That’s right, INTERPOL has put out a “Red Notice” for Wikileaks mastermind Julian Assange. Well, we knew there was some hair on fire about the recent diplomatic cables dump, so this sort of intergalactic law enforcement intimidation was to be expected. But wait, he’s not being charged with conspiracy to embarrass or create awkward situations, endangering national security or putting the safety of Planet Earth at risk? No, the Red Notice is for “sex crimes.” Seems the Swedish prosecutor wants Assange back in Sweden to answer more questions regarding the molestation charges brought about by two women he had consensual sexual relations with, but with whom he had reported disagreements over the use of condoms, last summer. Assange has failed to respond to her latest warrant in November, and has appealed the measure in Swedish court, so she has retaliated by calling in the Global goon squad, conveniently right around the time others are calling for his head. Sounds scary, until you realize that Interpol has no real police powers. With a staff of nearly 60o and a headquarters in Paris, it’s more like a bloated fusion center, which can be frightening in itself, but it can only encourage its member states (of which there are 188) to apprehend him themselves.
So will Interpol pose a serious threat to the wily Wikileaks founder, who is likely fielding offers of Asylum from more sympathetic governments across the world ( Ecuador, which ironically is a member of Interpol, has already stepped up*)? That doesn’t seem likely. If anything, the thought of global police going after Assange for what is likely a set-up and/or revenge by his former lovers, seems petty, desperate and way too obvious and I think it will read like that in the papers tomorrow. Or it should.
* As Watson points out below, apparently Ecuador is already backtracking on it’s “offer” of asylum to Mr. Assange.
