Just don’t call him a hero. Assange’s recklessness may have cost lives

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I know the view of Australian intelligence agencies: it’s likely that Julian Assange’s WikiLeaks dump of information cost lives. It was wickedly reckless.

A weary world needs heroes, and now we have a new one. Julian Assange has long been a hero to his natural supporters: the usual crowd of rich actors, preachy human rights lawyers and professional activists. Celebrities look after their own, and there is no doubt that Assange is in the club.

Of course, the fact that Assange is a criminal is of no concern to his admirers. No sooner had they got off the plane than his lawyers started to walk back the significance of the conviction. But a guilty plea is an admission of guilt, whether it’s part of a plea deal or not. The crime to which Assange pleaded – conspiracy to commit espionage – is a serious one, recognised, in one form or another, by every legal system in the world.

I know the view of Australian intelligence agencies that it was likely Assange’s leak cost lives. This assessment was shared by our Five Eyes partners. But you don’t need to be an intelligence professional to understand how Assange imperilled those whose identities he exposed.

 

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