/qnotables20/ - ===Q Notables 2020===

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/7995267 (012345ZFEB20) Notable: Q Post #3821 - Who was the 17th Director of the NSA? (Admiral Michael S. Rogers), MISSING MEDIA/FILES: Q_3821.jpg, ADM Michael S. Rogers.jpg, screencapture-washingtonpost.jpg

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>>175638

Q Post #3821

>>10399 (pb)

Who was the 17th Director of the NSA?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/pentagon-and-intelligence-community-chiefs-have-urged-obama-to-remove-the-head-of-the-nsa/2016/11/19/44de6ea6-adff-11e6-977a-1030f822fc35_story.html

Q

—

Pentagon and intelligence community chiefs have urged Obama to remove head of NSA

November 19, 2016

The heads of the Pentagon and the nation’s intelligence community have recommended to President Obama that the director of the National Security Agency, Adm. Michael S. Rogers, be removed.

The recommendation, delivered to the White House last month, was made by Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter and Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper Jr., according to several U.S. officials familiar with the matter.

Action has been delayed, some administration officials said, because relieving Rogers of his duties is tied to another controversial recommendation: to create separate chains of command at the NSA and the military’s cyberwarfare unit, a recommendation by Clapper and Carter that has been stalled because of other issues.

The news comes as Rogers is being considered by President-elect Donald Trump to be his nominee for director of national intelligence to replace Clapper as the official who oversees all 17 U.S. intelligence agencies. In a move apparently unprecedented for a military officer, Rogers, without notifying superiors, traveled to New York to meet with Trump on Thursday at Trump Tower. That caused consternation at senior levels of the administration, according to the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal personnel matters.

The White House, Pentagon and Office of the Director of National Intelligence declined to comment. The NSA did not respond to requests for comment. Carter has concerns with Rogers’s performance, officials said. The driving force for Clapper, meanwhile, was the separation of leadership roles at the NSA and U.S. Cyber Command, and his stance that the NSA should be headed by a civilian.

(continued)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/7998185 (020445ZFEB20) Notable: Britain’s plan for post-Brexit union with Canada, Australia and New Zealand REVEALED, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: Erin O'Toole.jpg, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.jpg, Australian senator Eric Abetz.jpg

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Britain’s plan for post-Brexit union with Canada, Australia and New Zealand REVEALED

CANADA could formally propose a non-political union with Britain, Australia and New Zealand within just two years.

The plan, revealed by potential future Canadian PM Erin O’Toole MP on the weekend that Britain left the EU, would see Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the UK ease migration, bolster defence sharing and increase trade between the four Commonwealth nations. Together the “natural allies” of 136 million people account for more than £4.3trillion in gross national income and around 10 percent of the world’s wealth. They also share close strategic relationships with the US through the “Five eyes” intelligence community, the American, British, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand Armies' Program and a programme to provide interoperability between navies.

Because of their similar GDPs, the risk of “brain drain” and “wage dumping” caused by EU Freedom of Movement would not be there, say supporters.

The so-called Canzuk plan, an expansion of the Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement currently enjoyed between Australia and New Zealand, already has the backing of Boris Johnson, who last year said: “If we can do something better with Australia, Canada and New Zealand we certainly should.”

Last night Bob Seely MP, chair of the Canzuk All Party Parliamentary Group, confirmed the FCO had started to make plans.

Canada’s Conservative Party, currently in opposition, has already formally adopted the plans.

While Justin Trudeau narrowly scraped a victory in October’s elections, popularity for his Liberal Party minority government is waning, leading to the likelihood of a Conservative victory in 18 months.

Speaking on the weekend that Britain formally left the EU O’Toole, currently in a Conservative leadership contest, said: “There’s a real chance of another general election within the next 18 months. If I become PM I will prioritise Canzuk through PM Johnson and counterparts in Australia and NZ. There’s a potential this would form a very real working group and lead to substantive efforts right out of the gate.

“There is much interest across all four partners. With Brexit and PM Johnson’s majority, it would be likely well received in Britain."

Decisions over migration would be decided by a steering group which would “set the agenda”, he said, adding: “If we get a surge in LNG development in British Columbia, there night be an ability for specialised skilled labour from Britain and Australia and New Zealand. This would be mutually beneficial.

.....

In Australia Sen Eric Abetz, chairman of the foreign affairs committee, said: “I believe this would make us the envy of the world. We might in fact encourage Canzuk members to have reciprocal rights like the EU. For tourists and trade, given our commonality, there's a real scope to have greater free trade.”

He rejected any EU-style political merging between the four sovereign nations.

“This would absolutely not be a political union. I wouldn't want a Canzuk Human Rights court which would determine what Australia or New Zealand parliaments can legislate,” he said.

“We all want to avoid the diminution of democracy. that’s been the cause of so much concern in the UK and elsewhere in Europe about the impact of the EU.

“It’s within the national interest of all four countries to keep each other’s criminals out, or to prevent those who have other debts to respective governments from travelling, but this still leave massive opportunities for 99 percent.

“The more limited approach of Canzuk would get a lot of traction because people would see the many benefits but no downside. We’d continue to remain masters of our own destinies.”

In London Bob Seely MP, who co-authored a report on Cazuk with the Henry Jackson Society think tank, said: “This isn't to replace the Special Relationship with the US, UN or EU.

“This is about the future with four very modern multicultural nations which are very close. It’s about enriching our lives by re-investing in traditional alliances."

He added: “The Foreign Office is looking at it.

“We have the EU and US trade deals to focus on this year. But many of us in Britain and abroad would like to put this plan on the front burner.”

https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/1236734/brexit-news-uk-trade-union-canada-australia-new-zealand-Erin-O-Toole-Canzuk-plan

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8001693 (021711ZFEB20) Notable: Review unearths years of sex abuse by Jesuits priests, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: Victor Higgs was found guilty of repeatedly indecently assaulting teenage boys.jpg

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Review unearths years of sex abuse by Jesuits priests

Sex-offence allegations against 21 Jesuit priests and lay staff have been unearthed in an independent review into the society’s duplicitous handling of serial pedophile and former brother Victor Higgs.

Former Victorian Supreme Court chief justice Marilyn Warren said the 21 other offenders were accused of misconduct between 1968 and 1971, with Higgs transferred to Sydney’s St Ignatius at Riverview from Adelaide’s St Ignatius at Athelstone in 1970.

It is the first time the extent of offending across the order in the late 1960s and early 70s had been made public and was cited by Ms Warren as relevant to the society’s decision-making when dealing with Higgs.

Higgs, now in his 80s and in jail, was sent from Adelaide to Sydney despite the order’s hierarchy knowing that he had assaulted children at the Athelstone campus.

Ms Warren’s review into Higgs has revealed an extraordinary lack of documentation previously kept by the order in Australia, including three of its marquee schools — Riverview, Xavier College in Melbourne and St Ignatius in Adelaide.

She found that at least three complaints about Higgs’s behaviour were made to St Ignatius’s then Athelstone rector, the late Father Frank Wallace, before Higgs was shifted to Sydney in a state of internal disgrace.

Ms Warren found that the order’s then provincial, the late Father Francis Kelly, knew that Higgs had offended against children at the Adelaide campus.

Despite these complaints, Higgs was moved to Sydney, where his offending intensified while working at Riverview’s boarding school.

The current-day Society of Jesus provincial, Father Brian McCoy, told The Australian that anyone with complaints about wrongdoing should approach the order, stressing it had been a lamentable chapter in its history.

“Certainly we would want people to come forward and feel free to come forward,’’ he told The Australian.

The full report of Ms Warren’s review was sent to survivors of Higgs at the weekend and comes after relentless debate about what the order knew, and when, about his depraved ways.

Higgs was an overweight alcoholic who preyed on dozens of children in Adelaide and Sydney, despite authorities being told very early that he was an offender. He has been convicted in both states off multiple offences.

Higgs also worked at Xavier College in Melbourne and St Aloysius in Sydney.

Victims said Higgs was a voyeur who also touched them on their genitalia in the guise of monitoring their sexual development. He picked on sexually underdeveloped children.

In conducting the inquiry, Ms Warren has exposed a culture where the order in the late 1960s would deliberately leave out of meeting minutes discussion about pedophiles.

“In my view, the fact of these complaints was a factor in the decision to move Higgs from Athelstone to Riverview in 1970,’’ she found. She wrote to the society in December seeking more documents and answers in relation to the 21 other accused.

The first of the allegations relating to the 21 did not surface until decades after the offences occurred and not all allegations were substantiated or referred to police, sometimes because the accuser did not want to progress through the courts.

Only two of the 21 accused are still with the order, one having been exonerated and the other is on restricted duties.

Regarding Higgs, Father McCoy said: “I need to apologise. … We dropped the ball and people got hurt and they’ve carried the burden. We let people down. And, yes, we failed to keep records and I think that some of the Jesuits and others didn’t think it was as serious as it was.’’

Higgs pleaded guilty in 2016 to two counts of indecent assault at St Ignatius in Adelaide and was sentenced to 2½ years’ jail for ­offences between 1968 and 1970. In 2018, he was found guilty of 16 counts of indecent assault at Riverview against six boys.

The Warren review was set up by the Jesuits to determine what the order knew and when about Higgs. Father Wallace, now dead, was the principal at the school and the review found he had been told at least three times that Higgs was an offender.

(continued)

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/review-unearths-years-of-sex-abuse-by-jesuits-priests/news-story/b7500a93e102bc257627adc48ce5323d

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8007939 (030441ZFEB20) Notable: Human trafficking cases on rise in Australia, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: Human trafficking may involve a victim entering Australia under a false identity or illegitimately.jpg

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Human trafficking cases on rise

Human trafficking referrals to the Australian Federal Police jumped from just two in 2013-14 to 33 last year.

Prosecutions have fluctuated, with two prosecutions launched in 2018-19 and eight new prosecutions for human trafficking and slavery offences launched this financial year.

Data obtained by The Australian shows the difficulty in obtaining convictions for these offences. The Commonwealth Department of Public Prosecutions prosecuted 36 cases between July 1, 2013, and January 21, 2020. In that time, it recorded eight convictions.

CDPP deputy director Mark de Crespigny said there were “significant issues” in addressing human trafficking and slavery in a criminal context.

He said prosecutions of human trafficking and slavery almost invariably relied on evidence of the alleged victim who would have to be willing to testify in court.

He said there was often limited evidence independent to the victim’s as to the nature of the interactions between the victim and the accused.

“These are very serious offences, which can result in very significant terms of imprisonment and need to be proved beyond reasonable doubt,” he said.

Australian Federal Police National Response Operations Detective Superintendent Joanne Cameron said it would be simple to put the increase down to a rise in offending, but she was more confident in saying the increase was because of the community becoming more aware of the problem and more confident in the justice system.

Superintendent Cameron said it was important to note that not all referrals result in a case following investigation and could lead to other action including referring the alleged victim to supporting agencies.

“At least we get them out of that exploitation and give them support,” she said.

She agreed with Mr de Crespigny that cases came down to witness statements, adding that there were similarities between dealing with trafficking victims and victims of family violence.

“You have vulnerable people and a criminal justice system that needs to be very aware of their vulnerabilities so they aren’t re-traumatised by the whole process of going to court,” she said.

Superintendent Cameron said trafficking may involve the victim entering Australia under a false identity or legitimately.

“A person gets duped into believing they’re coming into Australia for a reason, to do legitimate work,” she said.

‘‘When they get here … it’s possible they have their passport and identity documents taken.”

She said it was common for people to then be told they had to work off a debt whether in the sex industry, construction or working 12 hours a day on a farm.

“It is extraordinary wrong­doing and strikes at the heart of why a lot of people need police — to help victims,” she said.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/human-trafficking-cases-on-rise/news-story/5c6bb19cc245f692fe7f0eb1dd317f03

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8022176 (041802ZFEB20) Notable: AusAnon's custom number plates - DOITQ, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: THANKS Q FROM AUSSIE ANONS.png

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Thanks for all your hard work bakers.

POTUS and Q - thank you for saving us.🙏

Will rock these plates for you once a few more of my VIC frens wake up. Too dangerous right now. Surrounded by aggressive blue pills, unfortunately.

GOD BLESS AND GODSPEED

WWG1WGA!

🌎🌍🌏🕊️

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8036310 (051750ZFEB20) Notable: Jeffrey Epstein victims’ lawyer claims she has a NEW witness who saw Prince Andrew with Virginia Roberts at nightclub, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: Prince Andrew claims he has no recollection of meeting Virginia Roberts.jpg, The royal has consistently denied allegations against him.jpg, Lisa Bloom appears with Radd Seiger to discuss their cases.jpg, Lisa Bloom said she wanted justice for Epstein's victims.jpg

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Jeffrey Epstein victims’ lawyer claims she has a NEW witness who saw Prince Andrew with Virginia Roberts at nightclub

A LAWYER for Jeffrey Epstein's victims claims she has a NEW witness who saw Prince Andrew dancing with Virginia Roberts at the Tramp nightclub.

Lisa Bloom said the woman had been partying with a friend when she accidentally stepped on a fellow reveller's toes at the exclusive nightspot in London in 2001 - before realising it was the royal.

And the witness claimed she saw the prince with a young woman - since recognising her as a young Virginia Roberts, who claims she had sex with Andrew when she was a teen.

Prince Andrew has denied the allegations, stating he has "no recollection" of meeting Ms Roberts and was instead at a Pizza Express in Woking for a party on the night in question.

Speaking today, lawyer Ms Bloom said she had been approached by the witness after Prince Andrew's interview with Newsnight.

She said: "Her story is this - she was there in the nightclub and she stepped on the foot of somebody who was dancing next to her.

"She said 'I'm sorry', he said 'that's OK'.

"The friend she was there with said 'don't you realise you just stepped on the foot of the member of Royal Family - that's Prince Andrew'.

"(The witness) thought to herself 'oh my God I'm in the presence of a royal'.

"She had never been in the presence of a royal before, she never has been since.

"It was a very big moment to her."

Lisa added: "She says she frankly stared at him and gawked at him because he was a prince.

"After she was done staring at him, she looked at who he was with and it was a very young girl about her age.

"In the photographs she has seen since, she identifies that young woman, that girl I should say, as Virginia Roberts."

PIZZA EXPRESS CLAIM

Prince Andrew has denied claims he was ever at the nightclub on March 10, saying he had taken his daughter Beatrice to the restaurant.

He said: "I've only been to Woking a couple of times and I remember it weirdly distinctly.

"As soon as somebody reminded me of it, I went 'oh yes, I remember that'. But I have no recollection of ever meeting or being in the company or the presence."

But Lisa said the new witness was "incensed" by Prince Andrew's claims, saying: "She felt it was her obligation as a citizen to come forward."

She added the witness was now willing to speak to the FBI if they needed.

UNITED FRONT

Today, Lisa Bloom sat down with the spokesperson for the family of Harry Dunn, Radd Seiger, as they called on more to be done in both cases.

Harry, 19, was tragically killed near RAF Croughton in August last year, with suspect Anne Sacoolas - the wife of a US diplomat - fleeing the country.

Despite being charged, the 42-year-old has not returned to the UK.

An extradition request to the US was also turned down.

Both Ms Bloom and the Dunn family have demanded Ms Sacoolas return to the UK to face justice, while saying Prince Andrew should likewise answer questions from the FBI.

Ms Bloom said the "parallels between the two cases are eerie" and involved "everyday teenagers" who were "victimised".

She said: "Today we stand with the family of Harry Dunn and they stand with us. Both Mrs Sacoolas and Prince Andrew must cooperate with law enforcement.

"I call upon my government, the US to return Mrs Sacoolas to the UK to face justice."

US authorities recently claimed they had received "zero cooperation" from Prince Andrew despite him stating he was "willing" to speak with them about his friendship with paedo Jeffrey Epstein.

It has since been reported the FBI had been trying to interview the under-fire royal since November.

Prince Andrew has repeatedly denied any knowledge of Epstein's crimes.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/10898997/jeffrey-epstein-lawyer-new-witness-prince-andrew-virginia-roberts/

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8046697 (060736ZFEB20) Notable: Pyne under fire for comments about cyber attack on Parliament, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: Christopher Pyne has been rebuked for his comments on the hack against parliament.jpg

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Pyne under fire for comments about cyber attack on Parliament

Former defence minister Christopher Pyne has been rebuked by Federal Parliament for suggesting a cyber attack was "much worse" than the public had been told.

Speaker of the House of Representatives Tony Smith condemned Mr Pyne's comments about the hack on Parliament's computer network in January 2019, saying any suggestion the public had been kept in the dark about the extent of the hack was "false".

In an interview with former Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet secretary Martin Parkinson on his podcast Pyne Time, Mr Pyne said the cyber attack was serious but he could never talk about the true extent of it.

"You and I know how much worse it all was, which we can never talk about," Mr Pyne said with a chuckle to Mr Parkinson.

Mr Smith told Parliament on Thursday he and Senate President Scott Ryan received detailed briefings from the Australian Signals Directorate and the Department of Parliamentary Services after the cyber attack that informed their public statements.

"Communication and management of the incident was guided by the information available to us as presiding officers in the context of the parliamentary computing network," Mr Smith said. "Of course, as we pointed out, our statements balanced the need for transparency with discretion on matters of national security.

"But any inference that our statements to the parliament to this issue were inaccurate or misleading as to the seriousness of the situation is false. I stand by the statements made by the President of the Senate and myself.

"I would just finally say the podcast also refers to a cyber intrusion at the Australian National University ... So perhaps it shouldn't be inferred that the comments necessarily relate to the parliamentary network. The important point is the president and I have no further information or knowledge as to what Mr Pyne meant."

The comment has caused concern within senior levels of the government after Prime Minister Scott Morrison last year assured Australians the government had "chosen to be transparent" about the attack.

In a letter to Mr Smith, Labor's assistant spokesman for cyber security, Tim Watts, said Mr Pyne's comments risked undermining public confidence in the statements of the Prime Minister and presiding officers.

Mr Watts said he was conscious of the need to balance transparency with discretion, but Mr Pyne's comments that the incident was "much worse" than publicly revealed was "not easily dismissed".

"Given this, I am writing to you to seek your guidance about what steps you intend to take in response to Mr Pyne's comments to ensure the Australian public is able to have confidence in their understanding of the nature and extent of these attacks," Mr Watts said.

"As I know you are aware, cyber attacks on democratic institutions have become common place around the world in recent times. A common intent of these attacks is to undermine public confidence in the integrity of these institutions and democratic processes more broadly.

"In this context, it is a national security imperative that the public has confidence in what they are told about the nature and impact of cyber attacks on Australia's democratic institutions."

Mr Pyne was contacted for comment but had not responded by deadline.

Although the Morrison government has never publicly confirmed it, senior government sources have said Australian intelligence determined China was responsible for the malware attack.

Mr Parkinson told Mr Pyne he was "amazed" at how little concern was expressed by the public when cyber attacks were reported.

"Look at [the attack on] ANU … we should be appalled by this, look at what happened to Parliament House – we should be appalled," the former most senior bureaucrat said.

Mr Parkinson said there was "no question that the level of cyber attacks and political interference had "gone through the roof".

"And that's not good, that's eroding our sovereignty, and we must, and are, responding to that … but to then take it to the sort of level of hysteria where if somebody is a member of the Chinese diaspora, automatically they seem to have some sort of mark against them ..." he said.

(continued)

https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/politics/federal/pyne-under-fire-for-joking-about-cyber-attack-on-parliament-20200205-p53xxz.html

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8057610 (070512ZFEB20) Notable: Arthur Sinodinos Tweet: Humbled to represent Australia as custodian of our most important bilateral relationship, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: Arthur Sinodinos, right, meets US President Donald Trump.jpg, AS_1.jpg, EQI5EN0XsAI25bm.jpeg

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First stop White House as Australia’s new ambassador to US Arthur Sinodinos meets Trump

Australia’s new Ambassador to the United States Arthur Sinodinos says he is ‘humbled’ to represent his country in overseeing the relationship with its most important ally.

Mr Sinodinos, who arrived in the US this week, met with Donald Trump at the White House on Friday to present his credentials.

“It was an honour to present my credentials this morning, with my wife Elizabeth, as Australia’s Ambassador to the United States to President Trump,” the former Senator said.

“I could not be more proud or humbled to represent Australia as custodian of our most important bilateral relationship.”

Mr Sinodinos replaces former Ambassador Joe Hockey at a time when relations between the two countries are strong with no major bilateral disputes.

After initially clashing with then Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull over the refugee deal in early 2017, Mr Trump has since adopted a positive view of the relationship with Australia.

In 2018 he exempted Australia from his new steel and aluminium tariffs and last year he threw a rare state dinner in Washington to honour Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

Mr Sinodinos first came to public attention during his highly successful stint as chief of staff to the then prime minister John Howard from 1997 to 2006.

After several years in the business world, he was elected as a liberal Senator from 2011 to 2019 serving for awhile as a Cabinet minister in the Turnbull government.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/first-stop-white-house-as-australias-new-ambassador-to-us-arthur-sinodinos-meets-trump/news-story/54c77fe2ecb52080f19663c06b372251

—

Arthur Sinodinos Tweet

Honoured to present my credentials as [Australian] Ambassador to the [United States] to President Trump with my wife Elizabeth.

I could not be more proud or humbled to represent Australia as custodian of our most important bilateral relationship

White House [photo]: Joyce N. Boghosian

https://twitter.com/A_Sinodinos/status/1225604800408104960

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8057821 (070524ZFEB20) Notable: Psychiatrist struck off for posting 'bizarre' QAnon conspiracy theories, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: ClipboardImage.png

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Hit peace on one of our good guys... They attack the ones that are [Their] biggest threat.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/feb/07/psychiatrist-struck-off-for-posting-bizarre-qanon-conspiracy-theories

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8058648 (070653ZFEB20) Notable: #QAnon currently trending on Twitter in Australia - 5:45 pm, Friday 7 February 2020, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: QAnon_Trending_In_Australia_7-Feb-2020.jpg, QAnon_#9.jpg

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#QAnon currently trending on Twitter in Australia

5:45 pm

Friday, 7 February 2020 (AEDT)

https://trends24.in/australia/

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8062983 (071835ZFEB20) Notable: Video: Sky News Australia - When Australian news seems to get it more than a majority of the MSM in America…, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: 10317_1.png, 10317_2.mp4

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Repost from Q Research General #10317

>>12416 (pb)

When Australian news seems to get it more than a majority of the MSM in America…

https://twitter.com/M2Madness/status/1225763735358316544

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8068946 (080313ZFEB20) Notable: Charged ALP lobbyist found dead before he was due to face court on child sex charges, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: Andres Puig.jpg

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Charged ALP lobbyist found dead

A Labor high-flyer and political lobbyist has died just months before he was due to face court on child sex charges.

Andres Puig was found dead at his East Melbourne home yesterday. Police confirmed the development and said a report would be compiled for the coroner.

“Police will prepare a report for the coroner following the death of a man in East Melbourne on Friday night,” Victoria Police said.

“The man was located deceased in his Powlett Street home shortly before 6.30pm. The death is not being treated as suspicious.”

Police charged Mr Puig, an influential political lobbyist with child sex offences and producing and possessing child pornography. The former assistant state secretary of the Victorian ALP with impeccable Labor connections has been listed to appear in Melbourne Magistrates Court on April 16.

Mr Puig failed to respond to telephone and text requests from The Weekend Australian on Friday to detail the nature of the police charges.

The 44-year-old was charged by Footscray police after being investigated for the offences, allegedly committed last year.

The investigation ramped up last October, and it’s believed Mr Puig was more recently arrested and charged, before being bailed. “It’s very early in the legal process,” a source said.

In a statement, a Victoria Police spokesman said: “Police have charged a 44-year-old East Melbourne man with ‘enter agreement for child sex services’ and ‘produce and possess child pornography’. The charges relate to alleged offences in 2019. The man has been bailed and will appear at Melbourne Magistrates Court.”

Mr Puig built his reputation as a political machine man in the 1990s and 2000s. He is well connected within the union movement and rose to ALP assistant state secretary in the early 2000s.

After leaving the ALP, Mr Puig helped build Civic Group into a lobbying powerhouse across both sides of politics but appears to have cut ties with the firm. Company records reveal the Argentinian-born lobbyist ceased being a director of several Civic­related entities on October 10, 2019. “There’s no coincidence he disappeared from public life at this time,” a source said. “It’s the same time the investigation ramped up.”

A Labor source said Mr Puig had been keeping a low profile more recently. “He seems to have gone missing in the past few months,” the source said.

In the lead-up to Labor’s 2014 election victory, Mr Puig was embroiled in controversy when several staff within then opposition leader Daniel Andrews’s office broke ranks and raised concerns about his influence on policy. Three Labor staffers raised concerns there was a conflict with Mr Puig providing strategic advice to Labor, which went on to win the 2014 election, while representing developers who could benefit from policy decisions. “He’s everywhere,” one staffer said in 2014.

If you or someone you know may be at risk of suicide, call Lifeline (131114), Kids Helpline (1800 551 800), Beyond Blue (1300 224 636)

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/child-sex-charges-for-alp-lobbyist-andres-puig/news-story/0ea91b5b18be12c32978ec4bc88085ad

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8071296 (080801ZFEB20) Notable: Pedophiles coerce kids as young as three to film themselves, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: ‘When we give a child a ­connected device, we are potentially allowing a stranger into their lives,’ says eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant.jpg, Letter to Mark Zuckerberg - National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children - February 2020.pdf

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Pedophiles coerce kids as young as three to film themselves

There has been a spike in child sexual abuse videos and images being made by children themselves on their mobile phones under the instruction of pedophiles.

New figures revealed exclusively to The Weekend Australian by the eSafety Commissioner show a doubling in overall investigations into online child sexual abuse and other abhorrent violent material online, up from about 10,000 in 2018 to nearly 20,000 last year. Among the material, investigators say, they are seeing a higher volume of “coerced, self-generated child sexual abuse material involving children”, some as young as three years old.

The videos seen by investigators include many cases of children, either alone or in a group, recording themselves on their mobile phones or webcams taking off their clothes, and engaging in sexual acts.

The children are acting at the instruction of a person on the other end of the phone, who is recording it.

Many of these videos are then shared in pedophile forums on the clear or the dark web. “When we give a child a connected device, we are potentially allowing a stranger into their lives,” said Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant. “And our research reveals that 94 per cent of parents have given their child access to an online device by the age of four. In this context it is disturbing that we are seeing an increasing volume of coerced, self-generated child sexual abuse material online.”

Ahead of Safer Internet Day next Tuesday, Ms Inman Grant also endorsed a letter sent on Thursday to Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg from more than 100 child safety advocates and organisations urging him to ditch his plan for end-to-end encryption on all its platforms, including the popular Facebook Messenger. The groups are worried that encryption will increase the risk to children by allowing abusers to escalate their grooming activity without fear of detection.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/pedophiles-coerce-kids-as-young-as-three-to-film-themselves/news-story/a7bb98f52febb800a5dfa9c78c082123

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/globalassets/documents/policy/letter-to-mark-zuckerberg-february-2020.pdf

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8071343 (080811ZFEB20) Notable: It’s now or never for the President to hold the U.K., Australia, Italy and Ukraine accountable for spying, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: GP_151.jpg

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New George Papadopoulos Tweet

It’s now or never for the President to hold the U.K., Australia, Italy and Ukraine accountable for spying and attempting to sabotage the campaign. If they are not exposed now, this dark chapter in American history will repeat. Our democratic process is at stake.

https://twitter.com/GeorgePapa19/status/1225922084217311232

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8071562 (080900ZFEB20) Notable: Virginia Roberts Giuffre Twitter Thread - Thank you Australia for being my sanctuary, a safe place for kids to grow up, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: VGR_9.jpg

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Virginia Roberts Giuffre Twitter Thread

Ali @2013Gould

BS raises flag in UK for this Honourable Man yeah rite! If I hear one Bell chiming for 60th celebration Royal family need to understand the people know of Andrew it can not be brushed under the carpet. Stay Strong Virginia TWEET MORE!!

Virginia Giuffre @VRSVirginia

Thank you for being upset by this I’m bloody fuming!! We the people have to stand united in one belief that it IS NOT OK TO SEXUALLY ABUSE ANYONE- EVER!! Why that is so hard for anyone to understand is beyond me. #Justice #EnoughIsEnough #PrinceAndrew #DontRingTheBells

Duchess AdiosBogart @Meggone2

He isn't welcome in Australia anymore. No one wants to greet him. Your message has been received here loud and clear.

Virginia Giuffre @VRSVirginia

Thats because Aussies have a zero tolerance for anyone involved in sex crimes. Thank you Australia for being my sanctuary, a safe place for kids to grow up and my personal favourite, only 1 person turned out for his last visit.

https://twitter.com/VRSVirginia/status/1225684741703139328

—

Lonely Prince Andrew in Australia: Few fans turn out to greet queen’s embattled son

The single fan who greeted Andrew at an event in Perth agreed that his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein had ‘marred his credibility,’ a report said.

October 4, 2019

The fan who greeted Andrew, school teacher Renae Grljusich-Poolman, told the Australian that the turnout for Queen Elizabeth’s second son was “disappointing.” But she agreed that concerns about Andrew’s friendship with the now-deceased sex offender Epstein had “marred his credibility,” the Australian reported.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/10/04/lonely-prince-andrew-in-australia-few-fans-turn-out-to-greet-queens-embattled-son/

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8071627 (080912ZFEB20) Notable: Westpac knew anti-crime provisions were inadequate years ago, MPs told, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: Labor senator Deborah O’Neill has read out a secret report that warned Westpac was at risk of breaching anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorism financing laws two years before legal action was brought against it.jpg

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Westpac knew anti-crime provisions were inadequate years ago, MPs told

Labor senator reads out secret report in parliamentary inquiry over objections from bank

Westpac knew its ability to fight financial crime was inadequate two years before legal action in November in which authorities accused it of 23m breaches of the law that included allowing customers to pay for child exploitation in the Philippines, federal parliament has heard.

The bank’s risk of breaching anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorism finance (AML-CTF) laws was unacceptably high and the bank accepted it needed to improve its systems, the prudential regulator was told in a secret report delivered by accounting firm EY in 2017.

On Friday, Labor senator Deborah O’Neill read out sections of the report during a committee inquiry into auditors, steamrolling through objections from Westpac executives and warnings from the chair of the committee, Liberal James Paterson.

O’Neill also blasted Westpac for refusing to give the committee a list of documents she requested on 28 January, and only informing the committee of its position at 6.30pm on Thursday night.

The report was prepared by EY for the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (Apra) so that Westpac could comply with a prudential standard, CPS 220, that requires it to have systems in place to monitor and mitigate its risk.

O’Neill said: “EY’s overall conclusion was the design of Westpac’s risk management framework was overall adequate, appropriate and partially effective for an institution of the size and complexity of Westpac.”

However, EY found that “risk identification, assessment and management of non-financial risk was evaluated as partially effective and partially adequate”.

“Westpac has noted that financial crime is an area that requires improvement,” she said, reading from the report.

She continued: “The risk of breaching AML-CTF obligations has at times been outside of appetite and we observe there have been issues across several jurisdictions reflecting heightened regulatory expectations and an acknowledgment by Westpac that its current AML-CTF capabilities require improvement.”

“Outside of appetite” is a term meaning that the risk of a breach of the law was higher than management of the bank was willing to accept.

“Westpac are investing in the roll-out of a new transaction monitoring system … to enhance its financial crime capability,” O’Neill said, again reading from the report.

Westpac’s chief risk officer, David Stephen, who was giving evidence to the hearing, repeatedly complained that the report had been provided to the committee on a confidential basis.

He and the acting chief financial officer, Gary Thursby, declined to answer most of O’Neill’s questions on the basis that Westpac was facing multiple investigations and lawsuits over the breaches.

Australia’s financial intelligence agency, Austrac, launched federal court legal action against Westpac over the alleged breaches on 20 November last year, sending the bank’s share price into a steep decline.

While most of the 23m breaches alleged by Austrac relate to its treatment of international funds transfer instructions, the regulator also alleged it failed to stop a dozen customers making more than 3,000 low-value payments to the Philippines that were consistent with child exploitation.

These customers included six who had repeatedly travelled to the Philippines or south-east Asia and one who had a prior conviction for child abuse, Austrac said in court documents.

The lawsuit resulted in the former chief executive Brian Hartzer, chairman Lindsay Maxsted and the non-executive director responsible for oversight of risk, Ewen Crouch, tendering their resignations.

Thursby was elevated into his current role as a temporary replacement for Peter King, who is acting as CEO until a new boss is found.

O’Neill savaged the bank over its lack of cooperation with the committee, saying that despite its ability to command legions of lawyers it had failed to make a proper application for public interest immunity against production of documents.

“Your counsel simply doesn’t understand the rights of parliament to demand that information,” she told Stephen and Thursby.

Stephen apologised for the lateness of Westpac’s letter on Thursday night.

“With the benefit of hindsight that communication wasn’t appropriate,” he said.

(continued)

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/feb/07/westpac-knew-anti-crime-provisions-were-inadequate-years-ago-mps-told

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8081538 (091039ZFEB20) Notable: Dassi Erlich Tweet: Tomorrow-bipartisan motion in Parliament will demand Leifer return to face justice!, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: DE_5.jpg

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Dassi Erlich Tweet

Tomorrow-bipartisan motion in Parliament will demand Leifer return to face justice! Important this issue remains outstanding in the minds of Israel legal & political establishment.

Validated this frustrating process will not be ignored by Au until extradition honoured by Israel.

https://twitter.com/dassi_erlich/status/1226299090301927424

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8088032 (100415ZFEB20) Notable: Malka Leifer Extradition Motion to be heard in Parliament, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: From left - Josh Burns, Dave Sharma, Dassi Erlich and Nicole Meyer outside Parliament.jpg

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>>175662

Motion to be heard in Parliament

Labor MP Josh Burns and Liberal MP Dave Sharma will tonight (Monday) move a motion calling for the urgent extradition of alleged child sexual abuser Malka Leifer.

FEDERAL MPs Josh Burns and Dave Sharma will tonight (Monday) move a motion in Parliament calling for alleged child sexual abuser Malka Leifer to be extradited to Australia.

The bipartisan motion – which is expected to pass the house – will acknowledge “the bravery of Ms Leifer’s alleged victims – especially Dassi Erlich, Nicole Meyer and Elly Sapper for their tireless pursuit of justice”, and note that “over five years have elapsed, and over 60 court hearings have been held in Israel, since this extradition request was first lodged, without any significant progress having been made”.

It will also call for the “immediate extradition of Malka Leifer to Australia to face 74 charges of child sexual abuse”.

Alleged victim Dassi Erlich welcomed the motion, stating it was “important this issue remains outstanding in the minds of the Israeli legal and political establishment”.

She said she felt “validated this frustrating process will not be ignored” by the Australian government until extradition proceedings are honoured by Israel.

“To our friends in Israel we say: it is time to act. Do the right thing and support justice for victims in both our countries,” Sharma said.

“We have been exceptionally patient in this case, but enough is enough.”

“Allegations of interference in this case, especially by the Israeli Minister for Health, Yaakov Litzman, are shameful,” Burns added.

https://ajn.timesofisrael.com/motion-to-be-heard-in-parliament/

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8089252 (100617ZFEB20) Notable: Court to decide if serial WA paedophile should remain in community, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: Supreme Court of Western Australia.jpg

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Court to decide if serial WA paedophile should remain in community

A former athletics coach who groomed and abused several young girls and breached his bail conditions three times after being released will remain in the community until the court makes a decision on his supervision order in June.

Ross Finch O'Brien, 68, was first sentenced to four years in jail in 2000 for abusing five girls aged between seven and 12 who he was coaching in a Little Athletics program.

Between 1991 and 1999, O'Brien befriended the parents of some children before touching the young girls over the clothing or near their genitals and kissing them on the mouth.

After taking part in a sex offender treatment program, O'Brien was released on parole in 2002 but was sent back to jail in 2007 after abusing two young sisters he was babysitting.

O'Brien, who had again befriended the mother of the girls, abused the sisters several times and on one occasion penetrated the eight-year-old. He also recorded and photographed the victims.

At the time of his arrest, police found more than 7000 images and video files of young children being abused as well as several short stories about child pornography in his computer.

He was sentenced to nine years and two months in jail but was released again in 2015 under a strict supervision order subject to 45 stringent conditions, including the prohibition to collect, in electronic or permanent form, images of children.

Shortly after being released, O'Brien breached his supervision order by going to the home of a sex worker to access her services.

He breached the order again a year later when he was found with several non-sexual images of children cut from magazines and newspapers stored along with his adult pornography.

O'Brien pleaded guilty of the offences at Busselton Magistrates Court in December 2016 and was sentenced to nine months imprisonment, suspended for two years.

While he hadn't committed any further offences since 2016, psychological reports showed O'Brien continued to have an "entrenched and ongoing sexually deviant interest in young girls".

Dr Gosia Wojnarowska, who diagnosed O'Brien with paedophilia in 2016, said the 68-year-old's behaviour could escalate once he felt "secure in his ability to deceive".

Dr Wojnarowska's findings were echoed in a report by psychologist Sarah Ballantyne in March 2019, which found O'Brien had a tendency to "test boundaries" and showed "resistance or rejection" to supervision.

She said O'Brien failed to take responsibility for his behaviour, and continued to fantasise about young women despite denying he had an interest in prepubescent girls.

"Though some improvement has been reported ... he has failed to engage meaningfully with offence and risk-specific attempts to discuss his sexual functioning, interests and strategies for managing or appropriately meeting those needs," she said.

Both Dr Wojnarowska and Ms Ballantyne found O'Brien was a serious danger to the community and needed to remain under supervision.

The 68-year-old will undergo an examination by psychiatrist Dr Wojnarowska and psychologist Jule Hasson before facing the WA Supreme Court in June 3, when a decision will be made about extending his supervision order.

It is anticipated that O'Brien, who lives in Busselton, will move to Pinjarra to live with family.

https://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/court-to-decide-if-serial-wa-paedophile-should-remain-in-community-20200210-p53zea.html

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8089264 (100618ZFEB20) Notable: Sir Ron Brierley expected to plead not guilty to child abuse charges, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: Sir Ron Brierley leaves the Downing Centre on Monday.jpg, The court heard Sir Ron intends to plead not guilty to the charges.jpg

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Sir Ron Brierley expected to plead not guilty to child abuse charges

Millionaire businessman and former corporate raider Sir Ron Brierley is expected to plead not guilty to charges of possessing hundreds of thousands of child abuse images and videos and "typed stories" about "the rape of children".

Sir Ron appeared at the Downing Centre Local Court on Monday using a cane for his first court appearance, less than two months after he was arrested at Sydney International Airport.

The 82-year-old was detained by Australian Border Force officials while attempting to board an early morning flight from Sydney to Fiji in December. Detectives seized his carry-on bags, laptop and electronic storage units and allegedly discovered more than 200,000 images and 512 videos.

He was subsequently charged with six counts of possessing child exploitation material.

The charges against Sir Ron include possessing images and videos of "young girls aged between approximately two and 15 years of age in sexually suggestive poses", court documents state.

Two of the charges relate to the alleged possession of documents, "being typed stories that spoke of the rape of children".

On Monday Sir Ron's defence lawyer Penny Musgrave told the court her client was intending to plead not guilty to the charges against him, however she said a plea was yet to be formally entered.

The matter returns to court on April 2, when Sir Ron has been excused from attending.

The investigation into the recently retired corporate titan was prompted by an anonymous tip to NSW Police in August last year. His airport arrest four months later came after a travel alert was issued by police. He has since been on strict conditional bail that requires him to live at his Point Piper mansion.

Sir Ron made his reputation in Australia and his native New Zealand by targeting poorly run and undervalued companies. He was worth nearly $200 million in the late 1980s and was widely considered one of the most admired and feared corporate raiders operating in Australia.

Born and raised in Wellington, Sir Ron had already made his mark in New Zealand business circles when he emigrated to Australia in the 1980s. By 1988 he had been knighted for his "services to business management and the community".

In December 2015, Sir Ron, through his new company, Mercantile Investment, launched a hostile takeover of Australian shipping company Richfield International. Late last year, he spearheaded a bid, through Mercantile, for Mark Bouris' wealth management company Yellow Brick Road. Mr Bouris rejected the bid as "grossly inadequate".

Sir Ron stepped down from Mercantile in June, citing "age and ill health".

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/sir-ron-brierley-expected-to-plead-not-guilty-to-child-abuse-charges-20200210-p53z8i.html

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8092565 (101737ZFEB20) Notable: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES - SPEECH - Dave Sharma, MP - Monday, 10 February 2020, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: screencapture-parlinfo-aph-gov-au.png, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES - Dave Sharma, MP - PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS.pdf

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES - Federation Chamber - PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS

Leifer, Ms Malka - SPEECH - Monday, 10 February 2020

Speaker Sharma, Dave, MP

Mr SHARMA (Wentworth) (18:46): I move:

(1) notes that Malka Leifer, the former Principal of the Adass Israel Girls School in Melbourne, fled Australia in 2008 as child sexual abuse allegations against her surfaced;

(2) reaffirms the formal extradition request that was filed by Australia in 2014 requesting she be returned to Victoria to face 74 charges of child sexual abuse;

(3) acknowledges the bravery of Ms Leifer's alleged victims - especially Dassi Erlich, Nicole Meyer and Elly Sapper for their tireless pursuit of justice;

(4) further notes that over five years have elapsed, and over 60 court hearings have been held in Israel, since this extradition request was first lodged, without any significant progress having been made;

(5) expresses regret and concern at the numerous attempts to prevent and delay Malka Leifer facing justice in Australia; and

(6) calls for the immediate extradition of Malka Leifer to Australia to face 74 charges of child sexual abuse.

I wish to address the House today about an important issue of justice. Ms Malka Leifer, who was principal of the Adass Israel School in Elsternwick, Melbourne, bolted from Australia in 2008, two days after she was sacked by the school board amid allegations surrounding inappropriate relationships with some of the pupils at the school.

In 2013, 74 charges of sexual assault were filed against Ms Leifer in connection with her time at Adass school. In 2014, Australia made a formal request for the extradition of Ms Leifer in order to face these 74 charges. In the same year, in August 2014, this extradition request was filed in the Jerusalem district court. I recall this well. I was living in Israel at the time, representing Australia as our ambassador. I distinctly recall receiving and formally conveying our extradition request. I expected it would be a straightforward case, that the wheels of justice would turn and that, within the space of 12 to 18 months, we would see Ms Leifer extradited to Australia in order to face justice for these most grave and serious charges levelled against her.

But I regret to report that in the five years that have elapsed since the extradition request was first made the wheels of justice have stalled. There have now been upwards of 60 court hearings in this case and yet only now are we just beginning, painfully slowly, to see the wheels of justice break free from their shackles and ever so perceptibly begin gradually to turn. The actual petition for extradition has in fact never been argued before the courts in Israel because, prior to each hearing, Ms Leifer would claim to be experiencing a psychiatric episode and fail to appear before the court. This behaviour is not only an affront to justice; it is deeply traumatic for the victims of this abuse, it is damaging to Israel's reputation and it is increasingly becoming a point of contention and friction in our otherwise positive and productive relationship with Israel.

.....

Members of the House would be aware that, in a further twist in this case, the Israeli police have recommended the indictment of the Health Minister, Yaakov Litzman, in Israel for allegedly pressuring the officials in his office to prevent the extradition. This is an exceptionally serious allegation. If true, this would be a gross interference in the course of justice. I hope and, indeed, I expect that it will be fulsomely and fearlessly investigated.

In December last year, the member for Macnamara, Josh Burns, and I met with Dassi Erlich and Nicole Meyer, two victims of Malka Leifer's abuse who came to personally lobby for fast-tracked extradition. The passion and determination that Dassi and Nicole and others have shown in continuing to fight for justice in this case is inspiring. Nicole said of her motivations:

We're trying to send a message to all survivors that even if you have been abused life can go on, justice can be served, and we want to stand strong on behalf of all others, not just ourselves.

(continued)

https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;db=CHAMBER;id=chamber/hansardr/be8a2537-4a84-4dc2-b27b-28f392b06329/0262;query=Id:%22chamber/hansardr/be8a2537-4a84-4dc2-b27b-28f392b06329/0262%22

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8099739 (110655ZFEB20) Notable: The “meetings” in London between myself and Downer/Halper were the same exact set up, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: GP_152.jpg, GP_153.jpg, GP_154.jpg, GP_155.jpg, EQcyzttUUAAsr2X.jpg

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New George Papadopoulos Tweets

(1/2) When you have an Australian diplomat, Alexander Downer, and his intermediaries meet with an advisor to two Presidential campaigns (Carson/Trump) between 2015-2016, record a conversation, and ask bizarre open ended questions about my personal business and public info on...

https://twitter.com/GeorgePapa19/status/1226954581864632320

(2/2) Clinton and Russia after you have been summoned to spy on this advisor for the sole purpose to try and sabotage a rival presidential campaign with fake info, and then lie to the President, you can understand why Australia’s feet are to the fire now.

https://twitter.com/GeorgePapa19/status/1226954887008677889

—

The Australian government was mocking candidate Trump to my face and spying on his team, the U.K. prime minister was the only leader who called him “stupid and wrong” and is also neck deep in the Halper crisis, Durham is probing both countries. The findings will change history.

https://twitter.com/GeorgePapa19/status/1226958142078144512

—

The moment it’s clear that the “meetings” in London between myself and Downer/Halper were the same exact set up, the faster the investigations will proceed.

https://twitter.com/GeorgePapa19/status/1227005292786806784

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8099743 (110658ZFEB20) Notable: Struggling Biden touts experience, vows to rebuild Australia alliance, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: Joe Biden touted his foreign relations experience, his biggest natural advantage over the rest of the Democrat field.jpg

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Struggling Biden touts experience, vows to rebuild Australia alliance

Manchester, New Hampshire | Former vice-president Joe Biden has rejected Donald Trump's aggressive transactional approach to geopolitics and vowed to restore America's alliances, including with Australia and others in the Asia-Pacific region.

As he battles for his political life against a upstart Pete Buttigieg and Bernie Sanders - the independent senator who enters the final leg of the New Hampshire primary in the lead - Mr Biden touted his foreign relations experience, his biggest natural advantage over the rest of the Democrat field.

"The next president will inherit a world in disarray on day one," Mr Biden told a crowd of supporters in Hudson late on Sunday (Monday AEDT). "There will be no time for on-the-job training . . . . it's not like any other time in modern history."

Australia scored a rare mention in what has otherwise been a primary campaign season almost exclusively focussed on domestic issues, as Mr Biden name-checked it as one of his alliance priorities in office.

"The day he or she stands behind the podium, or behind that desk . . . . world leaders will have to know who that person is and understand him or her, and he has to demonstrate he knows them," Mr Biden said.

"I would be back on the phone to [Japanese prime minister Shinzo] Abe . . . I would be putting back the alliance between South Korea and Japan and Australia, because we need to.

"These are things I have done my whole career.

"And it is not because we are looking to go to war; we are looking to avoid going to war," he said.

Mr Biden's emphasis on his foreign policy credentials contrasts with most of his leading rivals, who have focused their campaigns on issues such as Medicare for all, gun control and grander pledges such as a "Green New Deal" on climate change and fee-free university education.

If he falters in coming weeks as the Democratic nomination heats up, the lack of foreign policy experience among many of the other candidates underscores the degree to which this year's election will affect Australia and other US allies, some of which are questioning Washington's resolve on key geopolitical issues.

"Biden is seeking to demonstrate to the region that the United States under his administration would be back in the multilateral security business," said Patrick Buchan, director of the US alliance project at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.

"It's about seeking to signal to allies that the US sees its security best locked in through the alliance structure."

Mr Buchan said the former vice-president was also trying to differentiate himself from President Donald Trump in that he wants the help of "South Korea and Japan, in addition to the third key ally, Australia, in managing China", Mr Buchan said.

While Mr Biden's support for a return to strong US support for multilateral arrangements such as NATO would be welcomed in many western capitals, it's not clear it's the kind of message that will resonate with voters in New Hampshire. Nor would it win a presidential race against Mr Trump, whose aggressive "America first" stance is at the core of this political base.

A flurry of last-minute polls on Sunday showed Mr Biden struggling to break into the top three candidates in the state, the first in the nation to hold a primary. As in Iowa last week, Mr Biden is expected to come in fourth, with 12.7 per cent of the vote, according to polling tracker FiveThirtyEight.

Ahead of him are Senator Elizabeth Warren (13.1 per cent), the Iowa winner Mr Buttigieg (20.9 per cent) and Senator Sanders (25.8 per cent).

Analysts have warned that another weak result in New Hampshire by Mr Biden could be the death of his 2020 campaign, which is his third attempt at the White House since 1988.

(continued)

https://www.afr.com/world/north-america/struggling-biden-touts-experience-vows-to-rebuild-australia-alliance-20200210-p53z92

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8110733 (120628ZFEB20) Notable: Brennan was running this spying scandal against us along with Australia, the U.K., Ukraine and Italy, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: GP_155.jpg

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>>175669

Stop focusing on the errand boys like Strzok and Comey. Brennan was running this spying scandal against us along with Australia, the U.K., Ukraine and Italy. You want to hit back? Go after them.

https://twitter.com/GeorgePapa19/status/1227421339943747591

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8112938 (121549ZFEB20) Notable: 'Every parent's worst nightmare': Child rapist to die behind bars after horrific Sydney dance studio attack, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: Anthony Sampieri will die behind bars after being jailed for the rape of a seven-year-old girl.jpg, Anthony Sampieri was on parole at the time of the attack.jpg, Witness Nick Gilio intervened and was slashed across the back of the head.jpg

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>>175672

Image attachment/display test...

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8130996 (140453ZFEB20) Notable: Australian MP Announces Visit to Belmarsh Prison Amid Rising Calls for Julian Assange to Be Freed, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: Andrew Wilkie MP.mp4, Senator Peter Wish-Wilson.mp4

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Australian MP Announces Visit to Belmarsh Prison Amid Rising Calls for Julian Assange to Be Freed

Pressure on Australian politicians to speak out in the case of Julian Assange continues to build following the surprise intervention by ex-Prime Minister Kevin Rudd who called the US prosecution against the WikiLeaks publisher "unacceptable" and "disproportionate".

Australian MP Andrew Wilkie announced that he intends to visit WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange in Belmarsh prison and “lobby for his release” in the coming days. The visit will be paid for by the MP himself and is scheduled to happen the weekend of 15/16 February 2020, according to a video released via social media on 11 February.

“The purpose of my visit is to check on Julian’s health and welfare, to see first hand the circumstances of his incarceration, and to reassure Julian that although he doesn’t have the support of the Australian government, he certainly does have the support of a great many people right around the world, especially in Australia”, Willkie says in the video.

Wilkie, a member of the Australian House of Representatives for Clark, Tasmania, says that the “substantive matter” regarding Assange’s case is that he “reported on and published information in the public interest, and in particular evidence of US war crimes”.

The lawmaker, who served as an infantry officer for over 20 years, and later worked as an intelligence analyst with Australia's Office of National Assessments (ONA), resigned from his position with the ONA in 2003, over the Australian government’s support for the US-led war on Iraq.

On the same evening as Wilkie’s announcement Australian senator Peter Wish-Wilson called on his government to “intervene to bring Julian home” on the basis that “journalism is not a crime”, during a parliamentary session.

The statements by both MPs represents the latest voices from Australian politicians to speak out on Assange’s case. In November 2019 Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd called the prosecution of Assange “unacceptable” and “disproportionate”.

The publisher, editor and journalist, who recently won the Garry Web Freedom of the Press Award, faces up to 175 years in prison in the US. The charges all relate to his role in the publication of documents revealing alleged war crimes committed by the US military.

https://sputniknews.com/uk/202002121078297755-australian-mp-announces-visit-to-belmarsh-prison-amid-rising-calls-for-julian-assange-to-be-freed/

https://www.change.org/p/free-julian-assange-before-it-s-too-late-stop-usa-extradition

https://twitter.com/WilkieMP/status/1227382548289835008

https://twitter.com/SenatorSurfer/status/1227425696894443521

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8132107 (140725ZFEB20) Notable: George Pell High Court appeal hearing date set for March, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: The High Court will hear Cardinal Pell's appeal on March 11 and 12.jpg

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>>175680

More image testing...

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8141879 (150418ZFEB20) Notable: Broke, homeless, shunned: disgraced TV star Robert Hughes’ miserable new life, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: 10411_1.jpg

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>>175682

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8142036 (150434ZFEB20) Notable: Intelligence committee cancels UK visit amid diplomatic tensions over Huawei policy leak, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: Liberal MP Andrew Hastie chairs the powerful Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security.jpg, Dominic Raab, pictured with Marise Payne, was making his first international trip since Brexit.jpg

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Parliamentary trip to UK cancelled after High Commissioner pens angry letter over Huawei leak

London: A planned visit to the UK by the Australian Parliament's powerful intelligence and security committee has been abruptly cancelled amid a diplomatic row over Boris Johnson's controversial decision to allow Chinese telco Huawei into its 5G network.

The committee was supposed to travel to Britain in late March and spend the first week of April meeting the House of Commons intelligence committee, Britain's security agencies and other high-level national security figures, as part of the countries' mutual links and membership of the elite Five Eyes spying club.

But The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age can reveal the trip has been suddenly cancelled.

It comes after the ABC revealed that the UK High Commissioner Victoria Treadell, a civil servant, penned an angry letter to two of Australia's most prominent MPs working in the national security space, demanding an explanation over an explosive leak revealed last week by the Herald and The Age that embarrassed the British.

While the leak caused upset in London, the disagreement had largely died down until Thursday, a week after the exchange took place, when Ms Treadall sent a stern letter to Liberal MP Andrew Hastie, who chairs the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, and Liberal senator David Fawcett, who chairs the Foreign Affairs committee.

Two sources familiar with the contents of her letter said it was the equivalent of a "dressing down" and that it was unprecedented for a UK civil servant to berate elected MPs in this way, particularly given the two men have served in the military.

Mr Hastie was an officer in the elite SAS for five years and served on the frontline in Afghanistan, while Senator Fawcett was an experimental test pilot.

Last week the Herald and The Age revealed the committee's deputy chair and veteran Labor MP Anthony Byrne rebuked the UK's Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab during a face-to-meeting in Canberra. Mr Byrne told the British Secretary of State that letting China build Britain's critical national infrastructure was tantamount to allowing the Russians to construct it.

The confrontation underlined the deep tensions within the Five Eyes allies over Britain's green light for Huawei in defiance of Australia and the US' urgings to copy their bans on the Chinese vendor over fears of spying.

US President Donald Trump was reportedly "apoplectic" about Mr Johnson's decision on Huawei, while Mr Byrne's intervention was widely regarded as a reflection of Australia's position - something confirmed this week by Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton in Question Time, who endorsed and praised the Labor MP.

"I don't think there's much that the member for Holt would say that anybody could argue against when it comes to these matters," Mr Dutton said.

"You [Mr Hastie and Mr Byrne] should both be commended for the leadership you provide [of the security and intelligence committee]."

The dispute over Huawei has also caused a serious rift between Mr Johnson and Mr Trump, with British tabloid The Sun reporting Mr Johnson had postponed a planned trip to the US.

Australia first banned Huawei from supplying equipment to the nascent National Broadband Network in 2012 under Julia Gillard, and in 2018, then prime minister Malcolm Turnbull banned the company from taking part in the 5G rollout, on security advice.

https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/world/europe/parliamentary-trip-to-uk-cancelled-after-high-commissioner-pens-angry-letter-over-huawei-leak-20200211-p53zw4.html

—

Intelligence committee cancels UK visit amid diplomatic tensions over Huawei policy leak

Diplomatic tensions over Britain's decision to allow Chinese telco Huawei into its 5G network have boiled over after confidential discussions with Australia about the policy were leaked.

The ABC can reveal the UK's High Commissioner has taken the rare step of writing to the heads of two federal parliamentary committees to formally protest the leak of details of sensitive talks involving Britain's visiting Foreign Secretary.

One of those committees — Parliament's powerful intelligence and security committee — has now cancelled a planned visit to the United Kingdom amid the quickly escalating dispute between the allies.

MPs and senators were due to meet with Britain's security agencies and the UK Parliament's intelligence committee in March and April.

(continued)

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-15/huawei-leak-diplomatic-tension-uk-australia-dominic-raab/11967520

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8142592 (150600ZFEB20) Notable: Malaysian nationals facing deportation, allegedly exploiting foreign workers in sex and agricultural industries, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: Australian Border Force officers detain a Balga woman over alleged exploitation of foreign workers.jpg, A man is detained by Australian Border Force officers over alleged exploitation of foreign workers.jpg, A large number of SIM cards were found during one of the searches, believed to have been used in the exploitation of foreign women working in the sex industry.jpg

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Malaysian nationals detained in Perth, facing deportation, for allegedly exploiting foreign workers in sex and agricultural industries

Three Malaysian nationals have been detained in Perth and face deportation after allegedly exploiting foreign workers in the sex and agricultural industries.

Australian Border Force officers went to a home in Balga on February 13 to arrest a 25-year-old woman suspected of being ‘a key player’ in a syndicate making ‘significant profits through the exploitation of foreign women in the sex industry’.

Officers said they found approximately 500 phone SIM cards during the search.

The SIMS are suspected of being used to facilitate the buying and selling of sexual services in locations across Australia.

The woman’s partner, a 26-year-old man, was also detained and placed in immigration detention.

Both face being removed from Australia.

As part of a separate investigation, Australian Border Force Field Operations officers executed a warrant on a Belmont house on February 12 targeting a 43-year-old man suspected of money laundering related to the exploitation of foreign nationals in the agriculture industry.

His alleged crimes are specifically related to market gardens.

He was placed in immigration detention pending his removal from Australia.

None of the three had a valid Australian visa.

Acting ABF Commander of Field Operations, Sally McAuliffe, said the Australian Border Force would “continue to target criminal syndicates and unscrupulous individuals exploiting vulnerable foreign workers.”

“The individuals we are targeting in this operation are not those that are being exploited but those non-citizens that are facilitating illegal work and migration fraud,” she said.

“We encourage individuals who are being exploited, regardless of visa status, to come forward and provide the ABF with information so we can identify and take action against those involved in these practices.”

Visa holders who do not comply with their conditions due to workplace exploitation will generally not have their visa cancelled, be detained or removed if they come forward and assist with inquiries.

Anyone who is aware of an individual, business or employer who might be facilitating visa fraud or illegal work is urged to contact Border Watch at australia.gov.au/borderwatch

https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/malaysian-nationals-detained-in-perth-facing-deportation-for-allegedly-exploiting-foreign-workers-in-sex-and-agricultural-industries-ng-b881462458z

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8142607 (150602ZFEB20) Notable: Judge takes rare step to help serve elusive Ghislaine Maxwell with lawsuit, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell in 2005.jpg, Ghislane Maxwell.jpg, screencapture-pacermonitor.jpg

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Judge takes rare step to help serve elusive Ghislaine Maxwell with lawsuit

Jeffrey Epstein crony Ghislaine Maxwell is so impossible to find that a Manhattan judge has taken the rare step of allowing her to be served with a new lawsuit — by email, according to a federal court filing Friday.

Lawyers for Epstein sex-assault-accuser Annie Farmer had griped to federal Judge Debra Freeman that they’ve been trying to find the disgraced British socialite to serve her with the complaint, filed in November, but that she’s done such a good job of hiding that they haven’t been able to get to her, court documents show.

“Plaintiff has attempted to locate and personally serve Maxwell to no avail. Her counsel has conducted extensive public records searches and located various addresses for Maxwell,” Farmer’s lawyers wrote in a Jan. 27 motion imploring Freeman to allow them to serve Maxwell using “alternate” means.

On Wednesday, Freeman granted the motion, acknowledging that Farmer has “adequately demonstrated that personal service would be impracticable” and ordered Maxwell to be served by email and through her lawyers representing her in a lawsuit involving another key Epstein accuser, Virginia Giuffre.

Farmer’s lawyers promptly emailed a copy of the summons and complaint to Maxwell’s email, as well as to the attorneys representing her in the Giuffre case.

“Ms. Maxwell, Please see the below text order granting our motion to approve alternate service on you in Farmer v. Indyke,” reads the email, which was filed to the court as evidence.

If Maxwell’s camp doesn’t respond to the suit by March 6, a default judgment will be placed against her, Freeman ruled.

Farmer’s lawyers have said they know she’s out there because she’s been “actively participating” in the defamation suit involving Giuffre, which was filed against her in the same court, and is “vigorously fighting” the release of documents in that case, the records state.

Farmer’s lawyers told The Post that they are elated to finally serve the elusive alleged abuser.

“We just don’t think she should be able to dodge the law,” said one of the lawyers, who asked not to be named.

Farmer’s suit alleges she met Maxwell and Epstein through her older sister, Maria, who’d been hired by the billionaire to purchase art for him.

Epstein began taking an interest in Annie when she was around 16 and eventually invited her to his remote New Mexico ranch, where Maxwell pressured her to get naked and then “touched intimate parts” of Farmer’s body and “groped her” under the guise of a massage, court documents allege.

Maria was also allegedly abused later on by both Epstein and Maxwell, but she is not named as a plaintiff in this suit.

Epstein died in federal lock-up in August.

Maxwell is facing at least one other civil suit in federal court in Manhattan, where her buddy Epstein had an Upper East Side townhome.

Her lawyers could not be immediately reached for comment.

Farmer is seeking undisclosed damages.

https://nypost.com/2020/02/14/judge-takes-rare-step-to-help-serve-elusive-ghislaine-maxwell-with-lawsuit/

https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/case/30934865/Farmer_v_Indyke_et_al

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8155124 (161711ZFEB20) Notable: US praises Labor MP Anthony Byrne’s Huawei stance, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: Labor MP Anthony Byrne criticised Britain’s decision to work with Huawei earlier in February.jpg

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>>175684

US praises Labor MP Anthony Byrne’s Huawei stance

US intelligence officials have contacted Labor MP Anthony Byrne and praised him for taking a stand against Britain’s decision to allow Huawei to take part in its 5G network.

Members of the parliamentary joint committee on intelligence and security said US officials had reached out to the committee’s co-chair after reports in Nine Newspapers took aim at Boris Johnson’s government.

Sources told The Australian PJCIS members had been contacted by foreign officials, including the US, to back Mr Byrne’s reported comments.

Mr Byrne criticised Britain’s decision in a meeting with the committee’s co-chair, Andrew Hastie, and British High Commissioner Vicki Treadell.

Ms Treadell later complained to the MPs in writing that the contents of the meetings had been leaked.

The committee is considering visiting the US after cancelling plans to meet MPs in Britain.

Mr Byrne declined to answer questions about conversations with US intelligence officials, saying only “our closest ally is the US”.

Mr Hastie said: “The US has been our most important strategic ally since the fall of Singapore in 1942.

“We value that special relationship above all else.”

Members of the PJCIS committee played down the link between the Huawei decision and next month’s cancelled trip to London.

Some committee MPs said the trip was cancelled because the relevant British committee did not have time to be constituted since Mr Johnson’s thumping election victory.

Another source said: “If that is what people want to believe, all the best. It’s horseshit. If people genuinely believe that, then they should wait for Father Christmas next year to turn up with their Christmas presents.”

Britain’s decision to engage Huawei was announced last month in defiance of advice from Five Eyes intelligence partners Australia and the US.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/us-praises-labor-mp-anthony-byrnes-huawei-stance/news-story/73385636c11ae7b184a599e819363861

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8155183 (161718ZFEB20) Notable: This clown is about to get exposed in a spectacular fashion, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: GP_158.jpg

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>>175689

New George Papadopoulos Tweet

This clown is about to get exposed in a spectacular fashion. I reported him to the FBI, Congress and he has already been interviewed by Durham.

https://twitter.com/GeorgePapa19/status/1229091223912271879

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8155353 (161747ZFEB20) Notable: Catholic Church creates one-stop shop for victims of modern slavery, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: Roberto Lastica from St Joachim's parish says the new service will be a 'breath of fresh air'.jpg, Modern slavery includes forced labour, servitude and forced marriage.jpg

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Catholic Church creates one-stop shop for victims of modern slavery

Filipino community leader Roberto Lastica from St Joachim Catholic Church in Lidcombe has seen many cases of modern slavery across the country. Among them was a woman from the Philippines in her early 30s who arrived in Australia after responding to an advertisement for student nurses.

When she boarded her flight she discovered her visa described her as an architect instead of a nurse. Her recruiter told her the visa description would be corrected in Australia.

When she got here she was told she would be living in a Chinese restaurant, where she would also be working in exchange for food and accommodation, rather than wages.

Under a new Catholic Church initiative, victims of forced labour and modern slavery will be given access to free legal advice, housing assistance, health care, financial advice and welfare support.

The Archbishop of Sydney, Anthony Fisher, said the national network would be linked to 45 Catholic schools, universities, dioceses, health and aged care services, social services and finance and investment services.

The network, named Domus 8.7, will target victims of modern slavery and those trapped in forced labour, debt bondage, forced marriage or human trafficking.

"This service enables entities to have a safe, confidential conversation about situations of modern slavery and forced labour," Archbishop Fisher said.

"Domus 8.7 fills a gap in providing readily available support from a formal perspective, emergency assistance and addressing other needs for people trapped in modern slavery or facing exploitation in the workforce."

The name of the service is a reference to the Latin word "domus", meaning home, and the United Nations Target 8.7 sustainable development goal.

Mr Lastica said the new service would be a "breath of fresh air".

Mr Lastica has also helped Filipinos who worked on farms after entering Australia via Fiji or New Zealand.

"We try to give these people community support while seeking justice for them. Many are embarrassed to return home because of debts they have to pay," he said.

"Domus is a breath of fresh air. It promises to help people with accommodation and litigation services."

The Chair of the Archdiocese of Sydney’s Anti-Slavery Taskforce, John McCarthy, QC, Australia’s former ambassador to the Vatican, said the new centre would act as a central hub for advice and support for people trapped in slavery-like conditions.

"Australia currently has no mention of victim or survivor assistance in our modern slavery laws and instead victim assistance, such as immunity and witness protection, are based on whether victims speak with the police," he said.

"The new centre fills a real gap here in providing that confidential, easily available support to help meet the basic needs of those entrapped in modern slavery, such as providing them with warm clothing, addressing workplace problems and visa problems and concerns."

https://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace/catholic-church-creates-one-stop-shop-for-victims-of-modern-slavery-20200212-p5402l.html

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8160882 (170506ZFEB20) Notable: Dassi Erlich Tweet: Leifer was not only fit to stand trial but unequivocally faked her mental illness to escape justice, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: DE_8.jpg

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Dassi Erlich Tweets

Court hearing #64 and #65 will be held in the Jerusalem district court on the 26th and 27th of February.

Leifer is excused from attending and the hearing will be closed to the public.

These 2 hearings are to allow cross examination of the 3 psychiatrists who declared...

https://twitter.com/dassi_erlich/status/1229116554962292737

—

Leifer was not only fit to stand trial but unequivocally faked her mental illness to escape justice.

Since 1 panel member is having a medical proceedure on the 26th, cross examination of this psychiatrist will be further delayed till mid March.

#onitgoes #bringleiferback

https://twitter.com/dassi_erlich/status/1229116556447076352

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8161354 (170637ZFEB20) Notable: Video: Qanon hit piece from Channel 7 Weekend Sunrise, 16 February 2020, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: M&M_1.jpg, M&M_2.jpg, Weekend Sunrise Australia - 16-Feb-2020 - Part 1.mp4, Weekend Sunrise Australia - 16-Feb-2020 - Part 2.mp4

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Qanon hit piece from Channel 7 Weekend Sunrise, 16 February 2020.

TRUMP'S SECRET SIGNAL - THE RISE OF 'QANON' - 'QANON' A TERROR THREAT

—

QANON Conspiracy News Australia @realDonaldTrump @M2Madness @X22Report @andweknow @RedPill78 @pushforward40

https://twitter.com/Marina11Michel/status/1228839787232022529

—

QANON Australia Final bit this was live @realDonaldTrump @M2Madness @X22Report @andweknow @RedPill78 @pushforward40

https://twitter.com/Marina11Michel/status/1228843569110061056

—

Full interview in HD here

Weekend Sunrise - 16 Feb 2020

https://7plus.com.au/link/Episode/WSUN20-007

(Starts at 1:28:17)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8162763 (171405ZFEB20) Notable: Holden brand and local design operations to be wound down in Australia and NZ, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: 8B49509C-8A95-4438-B15B-109F97A58F1C.png, 0372EF07-435C-4117-B209-C0E7A232F3F0.png, 8E944DB6-383D-43DA-94EB-5033568183E2.png

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General Motors cans Holden in Australia

The Holden brand will be retired from sales in Australia and New Zealand and local design and engineering operations will wind down by 2021, General Motors has revealed.

The company’s Commodore and Astra models were retired late last year amid waning sales.

Rich Australian history

The manufacturer says it is saddened to see the end of the vehicles’ 160-year history in Australia.

“Today’s announcement will be felt deeply by the many people who love Holdens, drive Holdens and feel connected to our company which has been with us for 160 years and is almost ubiquitous in our lives,” Managing Director Kristian Aquilina said.

We need a Gday Mate version of Trump

And we need him now

https://7news.com.au/business/holden-brand-and-local-design-operations-to-be-wound-down-in-australia-and-nz-c-701457

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8165230 (171951ZFEB20) Notable: New York Times climate change article - The End of Australia as We Know It, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: F260F5EC-2BE6-49AE-8253-FC10FD7568B9.jpeg

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New Green Deal

Muh Climate Change!

Muh Fake News

FOLLOW THE MONEY

Muh Bernie @SenSanders

Fires threatening an entire continent are extreme—a Green New Deal to tackle the climate crisis is not.

Let us harness our skills, talents and enormous resources to protect the home we all share.

NYTimes

The End of Australia as We Know It

What many of us have witnessed this fire season feels alive and monstrous. With climate change forcing a relaxed country to stumble toward new ways of work, leisure and life, will politics follow?

https://twitter.com/sensanders/status/1229485107356078080?s=21

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/15/world/australia/fires-climate-change.html

(From QR #10452)

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8165309 (172000ZFEB20) Notable: Kevin Rudd Tweet: Time for all of us to boycott GM brands, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: D81260B6-CFD7-439A-8251-A1D8AE267725.jpeg

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>>175695

EX-PM Rudd flogging a dead car

Muh “New Car Plan 2009’ kek

@MrKRudd

Time for all of us to boycott GM brands. My stomach turns when I think of successive Labor governments working to build the car industry. Including our 2009 New Car Plan.All torpedoed by the Liberals decision to kill it in 2014 thru pure ideological spite.

https://twitter.com/mrkrudd/status/1229372117323407362?s=21

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-51499775

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8171207 (180608ZFEB20) Notable: New Q post referencing Australia - "I WAS INVESTIGATED and it could have been the UK, by AUSTRALIA, could have been by ITALY", MISSING MEDIA/FILES: Q_3871.jpg, WTP_1.jpg

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New Q post referencing Australia

https://twitter.com/45HarisonHarold/status/1229591987369709568

Do people really believe this [attack] can happen against the President of the United States and nothing will happen?

Moves and countermoves.

Q

https://8kun.top/qresearch/res/8168472.html#8168706

—

Tweet by We The People, @45HarisonHarold

Is this who [GS] made puppet [Hussein] investigate?

I RAN..I WON..

I WAS INVESTIGATED and it could have been the UK, by AUSTRALIA, could have been by ITALY ....I WAS INVESTIGATED

BY THE OBAMA

ADMINISTRATION

#QAnon

https://twitter.com/45HarisonHarold/status/1229591987369709568

Retweeting Miguelifornia, @michaelbeatty3 - 5 Oct 2019

https://twitter.com/michaelbeatty3/status/1180155433668902912

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8172016 (180844ZFEB20) Notable: Lower level grunts like Alexander Downer have all ready been interviewed. Just a matter of time, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: GP_159.jpg

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New George Papadopoulos Tweet

There is a conspiracy case being built around Brennan. Lower level grunts like Alexander Downer have all ready been interviewed. Just a matter of time.

https://twitter.com/GeorgePapa19/status/1229563348951453696

https://twitter.com/RepMarkMeadows/status/1229480911751786497

‘Something has to be done’: Trump’s quest to rewrite history of the Russia probe

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/something-has-to-be-done-trumps-quest-to-rewrite-history-of-the-russia-probe/2020/02/15/ea7a1b06-4f61-11ea-9b5c-eac5b16dafaa_story.html

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8181291 (190621ZFEB20) Notable: Australian MPs say Wikileaks founder Julian Assange is 'a man under enormous pressure' following prison visit, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: Julian Assange faces 18 counts including conspiring to hack government computers.jpg, Queensland Nationals MP George Christensen assessed Assange's condition inside the prison.jpg, Andrew Wilkie is one of 14 MPs in the Bring Assange Home parliamentary group.jpg, Andrew Wilkie (left) met with the British Opposition Leader ahead of visiting Julian Assange at Belmarsh Prison.jpg, John Shipton, Julian Assange's father, is in London with his daughter to support his son and his battle against extradition.jpg

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>>175679

Australian MPs say Wikileaks founder Julian Assange is 'a man under enormous pressure' following prison visit

Australian MPs Andrew Wilkie and George Christensen have raised concerns over Julian Assange's mental wellbeing after meeting with him in a British jail.

Mr Wilkie and Mr Christensen, who are both part of the Bring Assange Home parliamentary group, spent over an hour with the WikiLeaks founder at London's Belmarsh prison, where he is being held ahead of an US extradition hearing next week.

Assange has been held there since he was dragged out of the Ecuadorian embassy in London last April and arrested for skipping bail.

Prior to that he had spent seven years inside the embassy after seeking asylum in 2012, and Mr Christensen said his lack of exposure to the outside world showed.

"It was kind of state you'd expect from a man who has been absolutely and utterly isolated and who doesn't know what has been going on," he said.

"It was clear to us that his mental state isn't good."

Mr Wilkie echoed Mr Christensen's assessment.

"I'm not a psychologist. but it was obvious that there's a man who's under enormous pressure," he said.

"Clearly his health and mental health has deteriorated during what is effectively years in captivity."

The 48-year-old is fighting extradition to the US, where he faces 18 charges including conspiring to hack government computers and violating an espionage law, and Mr Wilkie said if Assange is found guilty it would almost amount to a death sentence.

"If he is convicted of those charges he faces up to 175 years in a US federal prison," he said.

"It's a life sentence and it could be said to almost a death sentence."

Mr Christensen said he believes information that will come to light during the extradition hearing may change people's views on Assange and he called on the Australian government to do more to bring him home.

"I think that there's information that I now know that will be known next week that will probably make people sit up straight and worry about this a hell of a lot," he said.

"I think now is a time that the Government that I am a part of needs to be standing up and saying to both the UK and the US, 'Enough is enough, leave our bloke alone and let him come home'."

Yesterday, Mr Wilkie met with UK Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn, who said he has sensed a shift in the UK's view on extradition in the light of another high-profile case involving the wife of a US diplomat.

Earlier on Tuesday, WikiLeaks editor-in-chief Kristinn Hrafnsson had said Assange's health was improving after he was taken out of solitary confinement.

"I saw him about 10 days ago," Mr Hrafnsson told a news conference ahead of an extradition hearing that starts next week.

"He has improved thanks to the pressure from his legal team, the general public, and amazingly, actually from other inmates in Belmarsh Prison, to get him out of isolation."

Assange's father, John Shipton, said his son's long confinement indoors had damaged his health.

"The ceaseless anxiety that Julian's been under for now 10 years has had a profoundly deleterious effect," he told BBC television on Tuesday.

"I imagine that he will be really worried because being sent to the United States is a death sentence."

Last November, more than 60 doctors wrote an open letter saying they feared Assange's health was so bad he could die in jail.

In the letter to British Home Secretary Priti Patel, the doctors say Assange suffers from psychological problems including depression as well as dental issues and a serious shoulder ailment.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-18/wikileaks-founder-julian-assange-health-improving-in-prison/11978336

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8181497 (190700ZFEB20) Notable: Dassi Erlich Tweet: This is a completely unprecedented move, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: DE_9.jpg, DE_10.jpg, DE_11.jpg

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>>175703

Dassi Erlich Tweets

In an unprecedented move, Judge Lomp has ruled that the defense can bring two of their psychiatrists, who have already testified, to give their opinion on a panel that she requested to make a final decision!!

This panel unanimously decided Leifer is faking on Sept 23 2019!

https://twitter.com/dassi_erlich/status/1229692636820193281

—

We have been patient.

We have been calm.

We have tried to trust the Israeli court system, understand this takes time.

But when we go backwards, repeat a process already endlessly delayed we have had enoug!

Psychs for defense will be cross examined March 12

https://twitter.com/dassi_erlich/status/1229692638556639233

—

This is a completely unprecedented move - there has never been a case in Israel where a judge has allowed the defense to bring more witnesses after a court appointed expert panel made a final decision.

#bringleiferback

#EnoughIsEnough

https://twitter.com/dassi_erlich/status/1229727006289326080

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8181677 (190735ZFEB20) Notable: Prime Minister spruiks Australian role in NASA's Mars plan at launch of space agency base, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: Satellite image of Hurricane Harvey.jpg, Mr Morrison launched the space agency's new home in Adelaide.jpg, Ms Andrews said the Government aimed to triple the size of the space industry.jpg

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Prime Minister spruiks Australian role in NASA's Mars plan at launch of space agency base

The Australian Space Agency has officially opened its new Adelaide headquarters, with the Federal Government predicting activities at the site will help to triple the size of the nation's space industry.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison opened the agency's new home this morning, saying it will provide local companies with opportunities to capitalise on Australian involvement in NASA's plans to launch human missions to Mars.

Head of the agency, Dr Megan Clark, said a small mission control centre inside the Australian Space Discovery Centre — which is based at the site — would open next year.

"What will be unusual is the mission control will be right here and we will have glass at the back so people can come in off the street and see what we are doing," she said.

"We want kids and people to be able to see what's happening on the lunar surface, to be able to see what's happening in real time on the lunar orbiter, and eventually to be able to come and say 'I wonder what's happening on Mars today', and come in and see people in action.

"No other agency has opened their mission control up in that way."

Deputy head of the agency Anthony Murfett said the mission control centre would also allow stronger collaboration with other space agencies.

"Our businesses will be doing their activities to control satellites right here in Adelaide," he told ABC Radio Adelaide.

"We will work with our international counterparts to show a feed of what is actually happening in space."

During a visit to the US last year, the Prime Minister committed $150 million over five years to help Australian businesses get involved in US President Donald Trump's plans for missions to the Moon and Mars.

Mr Morrison said the global space economy was forecast to be worth more than $1 trillion by 2040, and that Australia needed to position itself to take advantage.

"[The] space industry … is growing faster than the global economy, faster than our regional economy," he said.

"We're investing almost $700 million into the space sector, including $150 million into Australian businesses so they can pick up more work and support more jobs by partnering with NASA's Moon-to-Mars initiative."

Agency will help space industry 'triple in size'

Federal Science Minister Karen Andrews said the launch of the space agency would help deliver on previous promises of jobs.

"Currently the space industry in Australia employs about 10,000 people and is worth about $3.9 billion," she said.

"The plan that we have in place, that we are currently implementing, will grow the space industry here in Australia to triple in size to $12 billion and to employ an additional 20,000 people by 2030."

Ms Andrews said growth occupations would be diverse, and include astrophysicists, scientists, engineers and electricians.

Adelaide was revealed as the home of the new space agency in 2018, fending off strong competition from other states to secure the headquarters.

The agency is based at Lot Fourteen, the former Royal Adelaide Hospital site in Adelaide's CBD.

Mr Morrison toured the site this morning alongside Ms Andrews, Dr Clark and South Australian Premier Steven Marshall.

Mr Marshall said South Australia was now at the forefront of the nation's space endeavours.

"We are now, without a doubt, the space capital of the nation," he said.

"Young people from across the state have the opportunity to seize incredible jobs across the sector, right here in South Australia."

Despite these grand ambitions, Dr Clark said the agency would itself only employ a modest number of staff.

"We have 20 people here — we have 19 and we've got one more to go. Even on opening day we are almost full up there," she said.

"This is now a door that we can showcase when we have our international visitors.

"Opening that door internationally, with the United Kingdom, with France, with what we're doing with NASA on the Moon-to-Mars [initiative] … this is an important role."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-19/australian-space-agency-headquarters-open-in-adelaide/11978930

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8181875 (190813ZFEB20) Notable: Fresh charges for ex-Labor MP Orkopoulos, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: Ex-NSW minister and convicted pedophile Milton Orkopoulos faces new charges of breaching his parole.jpg

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Fresh charges for ex-Labor MP Orkopoulos

Convicted pedophile and former NSW Labor MP Milton Orkopoulos could be sent back to prison after being charged with three additional counts of breaching his parole conditions.

Orkopoulos will appear at Waverley Local Court on Thursday to answer the fresh charges, including being caught with an unapproved mobile phone.

The 62-year-old was already before the courts facing two counts of breaching his parole in January.

Orkopoulos was arrested at his Malabar home on Wednesday and taken to Maroubra Police Station where he was charged.

It was the second time the former Iemma government Aboriginal affairs minister had been arrested since his release from Long Bay jail in December after serving 11 and a half years for child sex offences.

Orkopoulos was previously detained on January 22 after allegedly setting up an Instagram account without informing police and talking to a child while on a phone call with one of his adult children.

He pleaded not guilty and remained on parole but now he's in danger of being sent back to prison.

Corrective Services NSW has written to the State Parole Authority asking for his parole to be revoked.

Orkopoulos did not appear on Wednesday when his matter was briefly heard in Waverley Local Court and adjourned until Thursday.

Orkopoulos's lawyer, Michael Vo, said outside court he would be making a bail application on Thursday, when police will apply for his client to be kept in custody.

The former state politician was jailed in 2008 after being convicted of 30 offences, including having sexual intercourse with a male aged between 10 and 18 years, possessing child pornography, and supplying cannabis and heroin.

Orkopoulos had 18 parole conditions imposed on him when he was released in late 2019 despite his head sentence not expiring until October 2021.

He was granted parole by the SPA after the Serious Offenders Review Council and Corrections recommended he be released on supervised parole.

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6638439/fresh-charges-for-ex-labor-mp-orkopoulos/

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8183702 (191536ZFEB20) Notable: Anon speculates - Q hinted Wikileaks as an org is under C_A control but the source (Assange) is with the good guys, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: 10474_1.jpg

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Repost from Q Research General #10474

>>16655 (pb)

I think it's rather funny Twitter suspended Wikileaks account because it was said to be compromised. If you've been following Q's post about Wikileaks, the word "compromised" is rather fitting actually. Back in june 2018 Wikileaks openly attacked Qanon and Q hinted Wikileaks as an org is under C_A control but the source(Assange) is with the good guys.

https://www.breitbart.com/tech/2020/02/18/twitter-temporaily-locked-wikileaks-account-a-week-before-julian-assange-extradition-hearing/

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8183810 (191551ZFEB20) Notable: Government considering bringing foreign cyber spy powers onshore to hunt Australian paedophiles, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: Peter Dutton said ASD can hunt down sexual predators abroad but doesn't have that power within Australia.jpg

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Government considering bringing foreign cyber spy powers onshore to hunt Australian paedophiles

Australia's premier foreign cyber intelligence agency would be enlisted to help track down online paedophiles, terrorists and other serious criminals under a proposal being developed by the Federal Government.

The ABC understands the change could allow the Australian Federal Police (AFP) to call for assistance from the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) or extend the cyber capability of the AFP.

The ASD, whose motto is to "reveal their secrets, protect our own", is restricted under legislation to hacking, disrupting and destroying foreign criminal cyber activity.

The agency is banned from spying or hacking into online systems based in Australia.

This means that if cyber spooks working for ASD come across cybercriminal activity within Australia, its work must immediately stop, no matter how serious the offence.

For example, the ASD can hunt down sexual predators using overseas networks, but it cannot spy on them if the server is based in Australia.

"At the moment, if there is a server in Sydney that has images of a five- or six-month-old child being sexually exploited and tortured, then that may not be discoverable, particularly if it's encrypted and protected to a point where the AFP or the ACIC can't gain access to that server," Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton told the ABC.

"It can be a different picture if that server is offshore, so there is an anomaly that exists at the moment."

It is understood that the Government wants agencies to be able to develop cyber expertise or to enlist the skills of ASD by relaxing the restrictions governing the agency's remit.

While he wouldn't back the proposal outright, Mr Dutton made it clear he wants change.

"What I think is that there should be a public debate about whether we think it's acceptable for our society to tolerate the presence of these criminal networks right next door to us and yet we have no ability to do anything about it," he said.

.....

The AFP received 17,000 referrals for online child exploitation material last year, compared to just 300 a decade ago.

A referral doesn't mean a single image of a child, but potentially thousands of videos and pictures of children being sexually abused.

Security agencies argue that the online world, especially the largely ungoverned "dark web", protects those attempting to do harm and interception laws have not kept up.

Publicly, the agencies and Mr Dutton have complained that warrants allowing agencies to use ASD are too restrictive and criminal networks onshore are operating with impunity.

Mr Dutton wants to bring online warrants into the 21st century to keep up with evolving technology that has made it easier for criminals to hide.

He is pushing for the online warrants to mirror the process police are able to use when searching a house.

"I want to make sure that if they [the police] can get a warrant from a court and go to a paedophile's house and search that house for material … I want to make sure we have the same power to do that in the online life of that paedophile. Nothing more, nothing less," Mr Dutton said.

AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw said "perverted offenders" were using the dark web to evade law enforcement and commit "heinous crimes".

"We are seeing more videos, younger children … we are seeing the rape and torture of our children, all for sexual gratification," he told the National Press Club on Wednesday.

The search powers of AUSTRAC, the nation's financial intelligence unit that tracks money laundering and financial terrorism, allow it to conduct wide-ranging searches within strict rules to gather intelligence on an individual or group.

Mr Dutton has referred to those powers as an example of what security agencies hunting paedophiles online could have.

"[AUSTRAC chief executive Nicole Rose] has the ability to look at millions of transactions, to look for payments made from an Australian paedophile to a syndicate in the Philippines that is sexually abusing children," he said.

"She can look at the transactions and put together an intelligence picture. Nobody is asking for any more than that … it's a debate worth having."

(continued)

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-19/powers-for-asd-spy-dark-web-australians/11980728

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8192224 (200648ZFEB20) Notable: Dana Rohrabacher denies offering Assange a pardon from Trump, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: Wikileaks founder Julian Assange.jpg, Dana Rohrabacher narrowly lost his congressional seat in 2018.jpg, screencapture-rohrabacher.jpg

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Dana Rohrabacher denies offering Assange a pardon from Trump

A former Republican congressman has denied he offered a pardon to Wikileaks founder Julian Assange on behalf of US President Donald Trump.

Assange's lawyer said Dana Rohrabacher claimed to be acting "on instructions" from Mr Trump in offering clemency.

In return, the president was said to have wanted Assange to say Russia was not involved in leaking emails during the 2016 US election.

But Mr Rohrabacher, a former California representative, rejected the claims.

"At no time did I talk to President Trump about Julian Assange. Likewise, I was not directed by Trump or anyone else connected with him to meet with Julian Assange," he said in a statement.

Mr Rohrabacher said he was acting on his own "fact-finding mission".

He said he told the Wikileaks founder that if he could provide evidence of who passed on the DNC emails, he would then call on the president to pardon him.

The White House called the allegation "a complete fabrication and a total lie".

What's the row about?

Leaked emails published by Wikileaks ahead of the 2016 vote contained embarrassing details about the Democratic Party, and were seen to have damaged its presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton.

Assange has previously denied receiving the material from the Kremlin, although Russian intelligence officials have been indicted in the US for the leak.

Assange is facing extradition to the US on 18 charges over earlier leaks of diplomatic cables.

He faces up to 175 years in prison if found guilty.

Where does the allegation come from?

The claim was made at a court hearing in London before a formal extradition request for Assange begins. He is wanted in the US on espionage charges.

Assange's barrister, Edward Fitzgerald QC, told Westminster Magistrates Court there was evidence that former congressman Rohrabacher made the pardon offer.

Mr Rohrabacher, known for his outspoken support for Russian President Vladimir Putin, visited the Ecuadorian embassy in August 2017, where Assange was staying, he said.

At the time, Russia was widely suspected of stealing embarrassing Democratic National Committee (DNC) emails, which were published by Wikileaks - although Assange has denied Russian involvement.

Mr Fitzgerald said a statement from Assange's lawyer Jennifer Robinson showed "Mr Rohrabacher going to see Mr Assange and saying, on instructions from the president, he was offering a pardon or some other way out, if Mr Assange... said Russia had nothing to do with the DNC leaks."

District Judge Vanessa Baraitser ruled the evidence admissible in court.

What has the response been?

White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said: "The President barely knows Dana Rohrabacher other than he's an ex-congressman. He's never spoken to him on this subject or almost any subject.

"It is a complete fabrication and a total lie."

Mr Trump has previously praised him as "a great congressman" who "works hard and is respected by all".

The Wall Street Journal reported in 2017 that he had contacted the White House in an attempt to secure a pardon for Mr Assange.

The paper said that, under Mr Rohrabacher's terms, Mr Assange was required to provide "proof" that Russia was not the source of hacked emails published by Wikileaks during the 2016 US election.

(continued)

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-51566470

—

My Meeting with Julian Assange

There is a lot of misinformation floating out there regarding my meeting with Julian Assange so let me provide some clarity on the matter:

At no time did I talk to President Trump about Julian Assange. Likewise, I was not directed by Trump or anyone else connected with him to meet with Julian Assange. I was on my own fact finding mission at personal expense to find out information I thought was important to our country. I was shocked to find out that no other member of Congress had taken the time in their official or unofficial capacity to interview Julian Assange. At no time did I offer Julian Assange anything from the President because I had not spoken with the President about this issue at all.

(continued)

https://www.rohrabacher.com/news/my-meeting-with-julian-assange

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8192296 (200657ZFEB20) Notable: MPs astounded at further Malka Leifer extradition delay, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: Psychiatrists for the defence will testify again that Malka Leifer is not mentally fit to stand trial for extradition to Australia.jpg

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MPs astounded at further Malka Leifer extradition delay

Government and Labor MPs have hit out at an “astounding” decision from an Israeli judge which could further delay the years-long extradition process of a former Melbourne school principal accused of child sex abuse.

The concern from Labor MP Josh Burns and former Australian ambassador Dave Sharma follows the decision of an Israeli judge on Tuesday to allow psychiatrists for the defence to testify again that Malka Leifer is not mentally fit to stand trial for extradition to Australia, after a psychiatric panel in January determined she was feigning mental illness and was fit to stand trial.

A former principal of Melbourne’s ultra-orthodox Adass Israel girls school, Ms Leifer fled to Israel in 2008 as accusations against her surfaced. She has since been charged with 74 charges of child sexual abuse, with Australia lodging a formal extradition request in 2014.

The decision from Judge Chana Lomp comes months after an earlier psychiatric opinion that the principal was not fit to stand trial was thrown out over concerns Israel’s Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman had interfered with the assessing panel to influence their determination.

It is understood the decision to allow the psychiatrists for the defence to submit their opinions will force prosecutors seeking Ms Leifer’s extradition to cross examine them in hearings, which would further delay the case that has already run for more than 60 hearings.

Josh Burns, the Labor MP for Macnamara in Melbourne which takes in the Adass Israel School where Ms Leifer is alleged to have committed the abuse, labelled the court’s decision “astounding”.

“It is astounding that Judge Lomp is allowing additional psychiatrists to testify against the independent medical panel that she appointed and who unanimously found that Malka Leifer is fit to stand trial,” Mr Burns told The Australian.

“These seemingly endless delays and the allegations of corruption that have been made by Israeli police reflect extremely poorly on Israel and is exposing serious flaws in its justice system.”

Dave Sharma, Liberal MP for Wentworth and former Australian ambassador to Israel, told The Australian the case has “already been delayed for far too long”.

“I would be concerned by any steps which cause further delays in these proceedings,” Mr Sharma said.

Earlier in February Mr Sharma and Mr Burns moved a motion urging Israel to extradite Ms Leifer immediately.

Dassi Erlich, one of Ms Leifer’s former students and alleged victims, described the court’s decision as going backwards.

“We have been patient. We have been calm. We have tried to trust the Israeli court system and understand this takes time,” she wrote on Facebook.

“But when we go backwards and repeat a process that has already been endlessly delayed we have had enough!!

“Can anybody see the sense in this???”

Manny Waks, the head of Jewish child sexual abuse support organisation Kol V’Oz said the case had become “farcical”.

“This unprecedented decision continues to make a mockery of the Israeli legal system,” he said.

“Judge Lomp herself appointed this latest psychiatric panel, which has made a unanimous, unequivocal decision; that Leifer is faking her illness and that she is in fact fit to face justice.

“Why on earth does Judge Lomp need to hear from these psychiatrists again?”

The new psychiatric opinion will be submitted on Monday, with the next court date set for March 12.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/mps-astounded-at-further-malka-leifer-extradition-delay/news-story/a5a4e5bf58e02e7e2419d89bb6016551

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8192337 (200704ZFEB20) Notable: Encryption laws haven't created weaknesses: ASIO boss, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: ASIO boss Mike Burgess says the laws do not create systemic weaknesses.jpg

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Encryption laws haven't created weaknesses: ASIO boss

The nation's domestic spy chief says his agency's use of controversial encryption laws to access encoded messages has not introduced any systemic weaknesses to networks and devices as critics had feared.

Australian Security Intelligence Organisation boss Mike Burgess also revealed tech companies had not formally challenged his organisation's requests to establish new capabilities to intercept and decrypt communications, saying the process had been "very collaborative so far".

Under the Morrison government's encryption-subverting laws, security agencies can order a "technical capability notice" requiring service providers to create new capabilities to gain access to encrypted messages.

The tech sector has previously warned it is impossible to introduce selective backdoor access to an encrypted service without weakening the entire system and leaving users vulnerable to hackers.

Mr Burgess said all technical capability notices had been done in co-operation with providers and had not involved the development of any backdoors that might create systemic weakness in networks or devices.

"Our experience is we've not had an issue – it's been very collaborative so far," he told a hearing into the laws on Thursday. "I know that members of our society, depending on where you fall, will have a different view of what a 'systemic weakness' is.

"But that's in my mind when I consider this, because I have no intention of introducing something that breaks the internet, no intention of introducing something that actually means that whilst it gives me lawful access to target A, I've now put every Australians' private communications at risk ..."

Mr Burgess said ASIO had used the new encryption laws within 10 days of them coming into effect last year.

With more than 95 per cent of ASIO's most dangerous counter-terrorism targets using encrypted communications, Mr Burgess said the laws had helped significantly in gaining targeted access to specific encrypted data and it was done "in a co-operative way".

The guarantee by the ASIO boss comes as calls grow from tech companies for more oversight of the encryption laws, including a requirement that security agencies must go before a senior judge before gaining access to encrypted messages.

The laws – which were hurried through Federal Parliament at the end of 2018 – are being reviewed by the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor, James Renwick, who has already suggested that some of his recommendations would include a senior judicial officer being involved in ticking off on encryption requests.

In his opening remarks to the hearing, Dr Renwick said it might be preferable for law enforcement agencies to go before a senior judge or the security division of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal to access encrypted messages. Currently, "technical assistance notices" (TANs) – which require service providers to hand over encrypted data – can be approved by an agency head or their delegate.

"Unlike the underlying warrants or authorisations, TANs are not granted by an eligible judge or independent tribunal member but are simply granted by the agency head or their delegate, a departure from the normal course of an independent eligible judge or tribunal member in relation to a coercive power affecting privacy," he said.

Dr Renwick said nothing he had seen in his review of the encryption laws so far amounted to "mass surveillance" of Australians, and they had instead allowed for existing powers to be used in a more targeted or limited fashion.

But he said many of the submissions had raised concerns about the laws creating systemic weaknesses or vulnerabilities in networks and devices, suggesting the definitions of these terms in the laws needed to be improved.

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/encryption-laws-haven-t-created-weaknesses-asio-boss-20200220-p542ms.html

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8203889 (210651ZFEB20) Notable: Dassi Erlich Tweet: Our response to President Rivlin's letter addressed to Ambassador @MarkSofer, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: DE_12.jpg, DE_13.jpg, DE_14.jpg, ERRJvmOUwAAuvRV.jpeg

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>>175712

Dassi Erlich Tweets

President of Israel, Reuven Rivlin is visiting Melb next week.

We requested to meet with him.

There have been many requests he meet with us, from Goverment officials to heads of several international jewish organizations.

We still do not have a meeting with @PresidentRuvi

https://twitter.com/dassi_erlich/status/1230389084499013632

—

This letter was written by the Members of Israel's Jewish Peoplehood Coalition.

We thank them and hope the President heeds their words.

Thank you Adam Segal for tirelessly advocating on our behalf.

https://twitter.com/dassi_erlich/status/1230389105525063680

—

Our response to President Rivlin's letter addressed to Ambassador @MarkSofer after repeated requests that we meet with the President while in Australia.

https://twitter.com/dassi_erlich/status/1230689780767182848

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8204086 (210727ZFEB20) Notable: George Pell’s legal team argue DPP adopted a “piecemeal approach” in defending guilty verdict, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: Cardinal George Pell was sentenced to six years jail for child sex abuse.jpg, hcourt-gov-au-cases-case-m1.jpg, Pell-Queen_Reply_REDACTED.pdf

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George Pell’s legal team argue DPP adopted a “piecemeal approach” in defending guilty verdict

The Victorian Director of Public Prosecutions has adopted a “piecemeal approach” in defending the guilty verdict of George Pell, submissions to the High Court from Pell’s legal team argue.

The High Court has now received the final submissions before the two-day full court hearing in March.

In Pell’s counsel’s reply to the prosecution, barristers Bret Walker SC and Ruth Shann claim the Court of Appeal majority, 2-1, didn’t independently weigh the combined effect of the evidence.

In their submissions, counsel make the point that the trial judge, Chief Judge Peter Kidd, “without demur from the prosecution” directed the jury that there was no evidence to support the prosecution case other than that of the complainant.

Counsel argue the victim’s description of the layout and features of the “wood panelled area” in the priests’ sacristy were not accurate and although he was correct about the location of the wine in a particular corner: “That was a simple fact that could only be speculated as incapable of recall from a tour.”

Counsel said that the evidence of two choristers who joined the choir in 1991 and 1993 that they had not been in the priests’ sacristy before, did not prove the victim didn’t enter the room on a tour when he joined the choir in 1996 nor the fact the room was off-limits to choristers on Sundays.

A further point is made that there is no positive evidence that Pell didn’t openly use the priests’ sacristy.

Counsel said the DPP relied on the evidence of Monsignor Charles Portelli to establish Pell would have robed in the sacristy on 15th and 22nd December 23 “without confronting the tension between that reliance and the respondent’s assertion that Portelli’s memory is unreliable when he says that he was with the applicant when he robed and disrobed in that room on those dates”.

Counsel also argued the alibi provided for Pell by people like Portelli was “not anywhere near eliminated”.

Pell was convicted in December 2018 on one charge of sexual penetration with a child under 16 and four counts of indecent act with, or in the presence of, a child under 16, relating to two separate incidents at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Melbourne in 1996 and 1997.

The first incident related to choristers J and R who had left the procession and made their way to the priests’ sacristy, where Pell caught them drinking sacramental wine.

Pell sexually abused the boys after mass in the sacristy.

The second incident involved Pell squeezing J’s genitals in a corridor. Prosecutors relied solely on evidence from J in the trial.

The second choirboy, R, died in 2014 of a drug overdose.

R had denied being abused to his parents who weren’t called to give evidence at trial.

In their submissions Pell’s counsel argued the prosecution’s forensic choice not to call the parents “leaves as an uneliminated possibility that it was a true denial”.

“As the relevance of the denial of offending by the alleged co-victim is to determine if the complainant can be accepted beyond reasonable doubt, it is impermissibly circular to use belief in the complainant to eliminate the doubt otherwise raised by the denial,” counsel submitted.

Pell is serving a six-year sentence with a minimum of three years and eight months.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/george-pells-legal-team-argue-dpp-adopted-a-piecemeal-approach-in-defending-guilty-verdict/news-story/b1a2f7c0640df65b555bda282336bc96

https://www.hcourt.gov.au/cases/case_m112-2019

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8204142 (210739ZFEB20) Notable: Scott Morrison flies to US spy base for first classified briefing, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: The controversial US spy base at Pine Gap, south west of Alice Springs, is regarded as a key asset for Australia’s national security architecture.jpg

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Scott Morrison flies to US spy base for first classified briefing

Scott Morrison has flown to the remote US spy base at Pine Gap for a classified briefing from US and Australian intelligence officials.

The visit this afternoon follows the prime minister announcement this morning of the $1 billion upgrade to Tindal RAAF base which will serve as the spearhead for USAF and RAAF operations in the Indo Pacific.

The announcement, signed off by the national security committee of cabinet last week, marks a significant expansion in the reach of air force capability into the region and signals a more assertiv­e Australia-US posture as China continues to expand its strategi­c footprint into the region.

“It will be integral to our alliance with the United States, and increase the reach of Air Force capabilities in the Indo-Pacific,” Mr Morrison said in a statement. Mr Morrison said RAAF Base Tindal would support critical Defence operations including air combat missions and responding to natural disasters. “This investment is all about keeping Australians safe and putting Australians in jobs,” he said.

The highly secretive base jointly operated by Australia and US agencies including the CIA and National Security Agency is a major hub for US global intelligence interception and satellite monitoring for military and nuclear missile threats in the region.

The controversial facility south west of Alice Springs is regarded as a key asset for Australia’s national security architecture as well as the US control centre for satellite surveillance operations over China, Russia and the Middle East.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/scott-morrison-flies-to-us-spy-base-for-first-classified-briefing/news-story/a019bf5f69f691e91f591fae1c7027fe

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8204328 (210819ZFEB20) Notable: Julian Assange intends to seek asylum in France, lawyers say, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: Both Julian Assange and the broader issues of press freedom are at stake in his case, his lawyers say.jpg

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Julian Assange intends to seek asylum in France, lawyers say

Julian Assange's European defence team has said it will try to seek asylum in France for the WikiLeaks founder, whose full hearings for extradition to the United States on spying charges start next week in London.

French team member Eric Dupont-Moretti said Assange's case placed at stake "the fate and the status of all journalists".

"We consider the situation is sufficiently serious that our duty is to talk about it [with French President Emmanuel Macron]," the lawyer said.

He was one of a team of lawyers lined up at a Paris news conference to explain why they view the case against Assange as unfair, citing his poor health and alleged violations of his rights while in jail in London.

French members of the team said they have been working on a "concrete demand" for Mr Macron to grant Assange asylum in France, where he has children and where WikiLeaks was present at its founding.

"It is not an ordinary demand," lawyer Antoine Vey said, noting that Assange is not on French soil.

Baltasar Garzon, the Spanish coordinator of Assange's team, reiterated his client's plan to claim that the Trump administration offered him a pardon.

The alleged condition was that Assange must agree to say that Russia was not involved in leaking Democratic National Committee emails during the 2016 US election campaign.

Mr Garzon insisted that Assange was "pressured by the Trump administration" but resisted and "the order was given to demand the extradition of Julian Assange," he said.

The White House has firmly denied the claim. However, Mr Garzon said that both testimony and "documentary proof" of the claim will be offered to the court at the full hearing that opens on Monday.

Assange, 48, spent seven years in Ecuador's London embassy before being evicted in April 2019 for what the South American country's President called "spoilt brat" behaviour.

He was arrested by British police for jumping bail in 2012. In November, Sweden dropped a sex crimes investigation against him because so much time had elapsed.

(continued)

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-21/julian-assange-intends-to-seek-asylum-in-france-lawyers-say/11987470

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8204352 (210823ZFEB20) Notable: 44-year-old Queensland man charged with possessing child-like sex dolls, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: CLSD-1.jpg, CLSD-2.jpg, CLSD-3.jpg, CLSD -4.jpg

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44-year-old Queensland man charged with possessing child-like sex dolls

A man from Brisbane’s western suburbs has become the first person in Queensland to be charged for possessing child-like sex dolls under new Commonwealth laws targeting child abuse-related offences.

The 44-year-old man is due to appear in court today (21 February) after being charged by the Queensland Joint Anti-Child Exploitation Team (JACET) and faces a potential 15-year jail term if convicted of possessing the anatomically-correct doll.

The new offence came into force on 20 September 2019 as part of the Combatting Child Sexual Exploitation Legislation Amendment Act 2019.

The Queensland JACET launched an investigation into the 44-year-old’s activities after a child-like sex doll was detected in a shipment from China by Australian Border Force (ABF) on 20 January.

Investigators executed a search warrant at the man’s Riverhills home on 25 January where, it will be alleged, they seized two further child-like sex dolls, a laptop and tablet.

Police will further allege a laptop seized at the house contained child abuse material.

The man is due to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court today, charged with:

* Two counts of possessing a child-like sex doll or other object that resembles a child (or part of a child) under 18, and a reasonable person would consider it likely that the doll is intended to be used to simulate sexual intercourse, contrary to section 273A.1 of the Criminal Code Act 1995. The maximum penalty for this offence is imprisonment for 15 years.

* One count of attempting to possess a child-like sex doll contrary to section 273A.1 of the Criminal Code (Cth). The maximum penalty for this offence is imprisonment for 15 years.

* One count of possess child exploitation material contrary to section 228D of the Criminal Code (Qld). The maximum penalty for this offence is imprisonment for 14 years.

Research by the Australian Institute of Criminology has found that use of child-like sex dolls may lead to an escalation in child sex offences – from viewing online child abuse material to contact sexual offending.

AFP Assistant Commissioner Northern Command Lesa Gale said the dolls could desensitise people who used them to the physical, emotional and psychological harm caused by sexual abuse.

“These dolls are not harmless and do not prevent people from offending in the future,” she said.

“The Australian Federal Police will pursue any form of child exploitation or activity that reinforces the sexualisation of children. This includes sexual acts using items depicting children such as these dolls, which are legally considered child exploitation material.

“This arrest highlights the commitment undertaken by the AFP and its partners to protect children and identify and prosecute anyone who seeks to exploit and harm them.”

ABF Regional Commander for Queensland, Chris Waters said this arrest should serve as a warning to anyone who thinks they can import this kind of abhorrent material, that the ABF and its partner agencies will stop you and bring you to justice.

“Child sexual abuse is a rapidly evolving global issue and the ABF actively cooperates with our law enforcement partners to further investigate these matters domestically and internationally, to prevent any harm to children here or overseas“ he said.

Images of the dolls can be downloaded from the link below:

https://spaces.hightail.com/space/vZFO7wiJ5r

https://www.afp.gov.au/news-media/media-releases/44-year-old-queensland-man-charged-possessing-child-sex-dolls

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8209872 (212119ZFEB20) Notable: Alexander Downer Tweet: "The move by former Australian High Commissioner to the UK...was the act of a close ally”, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: AD_5.jpg

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Alexander Downer Tweet

“Mr Barr praised Australia’s role, saying the move by former Australian High Commissioner to the UK, Alexander Downer to tip-off the US about information he had obtained was the act of a close ally”.

https://twitter.com/AlexanderDowner/status/1230605441614438401

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8219423 (222142ZFEB20) Notable: Julian Assange and his Australian lawyers were secretly recorded in Ecuador's London embassy, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: Julian Assange and his Australian lawyers were secretly recorded.mp4, Schema of surveillance cameras in the embassy.jpg, UC Global installed new cameras in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London in December 2017.jpg, The audio of Julian Assange's meetings with fellow Australian Geoffrey Robertson were recorded by a microphone hidden in a fire extinguisher and audio-enabled CCTV.jpg, Fragment of UC Global log.jpg

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Julian Assange and his Australian lawyers were secretly recorded in Ecuador's London embassy

Barrister Geoffrey Robertson shuffles into the entrance to Ecuador's embassy in London, a camera recording the sound of his shoes echoing on the hard tiles.

It's just after 7:00pm on January 12, 2018.

The camera rolls as Robertson stops at the front door, unbuttons his overcoat and removes his cap.

Once inside the embassy, other cameras follow him as he's ushered into a meeting room, where the storied Queen's Counsel is offered a cup of tea.

After a few minutes, he is greeted by the embassy's most famous resident, Julian Assange.

The camera continues to roll, recording every word of the confidential legal conversation which follows.

While this may be typical surveillance at a secure diplomatic property, what Robertson did not know was he and a handful of other lawyers, were allegedly being targeted in a remarkable and deeply illegal surveillance operation possibly run at the request of the US Government.

And recordings such as Robertson's visit are at the heart of concerns about the surveillance: privileged legal conversations between lawyer and client in a diplomatic residence were recorded and, later, accessed from IP addresses in the United States and Ecuador.

Robertson was only one of at least three Australian lawyers and more than two dozen other legal advisers from around the world that were caught up in the surveillance operation.

Long-time WikiLeaks adviser Jennifer Robinson was one of the other Australian lawyers caught in the spying operation.

"It's important that clients can speak frankly and freely in a confidential space with their lawyers in order to be able to protect themselves and ensure that they have the best possible legal strategy and that the other side does not have advance notice of it," Robinson said.

Referring to a Spanish allegation that the US Government had advance notice of legal conversations in the embassy, she said: "That is … a huge and a serious breach of [Assange's] right to a defence and a serious breach of his fair trial rights".

On Monday evening (Sydney time), Assange will face an extradition hearing relating to US criminal charges against him for his role in the WikiLeaks releases of classified US Government material.

The extradition hearing comes amid a flurry of activity related to Assange: on Friday his legal team also confirmed they will try to seek asylum for the WikiLeaks boss in France, and on Thursday an English court heard that Assange was offered a US presidential pardon if he agreed to say that Russia was not involved in a 2016 leak of Democratic Party emails.

The offer of a pardon was allegedly made by the US congressman Dana Rohrabacher when he visited Assange in the embassy in August 2017. Rohrabacher has denied he was making the offer on behalf of Donald Trump.

'It's an occupational hazard for human rights lawyers'

The surveillance was uncovered via a very public investigation into the Spanish company contracted by the Ecuadorian Government to provide security at the embassy, UC Global.

WikiLeaks Spanish lawyer, Aitor Martinez, told the ABC the surveillance came to light after Assange was arrested, when former UC Global employees provided a large file of material.

"This consisted of recordings from cameras installed in the embassy and hidden microphones; recordings made with secret microphones placed inside the embassy; hundreds of secret copies of the passports of Mr Assange's visitors; multiple emails exchanged between the company owner and the employees," Martinez said.

The recording of lawyers and legal conversations was not accidental, according to the Spanish criminal case, which is now investigating UC Global and its owner, former Spanish Navy marine David Morales.

"David Morales was justifying himself by saying that he had been expressly asked for this information, sometimes referring to 'the Americans'," a UC Global employee turned prosecution witness said.

"He sent on several occasions — via email, by phone and verbally — some lists of targets in which we had to pay special attention … they were mainly Mr Assange's lawyers."

(continued)

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-23/surveillance-of-julian-assange-captured-lawyers-conversations/11985872

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8219557 (222158ZFEB20) Notable: Study identifies 16 child sex abuse rings in Victorian Catholic Church, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: Melbourne-Archbishops-who-t.jpg

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Study identifies 16 child sex abuse rings in Victorian Catholic Church

A three-year research project into paedophile Catholic clerics in Victoria has identified 16 child sex abuse networks operating over six decades involving 99 priests and Christian Brothers.

The investigation found that clergy paedophile rings shared patterns of behaviour with criminal gangs, the Mafia, terrorist cells, corrupt police, drug dealers, money launderers and price-fixing cartels.

The research showed their abuse was facilitated and reinforced by church hierarchy, including five successive archbishops of Melbourne from Daniel Mannix, appointed in 1917, through to George Pell (himself appealing against a conviction for child sex abuse) in 2001.

The researcher, Sally Muytjens, spent more than three years investigating "dark networks" of paedophile clergy in Victorian dioceses. She published the research late last year, receiving a doctorate from Queensland University of Technology.

Muytjens’ research found the largest and most active dark networks were at schools including St Alipius in Ballarat and Salesian College, Rupertswood, and orphanages including St Vincent de Paul’s in South Melbourne and St Augustine’s in Geelong.

One of the worst offenders, convicted paedophile and former Christian Brother Edward "Ted" Dowlan, was active in five of the 16 dark networks, she found.

Her study also identified Christian Brother Rex Francis Elmer as a member of two paedophile networks. The Sunday Age last week revealed that Elmer taught at Catholic schools in regional Victoria and Africa for decades after his order first knew he had abused children at a Melbourne orphanage.

In her thesis, Muytjens used a research method called social network analysis, which can reveal hidden patterns and ties between members of groups and provide insights into how they operate.

Using SNA enabled her to identify connections between clergy perpetrators and specific locations in Victoria from 1939 until 2000, unearthing what she described as a pervasive “sexual underworld” that had the potential to destroy Victorian dioceses.

Elsewhere, SNA has been used to map links between terror cells involved in the September 11, 2001, attacks and 2005 London bombings, and to track child sex trafficking networks in Britain, Italian money-laundering rackets and an Australian amphetamine trafficking ring.

It has also been employed to track the spread of contagious diseases, as well as population displacement after natural disasters.

Muytjens also drew on material from the Victorian parliamentary inquiry and the Commonwealth Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse, victims’ advocacy group Broken Rites and media coverage of criminal trials involving clergy, to map links between clergy child sex abusers in Victoria over six decades.

Her thesis examined the responses of the Catholic Church to such criminal activity, describing the institution as a "grey network" that repeatedly facilitated abuse.

“One of these patterns was promoting known clergy perpetrators of child sex abuse to senior positions which not only provided further access to victims but also placed them in positions where they were better able to protect the dark network from exposure,” she wrote.

The code of silence among Catholic clergy in Victoria mirrored patterns of behaviour exhibited by groups including crooked police and the Mafia, Muytjens added, and that “extended to a refusal to give evidence to the police". "Similar methods were utilised by clergy perpetrator networks within the Victorian Catholic Church to maintain silence.”

Documented clusters of paedophile clergy, including at St Alipius Boys’ School in Ballarat in the 1970s, showed they were “conducting illicit activity in an organised and co-operative way”, Muytjens wrote.

Dowlan and notorious paedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale both had multiple convictions for sexually abusing children, including at St Alipius. Another four clergymen were each part of least two different clusters of abusers at different times, Muytjens found.

“Some [clergy] committed child sex abuse at institutions where they were the only known dark network actor … [but] they were also transferred to parishes where there were clusters of other known clergy perpetrators.

“These perpetrators were part of multiple clusters at different times … As [Ridsdale and Dowlan] were prolific perpetrators, it can be reasonably argued that [they] were transferred out of clusters when subject to complaints of child sex abuse but were returned to clusters where they could be better supported and protected through stronger ties.

(continued)

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/study-identifies-16-child-sex-abuse-rings-in-victorian-catholic-church-20200215-p54158.html

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8219935 (222241ZFEB20) Notable: 'Epstein and I have everyone on videotape' Ghislaine Maxwell alleged to have confided, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: Prince Andrew was pictured with his arm around Virginia Roberts's waist at Ghislaine Maxwell's house in London in March 2001, although he has raised doubts about the veracity of the photograph.jpg, Roberts, who claims she was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew, has said that convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein's mansion in Manhattan was crawling with cameras.jpg, VRG_12.jpg, 'I've seen the video rooms,' she said on Twitter. 'EVERY SINGLE ROOM was being filmed. I've even seen some of the pics'.jpg, Jeffrey Epstein with Ghislaine Maxwell, his former girlfriend and alleged 'madam'. A former acquaintance of Maxwell said she told her the couple had 'everything on videotape'.jpg

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Prince Andrew accuser Virginia Roberts says EVERY SINGLE room of Jeffrey Epstein's $77million mansion had cameras and questions why the FBI still hasn't made any arrests

Virginia Roberts, who claims she was trafficked and forced to have sex with Prince Andrew, has said convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein's house was crawling with cameras.

Roberts has said that she has seen images from the cameras and that they were fitted throughout his house.

'I've seen the video rooms,' she said on Twitter.

'EVERY SINGLE ROOM was being filmed. I've even seen some of the pics.'

Epstein's 'sex slave' Roberts, now known as Virginia Giuffre, claims she had sex with the Duke of York three times - once in London when she was 17, one time in New York and another at Epstein's private Caribbean island. The claims have been strongly denied by Prince Andrew.

Roberts' remarks come after a former acquaintance of Ghislaine Maxwell, the former girlfriend of Epstein and his alleged 'madam', had 'everything on videotape'.

In an interview with the New York Post, socialite Christina Oxenberg, said Maxwell had told her about the cameras when they were alone.

'She said many things. All creepy. Unorthodox. Strange. I could not believe whatever she was saying was real. Stuff like: 'Jeffrey and I have everyone on videotape'.' Oxenberg said.

Several other sources have also claimed that Epstein secretly filmed his guests using hidden surveillance cameras in his Manhattan mansion, according to The Telegraph.

In response, Roberts question why there was a hold-up in the police investigation.

'Everyday I wake up hoping that someone has been help accountable and everyday I wake up disappointed,' she said.

Prosecutors in the US are investigating sex trafficking allegations and are looking at possible 'conspirators' who worked with Epstein,

Andrew has been accused of failing to respond to requests for an interview about the nature of his friendship with Epstein.

The duke has stepped away from royal duties following a disastrous Newsnight interview which probed his relationship with disgraced Epstein.

Andrew has 'emphatically' denied any relationship with Roberts, who is now 36 and a mother-of-three and living in Cairns in Australia, 'in any form'.

He says he does not recall a 2001 picture of him with Roberts, in which he appears to have his hand on her bare waist, and Ghislaine Maxwell being taken. He has questioned the authenticity of the picture.

The duke has also strongly denied claims he had been dodging an interview with authorities.

He also denies any knowledge that Epstein was abusing teenagers.

Epstein, who died in August 2019, was found dead in his New York jail cell aged 66 as he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges.

His death was ruled a suicide but this has been disputed by his lawyers.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8031577/Prince-Andrew-accuser-Virginia-Roberts-says-SINGLE-room-Epsteins-mansion-filmed.html

—

Virginia Roberts Giuffre Tweet

I’ve seen the video rooms- EVERY SINGLE ROOM was being filmed. I’ve even seen some of the pics- why are the feds taking so long with arrests. Everyday I wake up hoping that someone has been help accountable and everyday I wake up disappointed. #DoSomethingAlready

https://twitter.com/VRSVirginia/status/1231082812620460032

—

'Epstein and I have everyone on videotape' Ghislaine Maxwell alleged to have confided

Socialite with links to royal family reveals she has spoken to FBI about friendship with Jeffrey Epstein and Ms Maxwell

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/02/21/epstein-have-everyone-videotape-ghislaine-maxwell-alleged-have/

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8223501 (230600ZFEB20) Notable: Witness claims he saw Prince Andrew kiss and grope Virginia Roberts on Jeffrey Epstein’s ‘paedo island’, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: Former Epstein employee Steve Scully has come forward to say he is convinced he saw Prince Andrew with Virginia Roberts.jpg, Steve Scully speaks to Sun reporter Greg Woodfield about witnessing Prince Andrew with Virginia Roberts.jpg, Steve saw Prince Andrew on Jeffrey Epstein's now infamous island of Little St James.jpg, Virginia Roberts gave an interview to Panorama last year and says she was a victim of sex trafficking.jpg, The royal, 60, has denied any sexual activity took place between himself and Virginia.jpg

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>>175723

Witness claims he saw Prince Andrew kiss and grope Virginia Roberts on Jeffrey Epstein’s ‘paedo island’

A NEW witness sensationally claims he saw Prince Andrew “groping” Virginia Roberts.

Steve Scully, 70, says he saw saw Prince Andrew kissing Virginia Roberts and grabbing her bottom on paedophile Jeffrey Epstein’s Caribbean island home.

Scully, the tycoon’s former phone and internet specialist, said Andrew was with a young bikini-clad blonde by a pool on Little St James.

He said he later spoke to Andrew when he encountered the pair holding hands on a pathway.

Steve recalled: “I said, ‘Your Highness,’ and he said, ‘No, it’s Andrew’. I said, ‘I’m sorry, I really didn’t know how to address you.’.

He is convinced the young woman was Virginia —- who has claimed she was forced to take part in an orgy with the Duke of York on the tropical estate.

Steve is the first witness to come forward to say they saw Andrew with Virginia on the island.

Prince Andrew has emphatically denied a relationship with Ms Roberts and has said he cannot recall a 2001 picture of them together.

In a world exclusive interview, Steve told The Sun on Sunday that he saw Andrew and the young woman fooling around by the pool for several minutes.

Steve, 70, said: “He was grabbing her ass and stuff like that. They were kissing.

"He was grinding against her and groping her.”

Steve, who had been summoned to fix a phone jack, continued: “They were initially lying on lounge chairs by the pool.

“When they stood up, they were in between the chairs.

“She wasn’t resisting in any manner whatsoever. The look on Andrew’s face was excitement.

“They were bumping and grinding and fooling around for five, six, seven minutes and they then laid back down on the lounge chairs and continued.”

When he later bumped into the pair, Steve said that he introduced himself. “I said, ‘I’m Steve the phone guy’.

He said, ‘All right, Steve the phone guy. I saw you earlier...it’s certainly a lovely place to work isn’t it.’

'SHE WAS SO YOUNG'

“This is where it struck me as how young the girl was, because she stood like a kid would stand behind a parent.

"They walked off together and I went the other way.

“It was so obvious she was so young and she never said a word.

“I thought she looked particularly young. It bothered me. I thought that it wasn’t appropriate.”

There is no suggestion that what Steve saw appeared non-consensual to him.

But Ms Roberts now says she was forced to take part in an orgy with the royal on Little St James — after having sex with him in London and New York in 2001.

Father-of-three Steve — who has not been paid for this interview — is making his astonishing claim publicly for the first time.

His wife Pamela and pal Bobby Gottlieb both confirmed he had told them what he saw at the time.

He said he ran into Prince Andrew one Saturday, sometime between 2001 and 2004, but never saw him or the blonde again.

He had been called to Little St James by Miles and Cathy Alexander, then caretakers of the island.

Steve said: “When Miles called, he said, ‘I had to fix Jeffrey’s favourite phone. It was on the front porch in front of the living room.”

Steve said he was warned by Miles there was a “special guest” on the 72-acre Caribbean paradise.

Once there, Steve went to the porch and saw Prince Andrew — about 50ft away from him — with the young blonde.

He said: “He turned toward me and I went, ‘Oh my goodness, British royalty. That’s amazing.’”

Last night Virginia’s lawyer David Boies described Steve as “a very significant” witness and was arranging to speak to him.

He added: “Virginia was with Prince Andrew on the island — it would have been in 2001 or the first half of 2002.

She doesn’t remember this particular incident — but she says she was groped by him on a number of occasions.”

Steve said he was prepared to give a statement under oath.

(continued)

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/11021300/witness-prince-andrew-grope-virginia-roberts-claim/

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8231933 (240632ZFEB20) Notable: Mrs Christine Assange Tweet Bun, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: 10538_1.jpg, 10538_2.jpg, 10538_3.jpg, 10538_4.jpg

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Repost from Q Research General #10538

>>18402 (pb)

JA's mom fighting hard.

https://twitter.com/MrsC_Assange

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8232358 (240757ZFEB20) Notable: New $100 note design revealed with added security measures - New Oz $100 note covered in owls, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: owls_100_bill.png

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New Oz $100 note covered in owls

Could they be more obvious?

New $100 note design revealed with added security measures

It’s a tiny feature, easily missed at first glance - but it makes our new $100 note almost impossible to counterfeit, the Reserve Bank says.

The Reserve Bank has revealed the design of the new $100 banknote which has new security features.

This little owl has a rolling colour effect when the note is tilted and is visible on both sides.

The four dots above the owl are raised bumps for people who are vision impaired.

The clear top to bottom window also has multiple security features - if you tilt the note you can see a three-dimensional fan with colourful lines and the colours change within the owl’s wings.

Other security features include tiny, clearly defined text in multiple locations on the banknote, and an owl and wattle branch that glow under UV light.

“Perhaps the most obvious is a clear top-to-bottom window that runs from the top to the bottom of the banknote,” Lindsay Boulton, Reserve Bank Assistant Governor, told Sunrise.

“There’s also micro-text on the banknote, so very small printing that is less than a quarter of a millimetre in height.”

As with the existing banknote, the new $100 features Sir John Monash and Dame Nellie Melba.

Governor Philip Lowe said Australians should feel proud of their banknotes.

“They are innovative and contain world-leading security features that keep the banknotes secure,” he said.

“The new $100 banknote celebrates the contributions that two outstanding Australians – Sir John Monash and Dame Nellie Melba – made to our society.”

The note features the Australian masked owl and Australia’s national floral emblem, the golden wattle, which is native to southeastern Australia and southern inland areas of NSW.

Existing $100 banknotes remain legal tender and can continue to be used.

https://www.news.com.au/finance/markets/australian-dollar/new-100-note-design-revealed-with-added-security-measures/news-story/1eabcf8306ed1ee17e561be9f2db79ee

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8241344 (250617ZFEB20) Notable: Julian Assange an 'ordinary criminal' who put lives at risk, court told, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: A sketch of Julian Assange, back and second from right, in court on Monday.jpg, A protester outside Belmarsh Prison in London on Monday.jpg

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Julian Assange an 'ordinary criminal' who put lives at risk, court told

London: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is not a free-speech champion but an ordinary criminal whose publication of secret documents put many people at risk of torture and death, a lawyer for the US government said on Monday as Assange's extradition hearing opened in a London court.

Assange's lawyer countered that the Australian computer expert was being victimised as a result of the "declaration of war on leakers and journalists" by the administration of President Donald Trump.

US authorities want to try Assange on espionage charges over the 2010 publication of hundreds of thousands of secret military documents and diplomatic cables. The charges carry a maximum sentence of 175 years in prison.

Lawyer James Lewis, representing the US government, called WikiLeaks' 2010 document deluge "one of the largest compromises of classified information in the history of the United States."

"Reporting or journalism is not an excuse for criminal activities or a licence to break ordinary criminal laws," he said.

Dozens of Assange supporters protested outside the high-security Woolwich Crown Court, chanting and setting off a horn as District Judge Vanessa Baraitser began hearing the case. Assange, 48, watched proceedings from the dock in the courtroom - brought there from Belmarsh Prison next door, where he has been imprisoned for 10 months.

Just before the lunch break, Assange complained that he was having difficulty concentrating and called the noise from outside "not helpful."

Assange has been indicted in the US on 18 charges over the publication of classified documents. Prosecutors say he conspired with US army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to crack a password and hack into a Pentagon computer and release secret diplomatic cables and military files on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Assange argues he was acting as a journalist entitled to First Amendment protection, and says the leaked documents exposed US military wrongdoing. Among the files published by WikiLeaks was video of a 2007 Apache helicopter attack by American forces in Baghdad that killed 11 people, including two Reuters journalists.

But Lewis said Assange was guilty of "straightforward" criminal activity in trying to hack the computer. And he said WikiLeaks' activities created a "grave and imminent risk" to US intelligence sources in war zones, who were named in the documents.

"By disseminating the materials in an unredacted form, he likely put people - human rights activists, journalists, advocates, religious leaders, dissidents and their families - at risk of serious harm, torture or even death," the lawyer said.

Lewis said some informants and others who had been assisting the Americans had to be relocated after the leak, and others "subsequently disappeared."

While acknowledging that US authorities could not prove that anyone had been killed, Lewis said WikiLeaks' information had helped America's enemies. Documents from WikiLeaks were found in al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden's compound in Pakistan after he was killed in a US attack, the lawyer said.

Assange's lawyer, Edward Fitzgerald, said it was unprecedented in the United States for a publisher to be prosecuted for disseminating leaked material.

"Julian Assange has been made an example of," Fitzgerald said. "He was the obvious symbol of all that Trump condemned."

The extradition hearing follows years of subterfuge, diplomatic dispute and legal drama that have led the Australian computer expert from international fame through self-imposed exile inside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London to incarceration in a maximum-security British prison.

.....

An end to the saga could still be years away. After a week of opening arguments, the extradition case is due to break until May, when the two sides will lay out their evidence. The judge isn't expected to rule until several months after that, with the losing side likely to appeal.

If the courts approve extradition, the British government will have the final say.

Lewis, attorney for the American government, said it wasn't the role of the British court to determine whether Assange was guilty.

"This is an extradition hearing, not a trial," he said. "The guilt or innocence of Mr. Assange will be determined at trial in the United States, not in this court."

https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/julian-assange-an-ordinary-criminal-who-put-lives-at-risk-court-told-20200225-p543yj.html

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8241572 (250653ZFEB20) Notable: ASIO Director-General’s Annual Threat Assessment, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: Mourners lay flowers on a wall for the 51 victims of the Christchurch massacre, allegedly conducted an Australian white supremacist. The ASIO director general has warned about the growing threat from rightwing extremists in Australia.jpg

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ASIO boss warns of rising foreign interference and far-right extremism in Australia

Mike Burgess says ‘sleeper agents’ for foreign powers have lain dormant for years and threat from extremists is real and growing

Foreign interference in Australia is higher than it has ever been, and “sleeper agents” for foreign powers have lain undetected for years in Australia before being uncovered, the head of Australia’s domestic spy agency has warned.

In a wide-ranging annual threat assessment address delivered in Canberra on Monday night, the director general of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) Mike Burgess reiterated earlier security agency warnings that a terror attack in Australia is “probable”, and said that rightwing extremism, brought into “sharp terrible focus” by last year’s Christchurch massacre, was manifesting in “small cells” of adherents gathering to salute Nazi flags, inspect weapons and disseminate “hateful ideology”.

The intelligence chief said the threat of rightwing extremism was real and growing, and that the number of overall terrorism leads under investigation had doubled over the past year.

“Our view is that the threat of terrorism will remain a constant feature of the global security environment in 2020 and the threat to Australia and Australian interests will remain.”

Australia’s terrorism threat level remains at “probable” and would remain unacceptably high for the foreseeable future, Burgess said.

“The unfortunate reality is that, right now, terrorists are still plotting to harm Australians,” he said.

ASIO had discovered children as young as 13 being targeted by extremist recruiters.

“As a father, I find it truly disturbing to see cases where extremists are actively trying to recruit children who have only just started high school and are as young as 13 or 14,” Burgess said.

He said the level of threat Australia faced from foreign interference and espionage was unprecedented.

“It is higher now than it was at the height of the cold war.

“Indeed, some of the tactics being used against us are so sophisticated, they sound like they’ve sprung from the pages of a cold war thriller.”

The intelligence chief revealed for the first time the case of a “sleeper agent” sent to Australia by an unspecified foreign intelligence service.

“The agent lay dormant for many years, quietly building community and business links, all the while secretly maintaining contact with his offshore handlers,” Burgess said.

“The agent started feeding his spymasters information about Australia-based expatriate dissidents, which directly led to harassment of the dissidents in Australia and their relatives overseas.”

The ASIO chief said the agent was rewarded with “significant cash payments” in exchange for providing “on-the-ground logistical support for spies who travelled to Australia to conduct intelligence activities”.

“These are the sort of insidious activities ASIO works to detect and disrupt every day,” Burgess said, confirming ASIO had disrupted the operation.

ASIO has also uncovered cases where foreign spies have sought to establish sophisticated hacking infrastructure in Australia targeting computers containing sensitive and classified information. China has previously been blamed for large-scale hacking operations in Australia, including on the Australian National University.

Burgess said while violent Islamist fundamentalism remained ASIO’s primary concern, the threat of rightwing extremism – of the type espoused by the Australian-born Christchurch killer – was “real and growing”.

“In suburbs around Australia, small cells regularly meet to salute Nazi flags, inspect weapons, train in combat and share their hateful ideology.”

Burgess said Australians were signing up as members to international white supremacist hate groups such as The Base, where members use online platforms to share extremist rightwing ideologies and encourage each other into committing acts of violence.

“We expect such groups will remain an enduring threat, making more use of online propaganda to spread their messages of hate.

“While we would expect any rightwing extremist-inspired attack in Australia to be low capability, ie a knife, gun or vehicle attack, more sophisticated attacks are possible. And we also need to be mindful of state-sponsored terrorism as states seek to use terrorism to further their goals.”

(continued)

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/feb/24/rightwing-extremism-a-real-and-growing-threat-ASIO-chief-says-in-annual-assessment

Director-General’s Annual Threat Assessment

https://www.asio.gov.au/director-generals-annual-threat-assessment.html

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8251542 (260456ZFEB20) Notable: The next clown that is going to have his true role exposed is Alexander Downer, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: AD_6.jpg, ERqGlLNXsAEt6qu.jpg, GP_161.jpg

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Alexander Downer Tweet

Catching up with a mate in London! A great man

https://twitter.com/AlexanderDowner/status/1232445427766530050

—

George Papadopoulos Tweet

The next clown that is going to have his true role exposed is Alexander Downer. His bizarre spying was so comical that I ended up reporting him to the FBI, Congress and Mueller’s team. Until they confirmed to me he was recording my convo! Australia was willfully interfering

https://twitter.com/GeorgePapa19/status/1232369750694449153

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8252669 (260638ZFEB20) Notable: Julian Assange attempted to warn White House, Hillary Clinton of impending WikiLeaks release, lawyer says, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: A Julian Assange supporter attaches a sign to a fence outside Woolwich crown court in London.jpg

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Julian Assange was 'handcuffed 11 times and stripped naked'

WikiLeaks founder’s lawyers complain of interference after first day of extradition hearing

Julian Assange was handcuffed 11 times, stripped naked twice and had his case files confiscated after the first day of his extradition hearing, according to his lawyers, who complained of interference in his ability to take part.

Their appeal to the judge overseeing the trial at Woolwich crown court in south-east London was also supported by legal counsel for the US government, who said it was essential the WikiLeaks founder be given a fair trial.

Edward Fitzgerald QC, acting for Assange, said the case files, which the prisoner was reading in court on Monday, were confiscated by guards when he returned to prison later that night and that he was put in five cells.

The judge, Vanessa Baraitser, replied that she did not have the legal power to comment or rule on Assange’s conditions but encouraged the defence team to formally raise the matter with the prison.

The details emerged on the second day of Assange’s extradition hearing, during which his legal team denied that he had “knowingly placed lives at risk” by publishing unredacted US government files.

The court was told Wikileaks had entered into a collaboration with the Guardian, El País, the New York Times and other media outlets to make redactions to 250,000 leaked cables secret cables in 2010 and publish them.

Mark Summers, QC, claimed the unredacted files had been published because a password to this material had appeared in a Guardian book on the affair. “The gates got opened not by Assange or WikiLeaks but by another member of that partnership,” he said.

The Guardian denied the claim.

“The Guardian has made clear it is opposed to the extradition of Julian Assange. However, it is entirely wrong to say the Guardian’s 2011 Wikileaks book led to the publication of unredacted US government files,” a spokesman said.

“The book contained a password which the authors had been told by Julian Assange was temporary and would expire and be deleted in a matter of hours. The book also contained no details about the whereabouts of the files. No concerns were expressed by Assange or Wikileaks about security being compromised when the book was published in February 2011. Wikileaks published the unredacted files in September 2011.”

The Guardian’s former investigations editor David Leigh, who wrote the book with Luke Harding, said: “It’s a complete invention that I had anything to do with Julian Assange’s own publication decisions. His cause is not helped by people making things up.”

Assange, 48, is wanted in the US to face 18 charges of attempted hacking and breaches of the Espionage Act. They relate to the publication a decade ago of hundreds of thousands of diplomatic cables and files covering areas including US activities in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The Australian, who could face a 175-year prison sentence if found guilty, is accused of working with the former US army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to leak classified documents.

(continued)

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/feb/25/julian-assange-handcuffed-stripped-naked-claim-lawyers

—

Julian Assange attempted to warn White House, Hillary Clinton of impending WikiLeaks release, lawyer says

Julian Assange tried to contact Hillary Clinton and the White House when he realised that unredacted US diplomatic cables given to WikiLeaks were about to be dumped on the internet, his lawyer has told his London extradition hearing.

Assange is being sought by the United States on 18 counts of hacking US government computers and an espionage offence, having allegedly conspired with Chelsea Manning to leak hundreds of thousands of secret documents almost a decade ago.

Outlining part of his defence, Assange's lawyer Mark Summers said allegations that he had helped Manning to break a government password, had encouraged the theft of secret data and knowingly put lives in danger were "lies, lies and more lies".

Mr Summers said Assange attempted to warn the US Government, calling the White House and attempting to speak to Ms Clinton, then-secretary of state, saying "unless we do something, people's lives are put at risk".

Mr Summers said the State Department had responded by suggesting that Assange call back "in a couple of hours".

(continued)

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-26/julian-assange-called-hillary-clinton-white-house-wikileaks-dump/12001286

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8252882 (260708ZFEB20) Notable: Israeli President Reuven Rivlin pledge to intervene on Malka Leifer extradition: MP, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: Israeli President Reuven Rivlin met with PM Scott Morrison on Wednesday.jpg, Malka Leifer has been charged with 74 counts of child sexual abuse, with Australia lodging a formal extradition request in 2014.jpg, Prime Minister Scott Morrison, right, with the President of the State of Israel, Reuven Rivlin at Parliament House.jpg

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>>175715

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin pledge to intervene on Malka Leifer extradition: MP

The President of Israel, Reuven Rivlin, has told Australian MPs he will personally intervene in the extradition process of former Melbourne principal Malka Leifer, charged with child sexual abuse, if her years-long legal process drags beyond this week.

As he met with Scott Morrison and a handful of other politicians in Canberra on Wednesday, Mr Rivlin faced questions on Leifer’s extradition which was raised by both the Prime Minister and other MPs from both sides of politics.

A former principal of Melbourne’s ultra-orthodox Adass Israel girls’ school, Leifer fled to Israel in 2008 as accusations against her surfaced.

She has since been charged with 74 counts of child sexual abuse, with Australia lodging a formal extradition request in 2014.

More than 60 hearings have since taken place, with her extradition stalling over claims she is mentally unfit to stand trial and serious allegations of corruption levelled against Israel’s Deputy Health Minister for attempting to influence psychiatrists testifying in her extradition.

The commitment from Mr Rivlin comes after local MPs hit out at an “astounding” decision from an Israeli judge last week which threatened to further delay the extradition process.

According to Labor MP Josh Burns — whose electorate of Macnamara takes in the school where the alleged abuse occurred — Mr Rivlin told him he would meet with Israel’s Chief Justice as early as next week to expedite proceedings should a scheduled hearing in Jerusalem this week not progress the matter.

“I raised the issue of the extradition of Malka Leifer with President Rivlin on behalf of my constituents, particularly Dassi Erlich, Nicole Meyer and Elly Sapper,” Mr Burns said, referring to alleged victims of Leifer’s.

“I was pleased that President Rivlin advised me that, if hearings scheduled this week do not see this matter progress towards Malka Leifer being extradited to Australia, he will personally meet with the Chief Justice of Israel to discuss how this matter can be expedited.”

“This matter has dragged on far too long. These victims deserve justice and I will continue to fight until Malka Leifer is back in Australia facing trial.”

The Australian has also obtained a briefing letter Mr Rivlin is handing out to politicians he meets in Australia, that acknowledges the extradition proceedings “have been undermined by Leifer’s fraudulent claims of severe mental illness”.

It is understood the Prime Minister discussed Australia’s “strong commitment to seeing justice in the case of Malka Leifer.”

Mr Rivlin drew frustration from Leifer’s alleged victims when he refused to schedule a meeting with them during his visit to Australia this week.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/israeli-president-reuven-rivlin-pledge-to-intervene-on-malka-leifer-extradition-mp/news-story/e3f668223a67e7194622cd2f5ae6322a

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8252920 (260717ZFEB20) Notable: Trump wants stronger ties with India, Japan and Australia, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: U.S. President Donald Trump, left, shakes hands with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Feb. 25.jpg, A man rides his cycle past a hoarding with the images of Modi, Trump and first lady Melania Trump ahead of the U.S. president's visit to India on Feb. 22.jpg

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Trump wants stronger ties with India, Japan and Australia

President and Modi sign $3bn defense deal with China in mind

NEW DELHI - India and the U.S. on Tuesday finalized huge defense deals under which New Delhi will buy advanced American military equipment, including Apache and MH60 Romeo helicopters, worth over $3 billion.

These items are "the finest in the world," U.S. President Donald Trump said in a joint statement with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi after talks at the end of his two-day visit. "These deals will enhance our joint defense capabilities as our militaries continue to train and operate side by side."

The purchases are expected to bolster India's defense capabilities against Pakistan and narrow the gap with China, the two neighbors with which New Delhi has had long-standing border disputes.

The deal came as both leaders hailed progress toward negotiating a trade agreement, a priority for Trump, who has in the past denounced India's tariffs on U.S. goods.

He said he discussed with Modi about the expansion of the so-called Quad cooperation to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific, the "importance of a secure 5G wireless network," and an economic relationship that is "fair and reciprocal."

The Quad is the economic and security dialogue spanning Australia, India, Japan, and the U.S. that began in 2007 and was revived in 2017 after a 10-year hiatus.

"Together, the Prime Minister and I are revitalizing the Quad Initiative with the United States, India, Australia, and Japan," Trump said. "Since I took office, we have held the first Quad ministerial meeting ... and expanded cooperation on counterterrorism, cybersecurity, and maritime security to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific."

Trump received a warm welcome on arrival on Monday in Ahmedabad in Modi's home state of Gujarat where he addressed a rally of more than 100,000 in the world's largest cricket stadium.

In Ahmedabad, Trump said the U.S. was looking forward to providing India with some of the best and most feared military equipment on the planet. "We make the greatest weapons ever made: airplanes, missiles, rockets, ships," he said.

"And we're dealing now with India," he said.

On Tuesday, he said teams from both sides have made "tremendous progress on a comprehensive trade agreement" and that he was optimistic the two countries can reach a deal that will be of great importance.

At a news conference, Trump said if a trade deal happens with India it will be toward the end of the year.

"Previous administrations had no clue, they didn't know the problems," the president said. "We are being charged large amounts of tariffs."

Trump also mentioned that global energy major Exxon Mobil signed a deal with state-run Indian Oil Corp. to improve India's natural gas distribution network "so that the U.S. can export even more [liquefied natural gas] to India."

To further strengthen bilateral economic ties, he added the U.S. International Development Finance Corp., a government-backed lender, will be setting up a permanent presence in India.

"We are at a point where our relationship is so special with India. It has never been so good than it is right now," Trump said.

Modi said after talks with Trump that they have "agreed to start negotiations on a big trade deal."

Trade tensions between India and the U.S. have been on the rise since Trump took office in 2017. Trump labeled India the "tariff king," in particularly for its treatment of Harley-Davidson motorcycles, which the president mentioned again Tuesday. New Delhi took umbrage at Trump's additional levies on Indian steel and aluminum imports.

But the visit appears to have helped changed the relationship. Modi said Tuesday that the India-U.S. relationship will be upgraded to a "comprehensive global strategic partnership," adding that ties between the two are "people-driven and people-centric."

Trump steered clear of commenting on India's controversial Citizenship Amendment Act, which critics say discriminates against Muslims.

"I don't want to discuss that," the president said in response to a question on the law. "I want to leave that to India, and hopefully they are going to make the right decision for the people. That's really up to India."

Trump, however, said he and Modi did talk about religious freedom, and that the prime minister told him India has worked "very hard" for that. He said he and Modi had not discussed Monday's violent protests in Delhi over the citizenship law.

Local media reports said the death toll in Monday's violence had climbed to at least 11.

https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/Trump-wants-stronger-ties-with-India-Japan-and-Australia

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8252946 (260722ZFEB20) Notable: Former NSW Labor minister Milton Orkopoulos has parole revoked, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: Former NSW Labor minister Milton Orkopoulos.jpg

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>>175708

Former NSW Labor minister Milton Orkopoulos has parole revoked

Convicted paedophile and former NSW Labor Minister Milton Orkopoulos has had his parole revoked.

The 62-year-old was arrested at his home at Malabar, in Sydney's east, last week and charged with three counts of failing to comply with his reporting obligations.

The State Parole Authority (SPA) today said it revoked Orkopoulos's parole order on the basis he had breached two conditions of his parole; that he must not commit any offences and must comply with all conditions of the Child Protection Register (CPR).

The decision was made during a closed meeting of the SPA this afternoon.

Orkopoulos has been in custody since last week when he was refused bail after facing court on three counts of failing to comply with his reporting conditions.

The former minister was also arrested last month over two alleged breaches of parole.

Police allege he had failed to report changes to his personal information, as required by his parole conditions.

Orkopoulos's lawyer told Waverley Local Court in January that the alleged breaches related to a conversation he had with his granddaughter and an Instagram account that had been set up in his name.

The account was declared to police on January 8 but it was created three days prior.

Orkopoulos was released from Long Bay prison on parole in December after serving 11 years behind bars.

He was convicted of 30 drug and child sex offences in 2008 after it was revealed he had been raping minors.

He was ordered to wear an electronic monitoring bracelet and was banned from approaching his victims.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-26/milton-orkopoulos-has-parole-revoked/12002792

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8262255 (270606ZFEB20) Notable: Perth paedophile who sexually abused his daughters, stepdaughters to remain behind bars, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: The man sexually abused his two daughters and three stepdaughters between 2001 and 2006.jpg

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Perth paedophile who sexually abused his daughters, stepdaughters to remain behind bars

A Perth father who sexually abused his daughters and stepdaughters several times between 2001 and 2006 will remain behind bars after breaching his release order on more than ten occasions.

The man, whose name has been suppressed to protect the identity of his victims, was released back into the community in 2018 under a supervision order subject to several conditions.

However, he was arrested less than a year later after he breached his release order by removing his tracking device, loitering around children's playgrounds, contacting a 16-year-old girl online and coordinating an online bisexual exploration meet and greet group.

The 53-year-old's criminal history stretches back to 2004, when he was sentenced to a 12-month community-based order for indecently dealing with his daughter's teenage friend.

In 2008, he was sentenced to eight years in jail after it was discovered he had sexually abused his two daughters, aged between 10 and 15, on five different occasions between 2001 and 2006.

While in custody, the father-of-four, who had separated from his wife in 2003 and started a relationship with another woman, pleaded guilty to indecently dealing with his three stepdaughters between 2003 and 2006 and was sentenced to a combined two years and nine months in jail to be served cumulatively.

A warrant for his arrest was also issued in Queensland in 2009 for "having carnal knowledge of or with a person's offspring or lineal descendant" in 1996 and 1997.

According to court documents, the 53-year-old had a difficult upbringing in a violent household.

He told forensic psychiatrists his offending occurred during periods of heavy drug use when he smoked more than an ounce of cannabis every two or three days and drank "approximately 5-6 cans of mixed spirits" a day.

But a 2018 report by forensic psychiatrist Dr Gosia Wojnarowska found his offending was a mixture of opportunistic and predatory conduct and his risk of re-offending was still high.

She described the father-of-four as being "emotionally immature, craving love and attention" that he had not obtained "from age-appropriate relationships due to his personality inadequacies".

Judge Michael Corboy found the community would be adequately protected "from the risk of the respondent committing a serious sexual offence" if he was released under a supervision order.

"There is nothing in the respondent's prison records to suggest he would not comply with the supervision and reporting requirements to be imposed," he said.

The 53-year-old was released in the community in August 2018, but was arrested in April 2019 after the prosecution alleged he had breached his supervision order conditions by removing his tracking device on three occasions, engaging in conversation with a neighbour's child, failing to attend sessions of the sex offender maintenance program and entering Kings Park despite explicit instructions not to from his corrections officer.

During his time in the community, he also accessed pornography sites online, joined a bisexuality exploration online group and met with a man through an online homosexual male dating site.

The court heard the man had experienced "difficulty since being released to the community in not looking at young females and having sexual thoughts about them" and had contacted a teenager online.

Judge Corboy found the 53-year-old was likely to commit a sexual offence if he was released under a supervision order and ruled he should remain behind bars.

"There were no further conditions that could be imposed or amendments made to the supervision order that could, in my view, adequately protect the community," he said.

https://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/perth-paedophile-who-sexually-abused-his-daughters-stepdaughters-to-remain-behind-bars-20200222-p543bn.html

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8262732 (270736ZFEB20) Notable: ABC Qanon hit piece: Far-right groups and conspiracy theories are being brought together through the internet, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: The United States isn't alone in the rise of white nationalists, Australia's spy chief has warned.jpg, In 2016, a gunman attacked a pizza restaurant in Washington DC in an attempt to rescue the children he believed were being held captive and abused in the basement.jpg, Supporters wearing shirts with the QAnon logo at a 2018 rally for US President Donald Trump.jpg, Supporters of the National Socialist Movement, a white nationalist political group, give Nazi salutes in the United States.jpg

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Far-right groups and conspiracy theories are being brought together through the internet

In ASIO's first-ever annual threat assessment, delivered in Canberra this week, director-general Mike Burgess warned of the rise of right-wing extremism in Australia.

Describing it as a "real" and "growing" threat, he emphasised the role of online communities in fostering international connections between far-right groups.

"Extreme right-wing online forums such as the Base proliferate on the internet, and attract international memberships, including from Australians," Burgess said.

"These online forums share and promote extremist right-wing ideologies, and encourage and justify acts of extreme violence."

Far-right extremists have been quick to recognise the potential of fringe and shadowy online spaces as an opportunity to promote their propaganda, communicate with one another and win others over to their cause.

But they're often not alone in these spaces.

Transnational conspiracy theories

Any serious attempt to grapple with the threat posed by the modern, digital-native and increasingly transnational far-right movement will also have to reckon with its weirder but equally disturbing twin: transnational conspiracy theories.

Several days before he would go on a shooting rampage in Hanau, Germany, killing nine people, 43-year old Tobias Rathjen posted a 24-page manifesto and videos to his personal website.

While much of the focus since the attack has been on the far-right elements of Rathjen's ideology, the documents reveal a noxious mess of conspiratorial beliefs.

The twisting and incoherent narratives are a smorgasbord of online conspiracy movements from both Germany and the United States.

In one English-language video which Rathjen calls "my personal message to all Americans", he makes claims about the existence of underground US military bases in which children are tortured and killed. (This video has been removed from mainstream platforms but has been reuploaded to fringe video-hosting platforms. The version I found had been uploaded by an Australian user).

This conspiracy has distinct echoes of QAnon, an increasingly transnational pro-Trump conspiracy movement.

QAnon adherents believe that Trump is waging a secret war with a "deep state" cabal of elite paedophile cannibals, alongside an undercover operative known as "Q" who posts coded messages on 8chan, now called 8kun.

Its genesis, at least in part, is drawn from the Pizzagate conspiracy theory, which claimed several US restaurants and high-ranking officials of the Democratic Party were linked to an alleged human trafficking and child sex ring.

In 2016, a gunman attacked a pizza restaurant in Washington DC in an attempt to rescue the children he believed were being held captive and abused in the basement (the restaurant did not have a basement).

QAnon has been linked to violent incidents

The QAnon conspiracy theory was closely tied to the community of users on 8chan, the now-infamous online forum where multiple far-right extremists have posted manifestos before launching their attacks (8chan was briefly driven offline in 2019, but has since reincarnated under the name 8kun).

These manifestos also contain strong conspiratorial elements. Christchurch shooter Brenton Tarrant even titled his manifesto "The Great Replacement" in reference to a white supremacist conspiracy theory about a plot for the "ethnic replacement" of white people.

Patrick Crusius, who killed one person and injured three others at a synagogue in Poway in 2019, wrote about how "Hispanics … will turn Texas into an instrument of a political coup which will hasten the destruction of our country".

QAnon itself has been linked to multiple violent incidents. In the US, a QAnon supporter recently plead guilty to a terrorism charge for blocking the Hoover Dam with a homemade armoured vehicle and multiple firearms.

Lawyers for a man accused of killing a mob boss claim that he was radicalised by QAnon. The FBI reportedly considers QAnon to be a domestic terrorism threat.

(continued)

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-27/far-right-extremism-and-the-role-of-conspiracy-theories/11999520

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8262824 (270759ZFEB20) Notable: Coronavirus: PM initiates emergency response plan as Australia prepares for global pandemic, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: Prime Minister Scott Morrison arrives for Question Time in the House of Representatives at Parliament House in Canberra, Thursday, February 27, 2020.jpg, Confirmed cases of coronavirus across the globe. Graphic by Tara Blancato (Nine).jpg, How does coronavirus affect the body.jpg, Workers wearing protective gears spray disinfectant against the new coronavirus in front of a church in Daegu, South Korea.jpg, The World Health Organisation debunks coronavirus myths.jpg

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Coronavirus: PM initiates emergency response plan as Australia prepares for global pandemic

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said the coronavirus outbreak will enter a pandemic phase, prompting the Australian government to initiate its emergency response plan.

Addressing the public, Mr Morrison said there is "every indication" coronavirus will become a pandemic and the risk to Australia is "very much upon us".

"I want to stress that these actions are being taken in an abundance of caution," said Mr Morrison.

Mr Morrison said the plan was triggered to "contain the impact of this virus".

"Together we will get through this," he said.

The World Health Organisation has not yet declared the COVID-19 outbreak as a pandemic, but Mr Morrison said based on "expert medical advice" the government has taken "steps necessary" to contain the pandemic.

Mr Morrison has asked the Commissioner of the Australian Border Force to strengthen Australia's ports of entry to identify persons who may require additional quarantine.

The PM also stressed the declaration of a pandemic does not place additional risk on vulnerable people in the community.

"There is no evidence before us that children are at any greater risk, but we do believe to take care of our kids that we needed an even greater abundance of caution," said Mr Morrison.

"There is no need for us to be moving to stopping mass gatherings of people.

"You can still go to the football and the cricket and play with your friends down the street, you can go to the concert and you can go out for a Chinese meal.

"You can do all of these things because Australia has acted quickly, Australia has gone ahead of this at this point in time."

The Morrison government has also extended the travel ban on people coming from China for a further week and enacted an emergency response plan as the deadly coronavirus continues to spread globally.

WHY THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN WAS ACTIVATED

The turning point was new data showing the rate of cases being confirmed outside China was growing faster than those inside China.

Australia has so far had 22 cases of COVID-19, most of whom have been cleared and are now back in the community.

There has been no evidence of transmission within the community.

State and territory health ministers will meet with federal minister Greg Hunt on Friday to discuss the next steps.

Border Force has also been asked for advice on how to step up measures at ports of entry.

Education ministers will look at what steps can be taken to further protect children.

.....

LATEST FACTS AND FIGURES ON CORONAVIRUS

* 23 confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Australia: 8 in Queensland; 4 in NSW; 7 in Victoria; 3 in South Australia; 1 in Western Australia.

* 15 of these cases are reported to have recovered. The remaining cases are in a stable condition.

* 8 cases are passengers who were on the Diamond Princess repatriation flight from Japan. They have returned to their home states for medical treatment.

* Across the world, there have been 81,310 confirmed cases and 2771 reported deaths.

* Of the confirmed cases reported globally, the case fatality rate is 3.4 per cent. The case fatality rate in countries and regions outside mainland China is 1.4 per cent.

* Australia's travel restrictions have been extended for a further week.

* Foreign nationals - excluding permanent residents - who have been in mainland China will not be allowed to enter Australia for 14 days from the time they left mainland China.

* Australian citizens and permanent residents will still be able to enter, as will their immediate family members (spouses, legal guardians and dependants only).

* People who have been in contact with someone confirmed to have coronavirus must self-isolate for 14 days from the time they were in contact with that person.

* Australian government is operating on the basis that a pandemic will be declared soon.

https://www.9news.com.au/world/coronavirus-outbreak-australia-emergency-plan-activated-pandemic-phase/9c9c5a9c-d237-4e6d-bb10-936ae20cf85d

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8265321 (271717ZFEB20) Notable: Julian Assange's extradition hearing finishes a day early, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: Julian Assange's lawyers will apply for the WikiLeaks founder to leave the dock and join them on the bench at his US extradition hearing.jpg, Australian Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has appeared in a UK court in London to fight an extradition request lodged by the US Government.jpg, Julian Assange supporters protest outside Woolwich Crown Court in London, Britain, 26 February 2020.jpg

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Julian Assange's extradition hearing finishes a day early

Part one of Julian Assange's extradition hearing has finished, a day early.

The case being heard in London's Woolwich Crown Court has been adjourned until May 18, when it's scheduled to resume for another three weeks.

It's expected witnesses will be called to the stand during this second part of the hearing.

Earlier in court, Assange's lawyers made an application for him to be freed from the dock, allowing the Australian to sit with them in open court.

Despite the move, however, the Judge refused to let Assange come out of the dock and argued that other measures could be taken for him to be able to better communicate with his lawyers.

Those measures include delaying the start of hearings each day so lawyers can take instructions from Assange and the possibility of the upcoming May hearings running longer than the three weeks scheduled, if necessary.

Earlier, the court heard Assange's alleged offences are solely political because he was trying to change US government policy by exposing wrong-doing and war crimes.

Barrister Edward Fitzgerald argued that Assange wanted the US government to change its foreign policy when WikiLeaks released thousands of classified military and diplomatic files in 2010.

"We've seen WikiLeaks did effect change, that was one of the reasons there was (US troop) withdrawal (from Iraq), we also say that the US frequently said: 'WikiLeaks opposes US policy in Afghanistan'," he said.

"What other purpose can there be publishing the Apache helicopter strike (video) and (US) rules of engagement showing that the war conflicted with fundamental human rights?

"What other point can there be to releasing the Guantanamo Bay files than to induce a government change of policy, and the same for revealing for civilian deaths in Iraq war (it) was to induce a change in government policy."

Mr Fitzgerald said Assange's actions and inducing a change in government policy were "intimately connected".

Prosecution barrister James Lewis also said that Assange's action was not aimed at changing the US government or its policy.

"We say, it's not and therefore will not fall into the definition of political offence," he said.

The barrister said there was an English definition of a political offence, which was not purely dependent on the name of the offence like espionage, which Assange is charged with in the US.

"Extradition is based on conduct, it is not anymore based on the names of offences," he said.

Mr Lewis said there was no "political struggle" going on between the US government and "other factions" like WikiLeaks when the organisation was publishing the classified files.

"Any bare assertion that WikiLeaks was engaged in a struggle with the US government ... needs to be examined far more," he said.

He also said a political offence was a "dated" exemption in modern societies because the "times had changed" from when dissidents were trying to uphold liberal democracy.

Assange has been charged in the US with 17 counts of violating the Espionage Act and one of conspiring to commit computer intrusion over the leaking and publishing of thousands of classified US diplomatic and military files in 2010.

The charges carry a total of 175 years' imprisonment.

https://www.9news.com.au/world/julian-assange-extrdition-hearing-day-four/247bc738-7f4b-432d-9079-0d7f908222aa

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8271716 (280518ZFEB20) Notable: Trump says coronavirus comeback underway - New York Post article co-written by Ebony Bowden, Australian "journalist", MISSING MEDIA/FILES: 10584_1.png

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Repost from Q Research General #10584

>>19851 (pb)

So it was Ebony Bowden, an Australian "journalist" who was mocking the Indian reporter's accent.

https://twitter.com/CallingDrLove69/status/1233014932787978242

Here's her YT acc:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjcARZDbb1rl_AfNfRH5gMw

Here's her twat acc:

https://twitter.com/ebonybowden

Here's the NY post (Her employer) FB acc:

https://www.facebook.com/NYPost/

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8271811 (280536ZFEB20) Notable: Should I bring @AlexanderDowner on my podcast for an in-depth discussion?, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: GP_162.jpg

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>>175730

New George Papadopoulos Tweet

Should I bring @AlexanderDowner on my podcast for an in-depth discussion?

https://twitter.com/GeorgePapa19/status/1233235100491341825

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8272185 (280701ZFEB20) Notable: Australian ‘child predator’ arrested in Oklahoma, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: Australian Man Accused Of Abusing Young Children In Tulsa.mp4, Accused Australian child predator Trevor Rombouts.jpg

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Australian Man Accused Of Abusing Young Children In Tulsa

TULSA, Oklahoma - Tulsa Police arrest an Australian man, accused of sexually abusing girls over a period of years. the suspect is back in Tulsa after his arrest on Monday.

Tulsa's fugitive warrants squad found Trevor Rombouts living with a woman and her small children and investigators say that fits his pattern.

The investigation started with one victim telling police Rombouts abused her as a child. Tulsa Special Victim's Unit Detective Lt. Jillian Phippen says officers quickly discovered the pattern.

"And as we did that, made phone call after phone call, we found out that he did molest multiple other young girls, anywhere from 2007 to present," said Lt. Phippen.

Police say Rombouts is 52 and a native Australian who goes by the nickname "Wombats". He's accused of abusing children in 3 cities, Tulsa, Jenks and Crane, Texas. The victims were children he knew, three children, who said they were as young as 3 to 9 years old when the abuse happened.

"So, it was a pattern over the years that he finds a woman with young children, or he marries a woman with young children, and then he molests him, and we knew if he was still in that position, he might still be molesting young children and we wanted to get him off the streets as soon as we could," said Lt. Phippen.

Each victim told police the abuse was frequent, each describing similar sex acts in their police interviews. Rombouts was arrested on 2 counts of child sexual abuse and 2 counts of lewd molestation. Lt. Phippen says a check of his past in Australia found even more cases.

"So, once we made that call, they did confirm that he was accused of that there, in the late '90s," she said.

Australian authorities told Tulsa police Rombouts had an outstanding warrant for abuse of three children; the victims, five, four and two weeks old.

https://www.newson6.com/story/41816101/australian-man-accused-of-abusing-young-children-in-tulsa

—

Australian ‘child predator’ arrested in Oklahoma

An Australian man nicknamed “Wombats” has been arrested in the US and is accused of sexually assaulting children in Australia, US and possibly Europe.

An accused Australian child predator and fugitive who went by the nickname “Wombats” is locked up in an Oklahoma jail accused of sexually assaulting children in Australia, the US and possibly Europe.

Oklahoma authorities said Trevor Rombouts’ youngest alleged victim was a two-week-old baby in Victoria.

The 52-year-old has been on the run since Victorian police issued warrants for his arrest in the late 1990s.

“This clearly is a predator,” Detective Lieutenant Jillian Phippen, of the Tulsa Police Department’s special victims unit in Oklahoma, told AAP on Wednesday.

Tulsa detectives began investigating Rombouts last year when a victim in Oklahoma came forward to say Rombouts had assaulted her for several years when she was younger.

Lt Phippen said the investigation found Rombouts followed the same predatory pattern of moving in with women who had young children and then assaulting the children.

Two of Rombouts’ alleged US victims were in Oklahoma.

A third was in Texas.

“Once we started looking at it my detective was like, ‘there’s going to be more victims just because of his behaviour and how he was treating the victim’,” Lt Phippen said.

“Once he started diving into the investigation that’s what happened.

“We found more victims who were able to come forward and tell their story.

“We reached out to Australia where he lived and we received information back saying he had been looked at there for child molestation as well.

“Our red flags went up and we knew this was a predator and he was not going to stop.”

The investigation also found Rombouts had lived in Europe and he might have victims in Belgium, Lt Phippen said.

They tracked Rombouts down in Joplin, Missouri on Monday and took him into custody.

The Australian warrants from the 1990s relate to the alleged abuse of three children aged five-years-old, four-years-old and a baby just two-weeks-old.

Tulsa prosecutors have charged Rombouts with two counts of child sexual abuse and two counts of lewd molestation.

https://www.news.com.au/world/north-america/australian-child-predator-arrested-in-oklahoma/news-story/2206b980dc0415d6af1c3783ef4dfd97

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8272203 (280706ZFEB20) Notable: Leifer psychiatrist cross-examination ends, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: Malka Leifer's lawyers have concluded their cross-examination of psychiatrists.jpg

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>>175737

Leifer psychiatrist cross-examination ends

A two-day hearing in the Jerusalem District Court which featured the cross-examination of psychiatrists in the ongoing case against alleged child sex abuser Malka Leifer has come to a close.

Three psychiatrists were cross-examined in total, all of who previously deemed Leifer fit to face extradition trial.

The closed court hearing is one in 65 of the nearly decade long saga to bring Leifer back to Australia to face 74 charges of rape and child abuse.

The charges stem from her time as principal at Melbourne's Ultra-Orthodox Adass Israel School.

Nicole Meyer, one of the three sisters who have pressed charges against Leifer, flew from Australia at the last minute this week to be present at the hearings.

"I feel it was very important for me to be present at these hearings, and I'm glad I came, despite the difficulties," Meyer said in a statement released following court on Thursday.

The mother of four further said she plans to attend as many hearings as possible into the future until Leifer is sent back to Australia.

"Being in court is challenging. Not having a direct voice in the courtroom, and not understanding the language, has added to the complexity of my experience," Meyer said.

"But I'm grateful for the support and assistance I've received from so many, especially from those who have personally attended the lengthy hearings."

Manny Waks, a strong supporter of victims of sexual abuse in the Jewish community, assisted with translation for Meyer during court.

"I felt proud and privileged to sit beside the courageous Nicole and to update her courageous sisters, who were waiting desperately in Melbourne for developments, as they have over the past 60 plus hearings, on what was happening in the courtroom," Waks declared in a press statement.

"It was challenging to sit in the courtroom for such lengthy periods listening to Leifer's defence try to undermine the credibility of the latest psychiatric panel, who unanimously and unequivocally found that Leifer has been faking her illness and is fit to face justice."

In previous hearings, Leifer's defence stated they wanted to cross-examine further witnesses following Thursday's hearing.

It is likely these extra witnesses are psychiatrists the defence has previously used to enter evidence.

Waks added that they hope Judge Chana Miriam Lomp won't allow any additional witnesses in order for the case to finally be resolved.

Still, a slew of further court dates were announced in Thursday's hearing, further adding delay in bringing Leifer to an extradition trial.

Judge Lomp, who has long been presiding over the Leifer case, allowed the defence to submit an additional psychiatric report by March 3.

Further hearings will be held into mid March.

Despite the arduous delays, Meyer and her sisters continue to have strong hope.

"We hope that the process will now be expedited, and that we'll see a positive outcome shortly," Meyer said.

https://7news.com.au/news/crime/leifer-psychiatrist-cross-examination-ends-c-720385

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8273007 (281046ZFEB20) Notable: George Pell’s lawyers ‘have failed to identify judicial errors’, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: George Pell leaves a Melbourne court in 2018.jpg, screencapture_hcourt-gov-au.jpg, Pell-Queen_Res_Further.pdf

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George Pell’s lawyers ‘have failed to identify judicial errors’

George Pell’s lawyers have failed to identify any errors in the Victorian Court of Appeal majority’s judicial method, prosecutors claim in further submissions to the High Court.

Victorian prosecutors, including Director of Public Prosecutions Kerri Judd QC and senior crown prosecutor Mark Gibson QC, who led the prosecution in the original Pell trial, submitted that the appellate court’s role was not as a substitute for trial by jury.

Pell appealed against his conviction to the Victorian Court of Appeal, which held a two-day hearing in June last year and rejected his appeal in a majority 2-1 decision.

The High Court has set the case down for March 11 and 12 and asked the parties to provide submissions on the viewing of recorded evidence compared with reading the transcript of witnesses, including the victim.

The prosecution submitted this week the Court of Appeal’s role was to undertake an independent assessment of evidence to answer whether it was open to the jury to be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt on Pell’s guilt.

Addressing the issue of recorded evidence compared with transcript, prosecutors said the Court of Appeal had discretion on the matter and was not required to provide reasons for its decision.

They submitted that a court’s decision to view recorded evidence might reduce but couldn’t eliminate the jury’s benefit in seeing and hearing the evidence.

“A jury undertakes its task in the particular atmosphere of the trial which may not be reproducible upon appeal,” they said.

Another advantage for juries, they submitted, was the “worldly experience it brings to its task”, ability to deliberate as a group throughout the trial and the discipline generated by the requirement of unanimity or very high majority.

Pell was convicted in December 2018 on one charge of sexual penetration with a child under 16 and four counts of indecent act with, or in the presence of, a child under 16, relating to two separate incidents at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Melbourne in 1996 and 1997.

The first incident related to choristers J and R, who had left the procession and made their way to the priests’ sacristy, where Pell caught them drinking sacramental wine. Pell sexually abused the boys after mass in the sacristy.

The second incident involved Pell squeezing J’s genitals in a corridor. Prosecutors relied solely on evidence from J in the trial. The second choirboy, R, died in 2014 of a drug overdose.

In the High Court submissions, prosecutors claimed Pell’s counsel overstated the Court of Appeal majority’s consideration of the victim’s demeanour in their submissions when it was just one aspect of the assessment.

“The majority’s discussion of (the victim’s) demeanour occurred in its assessment of the applicant’s argument that (the victim’s) account was a deliberate falsity or a fantasy,” the prosecutors said.

“In reaching its conclusion that the jury were entitled to reject that contention, the majority took into account not only (the victim’s) demeanour but also the substance of what (he) said.”

The prosecution said the majority “expressly recognised” that the victim’s account could not be considered in isolation but had to be critically evaluated in light of the “opportunity evidence”.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/george-pells-lawyers-have-failed-to-identify-judicial-errors/news-story/c215c2ddbbac01b79900d2c71b4b3323

https://www.hcourt.gov.au/cases/case_m112-2019

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8273050 (281102ZFEB20) Notable: Scott Morrison, Jacinda Ardern clash over policy to deport convicted New Zealand nationals, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: Scott Morrison, Jacinda Ardern clash over policy to deport convicted (2).mp4, Despite tense exchanges, both leaders emphasised that they very much value the relationship.jpg

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Scott Morrison, Jacinda Ardern clash over policy to deport convicted New Zealand nationals

The New Zealand and Australian prime ministers have publicly clashed over the deportation of Kiwi criminals, with Jacinda Ardern calling for Australia to "stop exporting" people.

At a press conference, Ms Ardern told journalists Australia needed to stop sending convicted criminals who had spent most of their lives here back to New Zealand.

"Australia is well within its rights to deport individuals who break your laws, New Zealand does the same," Ms Ardern said.

"But we have a simple request; send back Kiwis, genuine Kiwis. Do not deport your people and your problems."

Ms Ardern and Scott Morrison were in Sydney on Friday for their annual meeting.

The back and forth on deportation, which Ms Ardern said was "corrosive to our relationship", dominated the conference.

The Federal Government has cancelled the visas of 2,633 New Zealand nationals on character grounds over roughly the past five years.

Ms Ardern, who faces an election this year, said some of those sent back were too young when they left New Zealand to have developed criminal tendencies.

"We will own our people, we ask that Australia stop exporting theirs," she said.

She said some people had no connections to New Zealand, making reintegration into society difficult.

"The success of these rehabilitation programs are reliant on a network of people, a network of family and they have none of those," Ms Ardern said.

She said New Zealand was not asking Australia to end its policy, but to afford its Pacific friends some leniency.

Mr Morrison said his government's stance was firm, and that it would expect the same treatment from other countries.

The New Zealand Opposition is threatening to reciprocate and send Australia's criminals back if it comes to power in September.

Mr Morrison indicated that would not be a problem from New Zealand or any other country.

"We would think that was totally understandable and we wouldn't take any offence."

The Prime Minister's message was clear.

"You commit a crime here, you're convicted, once you have done your time, we send you home," he said.

Ms Ardern responded to the comments by saying many people did not feel they were coming home, but being sent away from it.

She said she knew of people who had children in Australia and had lived there for most of the lives before being sent back after serving their time in jail.

"The Prime Minister used a key word in his reference just now, he said that after they serve their time, he sends them 'home'," she said.

"We [New Zealand] have countless that have no home in New Zealand, they have no network, they have grown up in Australia; that is their home and that is where they should stay."

Despite their different views on the matter, both prime ministers said they valued their relationship with one another more than with any other world leader.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-28/morrison-ardern-clash-over-deportation-policy/12012052

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8273132 (281134ZFEB20) Notable: Convicted child sex offender and Marist Brother William Wade pleads guilty to concealing child sex crimes, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: Guilty - Marist Brother William Henry Wade giving evidence at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in 2016.jpg, Convicted - William Wade before he was sentenced for child sex crimes.jpg, Convicted - Former Marist Brother Romuald leaves Newcastle Court after he was charged with multiple child sex offences against boys at the Hunter's Marist school at Hamilton.jpg, Convicted - Marist Brother Dominic, real name Darcy O'Sullivan, outside Newcastle Court before his conviction for multiple child sex crimes against Hamilton Marist school students.jpg

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Convicted child sex offender and Marist Brother William Wade pleads guilty to concealing child sex crimes

MARIST Brother and convicted child sex offender William Wade has made history as the first senior Catholic in Australia, and possibly only the third in the world, to plead guilty to concealing the child sex crimes of Catholic colleagues.

The former principal of five Marist high schools, including the flagship Ashgrove school in Queensland, entered guilty pleas today to two counts of failing to provide information to Strike Force Georgiana police in 2014 during child sex investigations into Marist Brothers Francis Cable and Darcy O'Sullivan.

The two counts of concealing serious offences are the first successful outcome from one of the controversial Section 316 of the Crimes Act cases, where an offence is committed if someone " knows or believes that a serious crime has been committed, and fails, without a reasonable excuse, to inform the police".

It is believed to be the first conceal case against the member of a religious order that has ended with guilty pleas, and one of only a handful of prosecutions in the world against Catholic Church leaders for failing to report child sex allegations to police or authorities.

The only such prosecutions in Australia have been in the Hunter region, including the conviction of Archbishop Philip Wilson for concealing the child sex crimes of child sex offender priest Jim Fletcher in 2018, that was overturned on appeal.

Wade entered the guilty pleas in Sydney District Court today before Judge Christopher O'Brien, who set a sentence date and advised the court he had been a student where Wade was principal.

Francis Cable (Brother Romuald) and O'Sullivan (Brother Dominic) are serving jail terms for serious child sex crimes against multiple boys at the Hamilton Marist school in the 1970s and 1980s.

Wade, who was principal of the Hamilton school between 1971 and 1976, was convicted of child sex offences in 2017 and served a jail sentence after an unsuccessful appeal.

During evidence before the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in 2016 Wade said he received only one complaint about Brother Romuald while principal at the Marist Hamilton school, and none against Brothers Dominic and Patrick.

He told the royal commission he knew his evidence conflicted with the evidence of others, who said they reported child sex allegations about the three Marist brothers to Wade. He told the commission he did not doubt most of the abuse against multiple boys happened, but he could not recall any of the details.

Wade told the royal commission he could not recall ever referring any complaints about Marist Brothers staff to the order's provincial.

Wade said he accepted Romuald's denial in the 1970s after a child sex complaint, after Romuald said: "I thought I had been good in that area recently."

Royal commission chair Justice Peter McClellan challenged Wade on whether a single complaint of child sex against a Marist colleague would have stood out.

Justice McClellan put to Wade that he was wrong to accept Romuald's denial, which had "terrible consequences".

Wade said he carried "a great deal of grief and regret and sorrow about it".

"I should have at least informed the provincial (the head of the order) and possibly gone to the police," Wade told the royal commission in 2016.

(continued)

https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/6652445/history-after-marist-brother-pleads-guilty-to-concealing-serious-child-sex-crimes/?cs=7573

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8278224 (282320ZFEB20) Notable: Rachel Noble, Director-General of the Australian Signals Directorate, announces senior staff appointments, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: screencapture-asd-gov-au-publications-director-general-announces-senior-staff-appointments.png

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ASD Director-General announces senior staff appointments

DGASD Rachel Noble PSM

28 February 2020

The Director-General of ASD, Ms Rachel Noble PSM, has today announced the appointment of Ms Abigail Bradshaw CSC as the new Head of the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC).

“Ms Bradshaw has deep experience in crisis management and incident response, having served as the Deputy Commander Maritime Border Command at the height of the people smuggling trade, as well as her current role as the Deputy Coordinator of the National Bushfire Recovery Agency,” said Ms Noble.

“Cyber threats in Australia continue to increase in sophistication. Ms Bradshaw has the proven experience to continue the ACSC’s commitment to ensuring Australia is the safest place to connect online.”

Ms Bradshaw commenced her career as an officer in the Royal Australian Navy and has served in a range of other senior appointments, including in Home Affairs, and in the National Security Division in PM&C.

“I am delighted to be returning to the Defence Portfolio, bringing my crisis management experience, and domestic and international connections to this exciting role in ASD,” Ms Bradshaw said.

“I look forward to working closely again with colleagues inside and outside the portfolio, and with the talented team in ACSC to acquit our important cyber mission.”

Ms Noble today also announced the appointment of Ms Linda Geddes, who will take up the role of Deputy Director-General Sigint and Network Operations on 16 March.

“Ms Geddes will be a tremendous asset to ASD as she brings to this role her deep counter-terrorism and national security experience, including through her current role as the Commonwealth’s Counter-Terrorism Coordinator,” said Ms Noble.

Ms Geddes has previously held senior appointments in Home Affairs, PM&C and ONI, has served in ASD, New Zealand’s GCSB, and served for eleven years in the Australian Army.

“I am very excited to be returning to ASD. I have had the privilege of working in this great organisation twice before, both as a member of the ADF and as a public servant, and I look forward to renewing old relationships and making new ones. I also look forward to working with Director-General Noble once more,” Ms Geddes said.

https://www.asd.gov.au/publications/director-general-announces-senior-staff-appointments

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8278748 (290015ZFEB20) Notable: ASIO hiring intelligence officers - How to get a job as an Australian spy, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: ASIO is on the lookout for more spy recruits - Nine News Australia.webm, 'Sam' told 9News she is 'working to protect people from harm,' describing it as 'hard work, but it's very, very rewarding'.jpg, ASIO intelligence officers look at various pieces of information to determine and eliminate potential threats to national security.jpg, Director-General Mike Burgess said 'terrorists are still plotting to harm Australians'.jpg, Intelligence Officer Candidate Information Pack.pdf

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How to get a job as an Australian spy

An Australian spy has revealed details about "one of the most important jobs in the world" - inside the country's top spy agency as ASIO recruits more into its ranks.

"Sam" told 9News she is "working to protect people from harm," describing it as "hard work, but it's very, very rewarding".

The former nurse revealed she changed jobs after the September 11 attacks and attacks on Australians in the Bali Bombings in 2003.

"It made me curious as to, to who was working to prevent these things from happening, to stop these things from happening," she told 9News.

"Sam" cannot reveal her real identity or even specifics of her job, due to its highly classified nature.

But she did offer a rare insight into the mysterious world of counter espionage.

"I'm an intelligence officer, and I guess broadly speaking, my job is to look at various pieces of often quite vague information and bring them together and distill them to create a picture of what somebody might be planning to do to harm Australians," she said.

"Coming to work for ASIO you realise how serious the intelligence business is.

"Unfortunately, in the past few years we have had a high operational tempo. The Australian public would be aware of a large number of disruptions and unfortunately some attacks that have occurred in Australia and around the world. This is not an issue just Australia is facing - the entire world is facing."

Since 2014 there have been seven terrorist attacks in Australia, but ASIO has helped prevent 17 more.

The agency also actively works countering foreign interference.

Earlier this week, in his first annual "Threat Assessment" Director-General Mike Burgess said: "terrorists are still plotting to harm Australians" and described the level of threat from foreign spies as "unprecedented".

"It is higher now than it was at the height of the cold war," Mr Burgess said.

Today, during a parliamentary inquiry into Australia's metadata laws, he revealed a scientist was "undertaking clandestine intelligence activity on behalf of a foreign government".

"For more than 10 years the scientist had access to the Australian government clearance holders. People with access to Australian government secrets. Thanks to retained data we managed to identify some of the scientist's contacts."

With ASIO hiring intelligence officers and intelligence analysts, he too has pushed the recruitment drive.

"Our success is built on the imagination and intelligence of our humans. We need people who can out-think and out-imagine our adversaries, and who can harness the power of technology and data alongside good old-fashioned relationship building to achieve our mission of protecting Australia," Mr Burgess said.

To be eligible as an officer or an analyst, applicants need to be an Australian citizen, have completed a three-year bachelor's degree and pass security vetting checks.

"Sam" and the Director-General are encouraging Australians from all walks of life to apply.

"Don't rule yourself out. We've got people from all sorts of backgrounds musicians, athletes, nurses, teachers, even a couple of ex-journalists so everyone's welcome," she said.

"You do have to get through our rigorous recruitment process.

"I'd encourage anyone to apply because I've had, am still having a great career and it's very, very rewarding."

Full details on all the criteria and more on how to the enter the world of one of Australia's top spy agencies, can be found here.

Applications close on March 9.

https://www.9news.com.au/national/asio-spy-jobs-agency-recruiting-everyday-australians/9b97b000-241c-4edb-a79c-75248d1690e0

https://www.careers.asio.gov.au/public/jncustomsearch.searchResults?in_organid=12852

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8290159 (010752ZMAR20) Notable: Army would follow US withdrawal from Afghanistan

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Army would follow US withdrawal from Afghanistan

All Australian troops could be out of Afghanistan within 14 months after the US and the Taliban signed a historic peace agreement.

Australia, along with other coalition forces, will follow the US in any troop withdrawal from the country, but there are still further negotiations to come that could derail the deal.

US President Donald Trump said it was "time to bring our people back home" after the US signed the deal with the Taliban, which sets into motion the potential for a full withdrawal of coalition troops.

The US and NATO allies have agreed to withdraw all troops within 14 months if the Taliban upholds its side of the deal, which includes a "a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire".

A full withdrawal would mark the end of a near two-decade war in which 41 Australian troops have been killed.

There are about 200 ADF personnel still serving in Afghanistan.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton said Australia welcomed any peace agreement after "a lot of effort" had been put in over the years since coalition forces entered the country in 2001.

Brighter future

“Australians have fought alongside our allies for many years in an effort to provide a brighter future for Afghanistan," Mr Dutton told the ABC's Insiders program.

“It's been an incredibly important effort and if there are troop withdrawals and we'll work that out with the United States, but obviously the Taliban need to abide with any conditions on such agreement.

“If there's a withdrawal of coalition troops, we'll do that in line with consultations with the United States, the UK and our Five Eyes partners."

Asked whether he was comfortable with the Taliban being back in power, Mr Dutton said: “Well, I'm comfortable if people aren't being slaughtered and attacked and that young girls can go to school.

“And this will be part of the discussion and as you say, we want to make sure that the Taliban and others abide by the conditions and the intent of the agreement. But we'll wait for the detail.”

Security benefits

Mr Dutton said the long-running war had taken its toll but there had been benefits for Australia's national security in staying in the country for the past two decades.

“We always mark the loss of any Australian soldier in any conflict – their families still live with that pain today – but for us, there are important equities in the Middle East," Mr Dutton said.

"We have done an enormous amount in terms of intelligence-collection in Afghanistan, in Iraq, elsewhere, across Syria for example, and the collection of that intelligence has stopped terrorist attacks taking place in the West including in Australia, in Indonesia and elsewhere. So there are many facets to our involvement in the conflict."

The agreement, which followed more than a year of negotiations, lays out a timetable for the final withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.

The deal hinges on tricky further negotiations between the Taliban and the Afghan government over the future of the country, including the possibility of a power-sharing arrangement and permanent ceasefire.

Mr Trump said he believed the Taliban wanted to "do something to show that we're not all wasting time".

"If bad things happen, we'll go back," he said.

"I'll be meeting personally with Taliban leaders in the not too distant future and will be very much hoping that they will be doing what they say.

"They will be killing terrorists. They will be killing some very bad people. They will keep that fight going."

Reviewing Australian commitment

Last month, Defence Minister Linda Reynolds announced the ADF had reduced its footprint in Afghanistan to about 200 personnel.

Senator Reynolds said the Australian government "constantly reviews" its military commitment in the country.

"I will continue to work closely with the US, NATO and other partners to ensure our military contribution to Afghanistan remains appropriate, including to reflect developments in the peace process," she said.

"Australia reaffirms its longstanding commitment to Afghanistan and ongoing support for the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces.

"We are committed to working with the Afghan people and government to support next steps toward peace."

https://www.smh.com.au/world/middle-east/army-would-follow-us-withdrawal-from-afghanistan-20200301-p545qm.html

Originally posted at >>>/qresearch/8306305 (030640ZMAR20) Notable: NZ deputy PM Winston Peters slams Peter Dutton over response to Jacinda Ardern deportation comments, MISSING MEDIA/FILES: 'We want a fair go and a thing called respect,' NZ deputy PM Winston Peters, right, said as lashed Peter Dutton’s, left, comments.jpg

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NZ deputy PM Winston Peters slams Peter Dutton over response to Jacinda Ardern deportation comments

New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister has lashed Peter Dutton for disrespecting his country when making a “highly emotive” suggestion Jacinda Ardern had only raised issue with Australia’s deportation laws to win votes at her upcoming election.

Winston Peters accused the Home Affairs Minister for politicising what he said most New Zealanders saw as a valid issue, and said New Zealand didn’t “make a song and dance” after an Australian citizen carried out a massacre in Christchurch in 2019.

Mr Peters comments come a after New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern reinforced her view that Australia’s deportation policy is “regrettable” on Monday, hours after Mr Dutton launched an attack on her over comments she made at a press conference in Sydney last week.

Responding to Ms Ardern, who told Scott Morrison that he was deporting “your people and your problems” and not “genuine Kiwis”, Mr Dutton reasoned Ms Ardern was going into an election campaign and that Australia had no regrets about the number of visas its cancelled and criminals it has deported to New Zealand.

Mr Dutton also said: “I sleep well at night knowing that deporting pedophiles from our shores mean that more Australian children won’t fall victim to that paedophile, and I’d want to make sure that we have a great migration system.”

On Tuesday, Mr Peters said Mr Dutton had chosen a “highly emotive” example by mentioning paedophiles, and said Australia’s policy was unfair.

“He’s wrong,” Mr Peters told ABC Radio about the suggestion that raising issue with the deportation policy was an election tactic.

“We’ve been saying it ever since our special relationship changed in 2001.

“Of all countries Australia should understand the unfairness of deportation for so called crime reasons.

“Australia’s foundation was a foundation of awful unfairness to good people and here we are in 2020 and we’re having this dispute about this matter.

“They (Australians) believe in a fair go, and fair play. And If they knew what was going on here I think they wouldn’t support it either.

“You’ve sent thousands back to New Zealand and we’ve sent a handful back to you.

“When you send back people who have been in Australia since year one or year two, you’ve lost the plot.

“You can pick that highly emotive case of somebody who is a sexual predator.

“If they’ve arrived in Australia in year one its quite possible that the formation of that predatory mind was an Australian cultural experience and not a New Zealand cultural experience.”

“We had a mass murderer come to this country from Australia. Did we make a song and dance with Australia about that? It was the worst tragedy we’ve ever had, 51 people lost their lives … far worse than Port Arthur. And nobody in my country sought to abuse Australia about that. That’s my point. We want a fair go and we want a thing called respect.”

“We’ve been friends for centuries, don’t ruin it for some political opportunism which originates in Australia not New Zealand.”

Asked if New Zealand should deport more Australians in response, Mr Peters said: “two wrongs don’t make a right.”

He also warned that criminals deported from Australia have created serious gang violence issues in his country.

“You need friends in Australia, so do we. We have got a great deal in common far more than any other two nations. Let’s not spoil it, let’s not behave this way, let’s not politicise this matter.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/nz-deputy-pm-winston-peters-slams-peter-dutton-over-response-to-jacinda-ardern-deportation-comments/news-story/33ab9e69c7cff141a085306eaff091e2