Some people, through time, take
a leap into the pages of history. The Australian founder of WikiLeaks has done
just this, becoming, within months, one of the best known figures around the
world — and one of the men most wanted by Interpol. He and his lawyer now say he
also faces death threats, which stem from the thousands of documents leaked by
the website. It is becoming harder and harder to ascertain truth and falsehood
in the case of the WikiLeaks, but certainly it is conceivable that Assange has
faced very real threats. There will, after all, be many who are infuriated by
the revelations contained in the documents that have shaken the world almost as
much as a terrorist attack or other event of such magnitude. In fact, calls have
been made, primarily in the US, for WikiLeaks to be treated like a terrorist
group. Assange and his lawyers also cite Swedish rape and molestation charges
against him as an act of blatant persecution. The somewhat eccentric Assange has
been in hiding since the latest set of documents appeared on the WikiLeaks site.
The questions of where the death threats may be emanating from open up all kinds
of possibilities. There are so many around the world infuriated by the leaks
that it is impossible to pick candidates. The documents from the US describing
Russia as a ‘mafia’ state or a Saudi king criticizing President Zardari have
created their own furor. These are two of many examples. WikiLeaks has, in the
past, been accused of endangering lives. But for some powerful figures around
the world, public embarrassment may be reason enough to consider putting an end
to the source or extracting revenge of the crudest kind (especially since this
is the second time this is happening). Assange and his lawyer clearly believe
this is the case. The death threats, if anything, further highlight the power of
information, the astounding impact it can have and the manner in which it can
shake up things even in countries which insist they respect the right of people
to know the truth and the right for information to be circulated. For now, the
WikiLeaks saga continues and we do not know how it will all end or if this is
the last time it will create such controversy.