed Internet filter. While the aim of the filter is to block extreme pornography and the like, the blacklist included a number of more prosaic sites such as those of a travel company and a dentist.

51 of 197 comments (clear)

  1. For a Whole Fifteen Minutes by eldavojohn · · Score: 5, Funny

    While it was returned 15 minutes later

    Man, they are brutal down in Melbourne. And from the original article linked at TG Daily:

    The Age has been told that Assange's passport is classified "normal" on the immigration database, meaning the Wikileaks director can travel freely on it.

    They really know how to shake people up and intimidate you. Sounds almost as bad as my trip through United States customs coming back from vacation. They abducted me for three hours as I was forced to stand in line awaiting inspection and approval. They called it standard processing but I tell you what--it was more of a death march.

    Australia would have to be insane to do something like that to Assange. He would trot that out in front of the media for weeks if that was what happened. What a claim to legitimacy. And for that reason I'm guessing this is likely a natural passport process turned into a PR stunt.

    Assange mentioned it in an SBS Dateline interview.

    So basically Australia said, "We need to renew your overly used passport and the authorities are looking into how you got a hold of a blacklist from our government." <sarcasm>The poor man! When will the persecution stop?! The only way you can only mitigate his suffering by making a tiny donation to Wikileaks.org.</sarcasm>

    --
    My work here is dung.
    1. Re:For a Whole Fifteen Minutes by Rogerborg · · Score: 5, Funny

      Well, Ghandi said it best: first they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they point out that your passport has expired, then they ignore you again.

      --
      If you were blocking sigs, you wouldn't have to read this.
    2. Re:For a Whole Fifteen Minutes by Thanshin · · Score: 4, Funny

      First they ignore you
      Then laugh at you
      Then hate you
      Then they fight you
      Then you win - you are here

      Then you do a FATALITY!
      Then the next challenger laughs at you.

    3. Re:For a Whole Fifteen Minutes by Cimexus · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Mod parent up. This is a ~complete non-story~. Same thing happened to me a few years ago with my old and tatty passport. They routinely do this for damaged passports (for various reasons, the primary one being they don't go through the auto passport readers so well). They'll also do this for passports with 6 months validity on them when you enter (most countries do this). The only 'unusual' thing here is that it happened to someone in the public spotlight.

      The TFA also includes a massive non-sequitur, mentioning an unrelated case (that was dropped by the AFP) that has nothing whatsoever to do with the passport issue. I doubt the immigration officer concerned even knew who he was.

      Can't believe this actually made the Slashdot front page.

    4. Re:For a Whole Fifteen Minutes by FuckingNickName · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I remember a time when Americans would be bothered by being detained by any government official for more than 0 minutes. Looks like consent's been well manufactured in you.

    5. Re:For a Whole Fifteen Minutes by E+IS+mC(Square) · · Score: 2, Funny

      It's "Gandhi".

    6. Re:For a Whole Fifteen Minutes by PopeRatzo · · Score: 3, Funny

      They abducted me for three hours as I was forced to stand in line awaiting inspection and approval.

      Pshaw. Here in the US, things are so bad that if you commit a felony, and are convicted, you are not allowed to own and carry an automatic weapon. I don't see nothing in the Second Amendment that says I shouldn't be able to protect myself and my family with the firearm of my choice just because of a little armed robbery.

      I mean, "First they came for the felons, then they came for the domestic terrorists trying to kill policemen at a funeral, then they came for me".

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    7. Re:For a Whole Fifteen Minutes by theshowmecanuck · · Score: 2, Funny

      I accidentally put my last passport through the wash (in Canada you need to get a new passport every five years, they don't renew them). When I was crossing the boarder at the Peace Arch (on Canada's Highway 99, US I-5) south of Vancouver the U.S. border guard raised his eyebrow and asked me what happened to it. I told him. He scanned it and the electronic encoding stored in the passport still worked (older style embedded magnetic strip). He passed it back and told me to dryclean it next time.

      --
      -- I ignore anonymous replies to my comments and postings.
    8. Re:For a Whole Fifteen Minutes by Shakrai · · Score: 2, Informative

      I don't see nothing in the Second Amendment that says I shouldn't be able to protect myself and my family with the firearm of my choice just because of a little armed robbery.

      It's not in the 2nd amendment. It's in the 5th amendment: No person shall ... be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law

      --
      I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
      We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
    9. Re:For a Whole Fifteen Minutes by nedlohs · · Score: 3, Funny

      You found a US immigration agent with a sense of humor?

      You truly have great talent.

    10. Re:For a Whole Fifteen Minutes by sopssa · · Score: 3, Informative

      Did everyone suddenly skip over the line where it says it will be cancelled?

      While it was returned 15 minutes later, Assange said he was told it would be cancelled.

    11. Re:For a Whole Fifteen Minutes by Pig+Hogger · · Score: 2, Funny

      Well, the last one I met at the border insisted to talk to us in (near-perfect) french...

    12. Re:For a Whole Fifteen Minutes by Rob+the+Bold · · Score: 5, Funny

      It's "Gandhi".

      OK, First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they correct your spelling.

      --
      I am not a crackpot.
    13. Re:For a Whole Fifteen Minutes by commodore64_love · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Troll? Really? Hardly. He's just expressing his opinion. You don't have to like it, but that's no reason to censor him via subtracting points until his post disappears.

      I agree with his sentiment. I was detained in Texas by an "internal security checkpoint" or whatever the hell it's called. I was within 50 miles of the international border, and had never crossed it, but they still wanted to search the trunk of my car. I refused to comply. They made me stand-around while they shined* lights through the window of my car, and then held their ear against the trunk, before finally letting me go an hour later.

      Now anyone with common sense could have looked at my Maryland license plus how I was dressed (shorts/Tshirt), and realized I was a tourist not a smuggler. I don't know what they thought they'd find. There's not much room to hide anyone in a two-seater.

      Anyway: Rights don't have meaning unless you use them. INSIST upon compliance; refuse to consent to warrantless searches and remain silent.

      *
      * Irregular verbs are illogical. They should be added to the list of obsolete words. IMHO.

      --
      "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - historian Evelyn Beatrice Hall
    14. Re:For a Whole Fifteen Minutes by commodore64_love · · Score: 4, Funny

      >>>British Commonweal.

      Is this the Middle English speeling? Well let me call in me wyf. She war an Anglish taughter.

      --
      "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - historian Evelyn Beatrice Hall
    15. Re:For a Whole Fifteen Minutes by twidarkling · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Now anyone with common sense could have looked at my Maryland license plus how I was dressed (shorts/Tshirt), and realized I was a tourist not a smuggler.

      While I congratulate you on your refusal to comply for no reason, I have to point out this is one of the absolute butt-fuckingly stupidest things I've ever read. In your world, do burglars go around in striped shirts and small black masks over their eyes, carrying sacks with dollar signs on them? Do pirates all have wooden peg legs and eye patches?

      "I didn't look like a smuggler so obviously I wasn't one." Christ.

      --
      Canada: The US's more awesome sibling.
    16. Re:For a Whole Fifteen Minutes by nedlohs · · Score: 2, Insightful

      as he gave back the passports and papers

      So he took your passport!!!

      I hope you also went on a crying to the media about the abuse.

    17. Re:For a Whole Fifteen Minutes by FatdogHaiku · · Score: 2, Interesting

      First they laugh at your research, then they laugh at your proof, then they credit the wrong person with the discovery.

      ...and award them a patent...

      --
      You have the right to remain sentient. If you give up the right to remain sentient, you will be elected to public office
    18. Re:For a Whole Fifteen Minutes by Smauler · · Score: 2, Informative

      Just FYI - The Commonwealth of Nations is pretty open, and is not a British controlled organisation. I guess the point I'm making is that just because Australia is a member of the Commonwealth, doesn't mean anything at all about their political and legal system necessarily, at least within certain limits - the commonwealth is pretty forgiving. Basically the commonwealth just needs you to be a democracy (the rules are a little lax), and more importantly have a decent legal system and not be racist. The Harare Declaration is basically all that is needed to join the commonwealth :

      * We believe that international peace and order, global economic development and the rule of international law are essential to the security and prosperity of mankind;
      * We believe in the liberty of the individual under the law, in equal rights for all citizens regardless of gender, race, colour, creed or political belief, and in the individual's inalienable right to participate by means of free and democratic political processes in framing the society in which he or she lives;
      * We recognise racial prejudice and intolerance as a dangerous sickness and a threat to healthy development, and racial discrimination as an unmitigated evil;
      * We oppose all forms of racial oppression, and we are committed to the principles of human dignity and equality;
      * We recognise the importance and urgency of economic and social development to satisfy the basic needs and aspirations of the vast majority of the peoples of the world, and seek the progressive removal of the wide disparities in living standards amongst our members.

      Note the entire lack of accepting the British Queen as head of state. Also, there are two countries which were never British colonies at all which are now in the commonwealth (Rwanda and Mozambique).

      The main obvious effect of the commonwealth is simply easier visa and work permit aquisition in other member countries. There's also the commonwealth games, which is (at least in the UK) probably the second biggest non-single sport sporting event.

    19. Re:For a Whole Fifteen Minutes by linzeal · · Score: 4, Interesting

      As someone who has a few friends who work on the border patrol I can tell you the last thing they want to do is arrest someone, it is a lot of paperwork, going to court and they don't let you work overtime those weeks you are in court like they used to. What, you did not know that is why cops arrest so many people? The sweet sweet overtime, which can double their salaries has made police unions actually protest when they makes plans to hire more cops and reduce overtime.

      It is a growing concern that the more time a cop spends testifying per week the more likely he will get overtime, which is a major problem, and not just for budget reasons.

      --
      An Education is the Font of All Liberty
    20. Re:For a Whole Fifteen Minutes by Buelldozer · · Score: 2, Informative

      Your post is funny, kind of, but there's a few things I'd like to address.

      First, becoming a felon removes ALL of your gun rights. Not just the ones regarding automatic firearms. You can't own so much as an air pistol in some places if you're a convicted felon.

      Second, becoming a convicted felon is far easier than most people would believe possible. I have an acquaintance who is a convicted felon because of too many speeding tickets. He has a passion for fast motorcycles and on his 3rd 100+ MPH ticket they convicted him of a felony. In Montana. How does a lust for speed justify a felony conviction that removes your right to vote, right to have firearms, and many other constitutional protections?

      Third, many felons are non-violent. Your crack about "armed robbery" is both mis-informed and prejudice to the core. There are a lot of people wandering around, I'm not one of them, with felony convictions for bad checks, marijuana possession, speeding tickets, and other tom-foolery that has nothing to do with violent crime.

      I understand the humor you were reaching for in your post, but it falls flat when you have some knowledge about the subject.

    21. Re:For a Whole Fifteen Minutes by j-beda · · Score: 3, Funny

      "I didn't look like a smuggler so obviously I wasn't one." Christ.

      That must be in one of the early drafts of the bible, it doesn't seem to be in the released version.

    22. Re:For a Whole Fifteen Minutes by HiThere · · Score: 2, Interesting

      It's also true that many of those may be "official simulations". When the government is the source of news about what the government's doing, it's quite reasonable to be skeptical. When they don't let anyone else check it just increases the grounds for doubting their honesty.

      --

      I think we've pushed this "anyone can grow up to be president" thing too far.
    23. Re:For a Whole Fifteen Minutes by captainClassLoader · · Score: 3, Funny

      Boy, you must look a lot like me. When he asked me that question about the Beavers, I responded: "The lurid angel only flies at dusk", and so got the briefcase I needed for the rest of the mission. Fortunately, (for you and the security of the free world) you didn't know the correct passphrase.

      --
      "The plural of anecdote is not data" -- Bruce Schneier
    24. Re:For a Whole Fifteen Minutes by psm321 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      It's unfortunate that you expected better treatment because of your license plate/looks, and not because _nobody_ should by treated like that without strong probable cause or preferably a warrant.

    25. Re:For a Whole Fifteen Minutes by quenda · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Did everyone suddenly skip over the line where it says it will be cancelled?

      Since they had said it was damaged, I took that to mean he needed to go to the post office and get it replaced with a new one. Still not nice, as they cost $200!
          Cancelling a passport is like cancelling a lost credit card, not like seizing the account.

  2. Obligatory Seinfeld reference by antifoidulus · · Score: 3, Funny

    Maybe the dentist ran a swinger dental office like Tim Watley.

    --
    Monstar L
  3. Move along. Nothing to see here by kentrel · · Score: 4, Informative

    He has a criminal record. His passport was old. They cancelled it. He got it back.

    1. Re:Move along. Nothing to see here by nedlohs · · Score: 2, Interesting

      The customs agent didn't ask about his criminal record.

      The Federal Police Officer did, you know the one who was investigating the leaking of some documents. Bringing up the criminal record of someone you are investigating is pretty damn normal.

      The man is clearly a fuckwit who wants to big note himself. Seriously someone looked over his passport because it was showing wear and tear and reminded him it was going to expire soon and that's taking away your passport? A police officer does he job on the same day and that's a huge conspiracy?

  4. A bit too much sensationalism even for Slashdot by erroneus · · Score: 4, Interesting

    The first paragraph of the article said it was returned within 15 minutes and informed that it would be canceled... I presume it would be his passport that would be canceled when he returns, but it doesn't say so. Then the article goes on to say the things cited in the summary.

    What I am pointing out is that whoever created the summary didn't just "miss" that 15 minutes later detail, they omitted it intentionally.

    So I ask you directly, submitter, what exactly are you trying to make happen by attempting to twist the news this way? Have you no conscience at all about spreading incomplete and therefore misleading information? By intentionally omitting that important detail, it misleads people to believe he is being detained in Australia for all intents and purposes.

    1. Re:A bit too much sensationalism even for Slashdot by Thanshin · · Score: 4, Funny

      BROWN LEAVES HOTEL.

      The bird is on the tree. I repeat. THE BIRD IS ON THE TREE.

    2. Re:A bit too much sensationalism even for Slashdot by maxume · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Wikileaks is (probably) busy setting up to do some fund raising.

      --
      Nerd rage is the funniest rage.
    3. Re:A bit too much sensationalism even for Slashdot by poena.dare · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I wish they'd let us mod submitters. Sheesh.

  5. ah, WikiDONATEleaWENEED$600kks by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    It rivals ED in its WE WILL HAVE TO SHUT DOWN IF YOU DON'T DONATE ability to remind you just how valuable their service is and WHY HAVEN'T YOU GIVEN ANY MONEY YET? just what an insanely high amount of money they claim they need to host a few third party files. Yet their site still manages to be down most of the PEOPLE ARE BEING TORTURED GIVE US MONEY time.

  6. Re:Assassinated by Yamata+no+Orochi · · Score: 5, Funny

    Did anyone else see "Wikileaks founder Assassinated" before taking a second look?

    No, most of us can read.

  7. Must Have It Rough by Revotron · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Some people are just natural-born troublemakers, going to great lengths to make a big deal out of every possible scenario. I'd like to see how he acted as a child.

    But in all seriousness, 15 minutes? And he's crying and blowing his whistle? I've been detained longer for having a penny stuck in my shoe.

    I wonder if he sleeps with a katana.

  8. Re:Absolute power by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Bear power corrupts barely

  9. Re:say goodnight by Thanshin · · Score: 2, Funny

    the powers that be eventually will either pull the plug or filter the internet, making the ability to express ideas, opinions and communications among the common folk more difficult.

    And then we'll go back to a feudal monarchy. And then a slave empire. And then we'll go back to the caves.

    I think your CIV was one of the flawed copies that played in reverse. Didn't you find it strange that you were the only one starting in Alpha Centauri?

  10. Re:Absolute power by Moryath · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Petty power - like that wielded by network executives, local police officers, the clerks at your local DMV, and wikipedia administrators - corrupts immensely out of all proportion to the actual power.

  11. Weekly World Slashdot by autophile · · Score: 4, Funny

    Next on Slashdot... BatBoy sighted on ChatRoulette, and Cmdr Taco has love child by alien visitor.

    --
    Towards the Singularity.
  12. I'm becoming... by fauxhemian · · Score: 4, Interesting

    ...more and more dubious about Assange and his intentions. http://cryptome.org/0001/wikileaks-funds.htm

    --
    I've got news for Mr. Santayana: we're doomed to repeat the past no matter what. That's what it is to be alive.
    1. Re:I'm becoming... by shish · · Score: 4, Informative

      Relatedly, does anyone know /how/ it costs $600,000 to run the site? Since it's been offline and collecting donations for as long as I've known it, I'm not sure what it does, but the name implies "a wiki where people can upload leaked stuff", for which I would imagine $2000 in hardware and $2000/year in bandwidth would be generous...

      --
      I mod down anyone who says "I will be modded down for this", regardless of the rest of their comment
  13. Re:Absolute power by hamburger+lady · · Score: 2, Funny

    Mains power corrupts, mainly.

    --

    ---
    Is this the MPAA? Is this the RIAA? Is this the DMCA? I thought it was the USA!
  14. The dentist site was censored with a reason by mangu · · Score: 4, Informative

    Wouldn't you censor a dentist that has a sign like this?

  15. Re:Assassinated by Lunatrik · · Score: 4, Funny

    No, most of us can read.

    Citation Needed!

  16. Re:Absolute power by JustOK · · Score: 5, Funny

    AC power corrupts, then it doesn't then it does then it doesn't...

    --
    rewriting history since 2109
  17. Wikileaks != Wikipedia by tverbeek · · Score: 4, Informative

    Why is this tagged "Wikipedia"? Wikileaks is a completely separate site and organization. Do you think that "protons" are "protozoa" are the same thing just because they start with he same four letters?

    --
    http://alternatives.rzero.com/
  18. Re:Assassinated by Diamon · · Score: 3, Funny

    You're Welcome

  19. Pretty typical for Canada by Roger+W+Moore · · Score: 4, Interesting

    You found a US immigration agent with a sense of humor?

    Actually I've found the US immigration and border patrol people you meet in Canada are generally very good and, as long as you do you best to follow the rules, they have all been very helpful. I like to think that being based here means that a little of Canada is rubbing of on them. This is in stark contrast to the ones I used to meeting while living in the US with a green card who frankly seemed to be actively looking for any excuse not to let you enter.

    1. Re:Pretty typical for Canada by mjwx · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Actually I've found the US immigration and border patrol people you meet in Canada are generally very good and, as long as you do you best to follow the rules, they have all been very helpful.

      The problem with the US Customs/TSA is that they have no mandate on what they cannot do. Yes you should follow the rules when going through any nations customs procedure but that procedure should be clearly spelled out for both sides. In Australia AQIS (Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service) has a clear mandate on what they are looking for, you also have a legal responsibility to declare everything that is classified as a Dutiable good, Excisable good or Prohibited (or restricted) good as well as various questions about you and your travels (health, last point of departure, if you've been in certain specified countries, all of this is on the arrival card you fill out). It is a crime under Australian law to refuse to answer any legal questions, but this is the same law that prevents AQIS from asking illegal questions. The US needs to make a law restricting the power of Customs so they can do their job (protecting America's borders) without abusing the rights of US citizens and visitors.

      --
      Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
  20. Re:This is Julian by alex67500 · · Score: 2, Funny

    King Julian? From Madagascar?