Australia to US: You, Not Assange, to Blame for Leaks

Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd puts the blame on the leakers
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 8, 2010 8:12 AM CST
Australia to US: You, Not Assange, to Blame for Leaks
US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, left, is greeted by Australia's Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd at Government House in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Nov. 8, 2010.   (AP Photo/Mick Tsikas, Pool)

As Julian Assange spent the night in a British jail, his home country finally came to his defense. The WikiLeaks founder may have published classified documents, but he got them from somewhere. "Mr. Assange is not himself responsible for the unauthorized release of 250,000 documents from the US diplomatic communications network," Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd tells Reuters. "The Americans are responsible for that."

Amusingly, Reuters makes sure to note that Rudd is described in one of the leaked cables as a "control freak." Click to read Assange's recent request that Australia protect him.
(More Julian Assange stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X