CIA's 'Plot to Kill Julian Assange' Coming Out in Court May Have Been Catalyst for Surprise Plea Deal

Chris Menahan
InformationLiberation
Jun. 27, 2024

Former CIA Director Mike Pompeo's plot to have Julian Assange kidnapped or assassinated coming out in court may have been the catalyst for the Biden administration to give the Wikileaks founder a plea deal.

National security reporter Zach Dorfman, one of the co-authors who exposed the plot along with Sean D. Naylor and Michael Isikoff, put forward the theory Tuesday on Twitter.

"When Sean D. Naylor, Isikoff and I reported CIA Director Mike Pompeo lobbied to kidnap Julian Assange and render him to US -- and CIA had even toyed with lethal plans for the WikiLeaks founder -- we heard about objections to the plots. One stands out today," Dorfman tweeted.

THREAD: When @SeanDNaylor, @Isikoff & I reported CIA Director Mike Pompeo lobbied to kidnap Julian Assange & render him to US—& CIA had even toyed w/ lethal plans for the WikiLeaks founder—we heard about objections to the plots. One stands out today. https://t.co/HJVlpOpxa6
— Zach Dorfman (@zachsdorfman) June 25, 2024

"During the Trump administration, even many harsh critics of Assange, who wholeheartedly supported prosecuting him, thought Pompeo's extraordinary rendition plots foolhardy in the extreme, and probably illegal," he added. "They also -- critically -- thought it might harm Assange's prosecution."

"Former Trump administration and US intelligence officials directly engaged in discussions about Assange argued strenuously that, should Pompeo's and CIA's plans come to light, it could make the discovery process nightmarish for the prosecution, should Assange ever see trial," Dorfman continued.

"Moreover, and relatedly, some Trump administration officials had deep reservations about the legality of prosecuting Assange after the proposed rendition of the WikiLeaks founder from the Ecuadorian embassy was to be carried out."

"The rendition plans, of course, were never executed, and the CIA's lethal action proposals re: Assange were far less developed than the kidnapping ones. With the plea deal offered by the Biden admin, Assange will now go free, after 5 years in UK prison awaiting extradition."

"What, if any, consideration Biden DOJ officials gave to the difficulties in prosecuting Assange because of the very aggressive -- and even some Trump administration officials believed -- illegal, unethical, and self-defeating proposals re: the Wikileaks founder -- could be revealing." [Quotes lightly edited for readability]

This theory seems entirely plausible.

[Right-side header image of Assange by New Media Days / Peter Erichsen, cropped with overlay added, CC BY-SA 3.0]

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