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WikiLeaks’ Assange accuses journalists of Jewish conspiracy
March 1, 2011

(JTA) -- WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange accused British journalists of a "Jewish conspiracy" against him.

The accusation came in remarks published in the British magazine Private Eye, which was reporting on a phone call Assange made on Feb. 16 to the magazine's editor complaining about British coverage of WikiLeaks, The New York Times reported.

Private Eye had published an article on Assange associate in Russia, Israel Shamir, saying that he had denied the Holocaust. Assange called the article "an obvious attempt to deprive him and his organization of Jewish support and donations,” according to the Jewish Chronicle.

He also said the magazine was “part of a conspiracy” led by “Jewish” writers and specifically cited The Guardian newspaper, naming Editor Alan Rusbridger, a non-Jew, and investigations editor David Leigh.

Assange responded to the Private Eye article on Twitter, saying that editor Ian Hislop, who wrote the article, "distorted, invented or misremembered" what he said, calling his use of the term Jewish conspiracy "false in spirit and in word."

"We treasure our strong Jewish support and staff, just as we treasure the support from pan-Arab democracy activists and others who share our hope for a just world,” Assange tweeted.



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Oh no he didn't!

We'll see if the Leftist blogosphere roundly condemns Assange's views or if this is quietly swept under the rug.

Oh dear - I hope Ian Hislop doesn't find himself in court again!!

I'm quite a fan of the fellow - haven't missed an episode of 'Have I got News for You' in at least a decade - and I have shared many a laugh reading the Private Eye.

Haaretz also covers this story today - and it appears that Private Eye's accusations are quite specific:

(Citing a New York Times article, Haaretz reports):

..
The Times says that when Hislop pointed out that Rusbridger is not Jewish, Assange replied he was “sort of Jewish” as his sister is married to Leigh, who is Jewish. The Times quotes Private Eye as saying that Assange later asked Hislop to “forget the Jewish thing,” but maintained that there was a conspiracy against WikiLeaks based on the friendship between Rusbridger, Leigh and fellow British journalist John Kampfner.

According to a report by Yossi Melman in Haaretz on February 20, 2011, “Guardian reporters were astonished to find that Assange appointed Israel Shamir, a Russian-Israeli anti-Semitic Holocaust denier, as his representative in Moscow and transferred about 2,000 euros to Shamir's bank account in Latvia.”

http://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/bri ... s-1.346686

Hmm.

Cheers,
Shafique