07/13/13

Anti-American Greenwald Vows to Continue Leaks

By: Trevor Loudon
New Zeal

Even if NSA traitor Edward Snowden is shut down by the Russians, his partner, journalist and anti-American leftist Glenn Greenwald has vowed to continue leaking.

Greenwald at Socialism 2011

Greenwald at Socialism 2011

From Kremlin propaganda station Russia Today:

NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden has indicated that he is willing to halt his leakage of US secrets, a condition for gaining Russian asylum, though the journalist who first published information from those leaks intends to continue.

Glenn Greenwald, a journalist working with both the British Guardian newspaper and Brazil’s O Globo, had been in direct contact with the now fugitive Snowden and coordinated with the former intelligence contractor ahead of publishing information on secret online surveillance programs.

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly said that asylum for Snowden would be offered only under the condition that he releases no further information that could prove damaging to the US. Greenwald, however, has indicated that he would consider the intelligence provided by Snowden already in his possession fair game.

There are many more domestic stories coming, and big ones, and soon,” Greenwald wrote in an email to Politico on Friday.

“Given everything I know, I’d be very shocked if he ever asked me that,” Greenwald told Politico when asked if he would halt publishing any sensitive information if Snowden were to ask.

“I’d deal with that hypothetical only in the extremely unlikely event that it ever happened, but I can’t foresee anything that would or could stop me from further reporting on the NSA documents I have,” he added.

On Friday, Snowden said that he would remain in Russia until able to get safe passage to Latin America, where he has been offered political asylum by Venezuela as well as Honduras. Comments made during a meeting with human rights activists at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport Friday also indicated that he intended to renew a petition for asylum from Russia.

“Snowden is serious about obtaining political asylum in the Russian Federation,” said Vyacheslav Nikonov, a lawmaker who attended the meeting at the Moscow airport.

Meanwhile, Snowden released a statement on Friday via WikiLeaks, which has orchestrated his legal defense as well as asylum petitions, to convey that he would accept all offers of political asylum made to him.

“I announce today my formal acceptance of all offers of support or asylum I have been extended and all others that may be offered in the future,” Snowden stated during his meeting with rights activists and lawyers at Sheremetyevo.

“I ask for your assistance in requesting guarantees of safe passage from the relevant nations in securing my travel to Latin America, as well as requesting asylum in Russia until such time as these states accede to law and my legal travel is permitted…”

Yep. This is all about public service, folks.

07/13/13

Turkish Government Cracks Down on Communists

By: Trevor Loudon
New Zeal

While I’m not a supporter of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Islamicist Justice and Development Party, at least the man knows who his enemies are.

aaaabbbbbbbggggjjj

According to the Communist Party USA‘s People’s World leading members of the Turkish Communist Party (TKP) are being rounded up and arrested.

In Istanbul, Turkey prosecutors yesterday called for the arrest of twelve activists in the ongoing struggle against construction of a shopping mall complex in Taksim Gezi Park, including leaders of the Taksim Solidarity Platform, Turkish Communist Party (TKP) central executive board member Erkan Bas and TKP Istanbul Provincial Chairman Kamil Tekerek.

Several other party members were taken into custody, as well as Taksim Solidarity Platform member Mücella Yapıcı, Istanbul Medical Chamber General Secretary Ali Çerkezoglu, members of the Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions, and members of the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions…

Citing a police report on documents seized from searches of the homes of the accused, the prosecutor claimed that “calls for thousands of people to gather in Taksim Square prepared the ground for the marginal groups’ provocations… They caused the injuries of hundreds of police officers and citizens and the calls continued despite these injuries.”

The government… accuses the Turkish Communist Party of having masterminded the demonstrations. There were television commentators who claimed that “Communist protesters” had turned peaceful protests into “violent attacks that ruin social order.”

This included an article in the Egyptian newspaper, Al-Ahram Weekly, by Turkish broadcaster Aylin Kocaman, caliming that young demonstrators were susceptible to the taksim Gezi protests “because they have not been educated against the threat of communism.”

All pretty much the truth. I hope Western governments take note, because these mass disturbances are surely heading their way too.