Raggle-taggle of ‘household names’ supplied massive sums in direction of WikiLeaks founder’s failed bail plea


The currently curious circumstance of Julian Assange took an additional bizarre twist yesterday once the courtroom realized that a raggle-taggle of “household names” have been ready to stake their reputation in his circumstance, offering sureties for the courtroom having a complete worth of £180,000.

Despite claiming to not know Assange, the film-maker Ken Loach as well as the socialite and charity fundraiser Jemima Khan stood prior to Westminster magistrates and offered large  sums towards Assange’s bail, however bail was  later refused.

Providing £20,000, Loach said he didn’t know Assange aside from by popularity, but added: “I assume the operate he has completed has been a public service. I assume we’re entitled to understand the dealings of these that govern us.”

Khan presented a further £20,000, “or far more if want be”.

Inside a statement later, she mentioned: “I make no judgment of Julian Assange as an individual as I have by no means met him. I’m offering my assistance to him as I feel in the universal correct to freedom of information and our appropriate to be informed the reality.”

On her Twitter feed last month, Khan requested if Assange was “the new Jason Bourne”, a reference for the fictional action hero developed by the thriller author Robert Ludlum. The submit has because been deleted.

The journalist and filmmaker John Pilger, who also offered £20,000, mentioned he knew Assange as being a journalist and personal pal and had a “very high regard for him”.

The biggest donation of £80,000 was presented by an unknown American relation who didn’t want to be named since of anxiety for his security.

Patricia David, a professor, and also the top lawyer Geoffrey Sheen every supplied up £20,000 surety on grounds that they’d invested their lives fighting for human rights.

Outdoors court Pilger said: “This business in Sweden can be a travesty; an innocent man has a right to be no cost.

“Having his freedom taken away is outrageous. Sweden need to be ashamed. This isn’t justice - this is outrageous.”

He additional: “Behind this he has created plenty of enemies, the principal a single being the warmonger, the usa.”

Howard Riddle, the judge in the court in Horseferry Street, London, commended four with the sureties for their willingness to assist “out of concern for human rights” and without having personal knowledge of Assange.