However, the motion to seal that complaint contains heavy redactions, justified by Assistant US Attorney Thomas Traxler in Wednesday's motion as due to the document containing "nonpublic information about an ongoing investigation."
NEW: Redacted docs filed following order. Standard stuff here, but confirms some of the govt activity behind the scenes leading up to Assange's arrest.@CourthouseNews pic.twitter.com/Ph0y0eiwaN
— Brandi Buchman (@BBuchman_CNS) April 17, 2019
"Premature disclosure of the specific details of this ongoing investigation would jeopardize the investigation, including by aiding Assange in his attempt to flee from or otherwise avoid prosecution in the United States," the 2017 sealing motion states, arguing that this represented a "significant countervailing interest" that "outweighs the public's interest in openness."
"Although the government has confirmed that Mr. Assange or WikiLeaks is under investigation, the government has never provided the specific details of that ongoing investigation, nor stated whether Mr. Assange has been charged or which of his affiliates may also be under investigation," the memo continues, suggesting that other WikiLeaks associates may also be charged.
The indictment followed in March after the affidavit and spelled out Assange's charges. However, the indictment includes citations from the Espionage Act, even though it's not explicitly mentioned and Assange isn't charged with espionage at this time.
Section 793 of the US Code, cited in the indictment, "is the real killer one in terms of journalism," Consortium News Editor-in-Chief Joe Lauria told Radio Sputnik's Loud and Clear Tuesday, "because there's no doubt that journalists, all the time — including Assange — obtain, and hold and possess classified information and disseminate it. That's criminal under the Espionage Act, 793(e), and it's mentioned here."
