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Sweden Will Deliver Pirate Bay Co-Founder To Denmark

Posted by timothy on from the amazon-prime dept.

wiredmikey writes "Sweden said it will hand over Pirate Bay co-founder Gottfrid Svartholm Warg to Denmark where he is wanted for questioning on alleged hacking charges. 'It (the extradition) will take place on November 27,' the prosecutor in charge of the case, Henrik Olin, said, adding that Sweden was responding to an arrest warrant issued by Copenhagen. In June, Danish police revealed that the 30-year-old Swedish hacker is suspected of illegally downloading police files between April and August 2012. He is currently serving a one-year sentence in Sweden for hacking into the computer systems of contractors working for the national tax authority."

56 comments

  1. Free Julian by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Fortunately they won't hand over Assange if they get him, because the US does not currently have an arrest warrant for him out of Grand Jury. That won't happen until the day after he's extradited to Sweden.

    1. Re:Free Julian by g0bshiTe · · Score: 1

      You sure the US isn't just saying that in a press release hoping he will travel to a country with more lax extradition rules?

      --
      I am Bennett Haselton! I am Bennett Haselton!
    2. Re:Free Julian by barlevg · · Score: 2

      I'm confused--isn't he hiding out because he's worried about getting extradited to Sweden to face rape charges?

    3. Re:Free Julian by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes, but the UK does, which is tantamount to the same thing.

    4. Re:Free Julian by barlevg · · Score: 3, Insightful

      What I'm asking is why people are concerned about him being extradited to the US when, as far as anyone knows, the US doesn't want him.

    5. Re:Free Julian by Shakrai · · Score: 2

      Don't be silly. He's hiding out because he's afraid of the United States. That's why he was freely roaming the streets of America's closest ally, a country with long-standing extradition agreements with the United States, and only decided to seek refuge after exhausting his appeals in the Swedish investigation.

      --
      I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
      We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
    6. Re:Free Julian by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      The assumption is that once removed from England to Sweden, the US would be in a better position to get him extradited there.

      As the GGP said, the thought is that the US hasn't announced a warrant yet, as they are waiting for him to be somewhere that they can use it before anyone knows they have one.

    7. Re:Free Julian by tragedy · · Score: 1

      I'm curious how something so incredibly ignorant can be marked insightful:
      Joe Biden: "I would argue it is closer to being a high-tech terrorist than the Pentagon papers."
      Mitch McConnell: ""a high-tech terrorist.. he has done enormous damage to our country. I think he needs to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law"
      Newt Gingrich: "Information terrorism, which leads to people getting killed, is terrorism, and Julian Assange is engaged in terrorism. He should be treated as an enemy combatant."
      Sarah Palin called for him to be pursued "with the same urgency we pursue al-Qaeda and Taliban leaders"
      There's a whole list of influential congresspersons and other people in government who have called for his assassination or prosecution. It's public knowledge that the Attorney general has worked on prosecuting him, and there's been a grand jury, although the actual outcome is secret.
      Basically, whether you think he should be prosecuted/assassinated or not, you would have to be living in a cave or willfully ignorant, or simply deceitful to claim that the US doesn't want him.

    8. Re:Free Julian by tragedy · · Score: 1

      What you either don't know or are just ignoring is that Assange is Australian. Australia is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Australia might be able to get away with extraditing one of its own citizens to the US for a crime that's only supposed to be a crime when US citizens do it and that happened outside of US jurisdiction. If England does it, it creates a political problem both in England and in Australia. Sweden is a different story.

  2. um.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Wouldn't it just be cheaper and easier for Denmark to come to Gottfrid now... or maybe a phone call. Seems like transporting him to Denmark means there is already a preformed conclusion.

    1. Re:um.... by cold+fjord · · Score: 5, Informative

      Seems like transporting him to Denmark means there is already a preformed conclusion.

      It is customary to bring the accused to the judicial system where charges are to be considered, not the other way around, even in the EU.

      --
      much of left-wing thought is a kind of playing with fire by people who don't even know that fire is hot - George Orwell
    2. Re:um.... by TheCarp · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Yah this doesn't make much sense to me. If you want to question someone, why does this require shipping him around? Seems that sort of thing should be reserved at least for people who have actually been charged with something.

      --
      "I opened my eyes, and everything went dark again"
    3. Re:um.... by TheCarp · · Score: 1, Interesting

      There are no charges yet, unless they they are not being truthful in the claim that he is wanted for questioning. Also seems a fuckton cheaper to come to him, where he is already in prison (presumably interrogators don't need escorts and extra security to be moved)....at least UNTIL he is actually being formally accused of something.

      --
      "I opened my eyes, and everything went dark again"
    4. Re:um.... by johnjaydk · · Score: 2

      Yah this doesn't make much sense to me. If you want to question someone, why does this require shipping him around?

      It's not like they're sending him to gitmo. It's the country next door. 300 miles at most. He doesn't even need to show his passport. Chill out dude.

      --
      TCAP-Abort
    5. Re:um.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Because he has to be present and questioned to be charged. Same reason the swedes want Assange.

    6. Re:um.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Yah this doesn't make much sense to me. If you want to question someone, why does this require shipping him around?

      It's not like they're sending him to gitmo. It's the country next door. 300 miles at most. He doesn't even need to show his passport. Chill out dude.

      300 miles or 3. We still use phones for a fucking reason. He's wanted for questioning, not a goddamn makeover.

    7. Re:um.... by CauseBy · · Score: 2

      Okay but does Denmark not have telephones? email? iChat? Skype?

      Also I'm an American, does Denmark have the right against self incrimination like we do? It would be a waste of money to ship him 300 miles for him to just say nothing and get shipped back.

    8. Re:um.... by intermodal · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Extraditing someone for charges is indeed customary. Extraditing someone for questioning is not.

      --
      In SOVIET RUSSIA... erm...NSA AMERICA, the Internet logs onto YOU!
    9. Re:um.... by jklovanc · · Score: 4, Informative

      According to this he is being charged in Denmark. The extradition is not just for question. Denmark wants to put him on trial.

    10. Re:um.... by amorsen · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Also I'm an American, does Denmark have the right against self incrimination like we do?

      Not only does Denmark have a right against self incrimination, defendants in criminal cases cannot commit perjury and do not have to swear to tell the truth. There is no doubt that he will be given the rights of an accused person.

      I believe the article is wrong though, the case against him has been under preparation by the Danish police for a long time. Formal charges cannot be far away.

      --
      Finally! A year of moderation! Ready for 2019?
    11. Re:um.... by Hafnia · · Score: 2

      We do have all of that ... Skype was actually developed by a Dane and a Swede, but your ignorance is forgiven since you are american. The original investigation was carried out by swedish police who found the ties to the crime in Denmark. A Swedish judge has decided that the evidence is strong enough for a trial in Denmark. What he is accused for is a crime in both Sweden and Denmark and the offended part is a danish authority. The penalty is also similar in both countries so it makes sense the trial him in Denmark. He does have the right to stay silent, but he also has the right to defend himself, and compared to the cost of the investigation i don't think a couple of policemens salary and some plane tickets are going to matter much.

    12. Re:um.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Also seems a fuckton cheaper to come to him, where he is already in prison (presumably interrogators don't need escorts and extra security to be moved)

      He is in for a white collar crime with a pretty damn inflated sentence compared to the alleged crime.
      You can safely let an intern drive him to Denmark as long as you remember to enable the cars child lock. The only kind of violence you can expect would be verbal and more in the lines of "I think you are a stupid retard." than "I'm going to fucking kill you!". He might also insult the interns choice of radio station.

      Sending the interrogators over is way more expensive since they will require extra compensation for working in another nation and then there is the extra cost for hotel and stuff.

    13. Re:um.... by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 1

      It is customary to bring the accused to the judicial system where charges are to be considered, not the other way around

      Unless the charges in question are explosive. On the tip of a missile. *ducks (and covers)*

      --
      Ezekiel 23:20
    14. Re:um.... by cold+fjord · · Score: 1

      There are no charges yet, unless they they are not being truthful in the claim that he is wanted for questioning.

      Although I may be mistaken, I believe that Denmark's criminal procedure is broadly similar to Sweden's, as well as a number of other countries in the EU. Those countries have a different set of criminal procedures that involve a more formal investigation by the police, a prosecutor, or a judge prior to charges being filed. English and American law, for example, has no concept of an investigating judge prior to charging, but a number of countries in the EU do (not to mention other countries in the world). Because of that there are a number of countries that are part of the EU's treaty system that use extradition for questioning rather than just when charges have been filed.

      I wouldn't make the mistake of assuming that just because it might be listed as "questioning" that it isn't serious. In some of the legal systems in Europe that questioning is the last formal step before charging, and must be completed before charging.

      --
      much of left-wing thought is a kind of playing with fire by people who don't even know that fire is hot - George Orwell
    15. Re:um.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "i don't think a couple of policemens salary and some plane tickets are going to matter much." You're no True Scotsman!

    16. Re:um.... by cold+fjord · · Score: 1

      That depends entirely upon the country in question and its criminal procedure. It is in fact customary to do exactly that (extradite for questioning) in a number of countries in Europe. In some systems the formal questioning is the last step before charging, and must be completed before charges can be filed.

      --
      much of left-wing thought is a kind of playing with fire by people who don't even know that fire is hot - George Orwell
    17. Re:um.... by CauseBy · · Score: 1

      I must have misunderstood the article when it said he was "wanted for questioning" instead of "extradition for trial". Questioning can be done via Skype. Forgive my American ignorance -- does "questioning" mean "trial" in Denmark? Here in America it means this:

      QUESTIONING verb [ with obj. ]
      ask questions of (someone), esp. in an official context: four men were being questioned about the killings

      Thanks for your help answering my questions -- or should I say, "thanks for your help trying me for a crime"?

    18. Re:um.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      We do have all of that ... Skype was actually developed by a Dane and a Swede, but your ignorance is forgiven since you are american.

      Your patronizing and arrogant attitude, however, isn't forgiven. You're a jerk.

    19. Re:um.... by TheCarp · · Score: 1

      I fully agree with you. However, I also live int he US and have mostly seen the US "justice" system where they like to take a "take no chances" (and spare no jobs) attitude where arguments like "yes but what if we are wrong and he is violent and tries to make an escape" tend to win out over anything so...sensible.

      So, what I would expect, is it actually takes more employees doing more travel and just overall costing more to transport him. However, you are correct, it is possible they could be even more sane than that, but given the option they went for, that seems an even more remote possibility.

      Maybe the most likely alternate would be to do it in the Danish embassy so there is cost and job hours to spread around between both countries.

      --
      "I opened my eyes, and everything went dark again"
    20. Re:um.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      from what I read a danish court charged him and put him in detention (in absentia) so Sweden keeps him locked up until Denmark can
      in Denmark when charged with a crime you can be put in detention for 4 weeks (at time) if there is reasonable belief you committed the crime,
      the possible penalty is more than 1.5 years, and/or if the is reason to believe you will try to run or destroy evidence

  3. Hmm, A legal(?) way to keep him locked up by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Just send him around to different countries(not my problem anymore), they all have different laws. He could be incarcerated for years this way.

  4. Can Denmark send him to the US? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Or do they have an agreement not to do that?

    1. Re:Can Denmark send him to the US? by Spy+Handler · · Score: 1

      Sweden was tricked into sending him to Solvang, which looks like Denmark but isn't.

    2. Re:Can Denmark send him to the US? by xenobyte · · Score: 1

      The weather is much better in Solvang, at least in the winter...

      --
      "For every complex problem, there is a solution that is simple, neat, and wrong." -- H.L. Mencken (1880-1956) --
  5. Free Julian? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Free Julian? .... Thanks, but I have all I want already.

  6. And what makes you think by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    And what makes you think that it's impossible to charge someone in absentia in any country in the world?

    1. Re:And what makes you think by cold+fjord · · Score: 1

      The fact that some legal systems apparently don't allow it. There are also legal systems that don't allow trial in absentia at all.

      --
      much of left-wing thought is a kind of playing with fire by people who don't even know that fire is hot - George Orwell
  7. Message Sent by TWiTfan · · Score: 1

    Start up a torrent site and charges WILL be trumped up on you, kids!!

    --
    The cow says "Moo." The dog says "Woof." The Timothy says "Thanks, valued customer. We appreciate your input."
    1. Re:Message Sent by snemarch · · Score: 2

      Hack mainframes and exfiltrate police data, as well as hack back mainframes and attempt to grab get hold of other people's money, and you will very likely be charges.

      Of course Warg aka anakata claims he had nothing to do with it, that it's traced back to him because he had an "open lab computer", but that's the oldest excuse in the book... and with the kind of boasting anakata used to do online, well, I think there's a pretty good chance he did play an active part. If it was because the USAnians wanted to get hold of him, Sweden is really already their little bitch and would gladly roll over.

      --
      Coffee-driven development.
    2. Re:Message Sent by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, in other articles on the extradition an unnamed 20 year old Dane is also facing charges for the alleged breach of NSA contractor, CSC systems so its not entirely impossible that he's being wrongfully accused. In Sweden, he got his conviction for a similar charge thrown out and his sentenced reduced to one year because the authorities didn't have proof he was at the computer at the time of the break-ins.

  8. whats the difference by OldJuke · · Score: 0

    between what he did and what the NSA does on a routine basis and massive scale? "suspected of illegally downloading police files." hackers get charged/sentenced for accessing private files, why is the NSA not similarly charged?

    1. Re:whats the difference by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He allegedly hacked the systems of longtime NSA contractor, CSC to get those police files. Maybe he found some evidence of the CSC handing over data it handles for its other clients over to the NSA. European governments have got to be insane to work with any US company that contracts out for the NSA.

    2. Re:whats the difference by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The difference is bigger sticks and the cover of legitimacy from democratic elections. Same difference between a vigilante and the police.

    3. Re:whats the difference by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Very loosely similar difference between a vigilante and the corrupt police.

      Fixed that for you, though not the bad grammar.

    4. Re:whats the difference by cold+fjord · · Score: 1

      whats the difference ... between what he did and what the NSA does on a routine basis and massive scale?

      Governments have powers and attributes that ordinary individuals do not have. That is why it is pretty unlikely that you have the legal authority to sentence someone to jail or imprison them unless you are a judge in a court, for example. Nor is it likely that you have the power to tax other people.

      Governments also have what is known as "sovereign immunity" for their actions. You probably don't have that attribute either.

      I'm not sure why so many people on Slashdot are confused about this point.

       

      --
      much of left-wing thought is a kind of playing with fire by people who don't even know that fire is hot - George Orwell
    5. Re:whats the difference by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He didn't ask for justification they use, though.

  9. They are very similar. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Neither have a requirement to only question or charge when in custody.

    1. Re:They are very similar. by cold+fjord · · Score: 1

      Dank u / Tack

      --
      much of left-wing thought is a kind of playing with fire by people who don't even know that fire is hot - George Orwell
  10. That apparent is figment. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Not the case.

    Hell, Sweden have questioned and charged a murderer by phone.

  11. What's the old line? by rsilvergun · · Score: 1

    better 1000 innocent men punished than 1 guilty man go free....

    --
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    1. Re:What's the old line? by TheCarp · · Score: 1

      Better that 1000 innocent men be punished than one private prison not show profits this quarter.

      --
      "I opened my eyes, and everything went dark again"
  12. Women rule the world now. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Women rule the world now.

  13. "Charges" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    I'm confused--isn't he hiding out because he's worried about getting extradited to Sweden to face rape charges?

    Clearly your reading comprehension is lacking. The Wikipedia article you cite makes quite clear the fact that no charges have in fact been laid. It is claimed Julian is wanted for questioning, not to face (non-existent) "charges".

  14. However, it's not the case with these countries by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Since these countries do not require the accused to be present and on native soil to charge someone.

    Neither is using an EAW to get someone in for questioning you have already questioned and released because there was nothing to answer for normal.

    Unless you're a prosecutor with a hubby who works in the USA government circles newly taking over the case. But that is currently a sample size of one so we cannot say whether it's common or not in that scenario.