Northern Ireland

Nobel laureate Mairead Maguire seeking Home Office permission to visit Julian Assange

Mairead Maguire wants to visit Julian Assange in custody 
Mairead Maguire wants to visit Julian Assange in custody  Mairead Maguire wants to visit Julian Assange in custody 

NOBEL laureate Mairead Maguire has asked the British Home Office for permission to visit Julian Assange after criticising his arrest last Thursday as being in a "style befitting of a war criminal".

The Belfast woman, who in 1976 won the Nobel prize for her work with the Peace People, described the the Wikileaks founder as a "friend" and a "courageous and highly intelligent man". She said she had nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize in January this year.

Ms Maguire's request to meet Assange came as his lawyer accused Ecuador of making "outrageous allegations" to justify the arrest.

Assange spent almost seven years in the nation's London embassy where he sought asylum, until he was dragged out by police in dramatic scenes on Thursday.

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The South American nation's interior minister, Maria Paula Romo, described staff tolerating poor behaviour from the 47-year-old, including him "putting faeces on the walls".

But his lawyer, Jennifer Robinson, disputed the allegations when she appeared on Sky's Sophy Ridge On Sunday.

"I think the first thing to say is Ecuador has been making some pretty outrageous allegations over the past few days to justify what was an unlawful and extraordinary act in allowing British police to come inside an embassy," she said.

Pressed over the veracity of the allegations, Ms Robinson said: "That's not true."

She also said Assange's fears of a US extradition threat were proved correct this week after allegations were made that he conspired to hack into a classified Pentagon computer.

Ms Maguire said she wanted to meet the Wikileaks founder in custody to ensure he is receiving medical care and to make him aware that there are "many people around the world who admire him and are grateful for his courage".

She said the Metropolitan Police had arrested a "brave and good man" in a manner "befitting of a war criminal".

"The decision of President Lenin Moreno of Ecuador, who under financial pressure from the US has withdrawn asylum to the Wikileaks founder, is a further example of Unites States’ global currency monopoly, pressurising other countries to do their bidding or face the financial and possibly violent consequences for disobedience to the alleged world super power, which has sadly lost its moral compass," she said.

Ms Maguire said she believed Assange would not get a fair trial.

"As we have seen over the last seven years, time and time again, the European countries and many others, do not have the political will or clout to stand up for what they know is right, and will eventually cave into the Unites States’ will," she said.

Meanwhile, Assange's father has called on the Australian government to help his son and suggested he could be brought back to his home country.

John Shipton, who lives in Melbourne, urged prime minister Scott Morrison to step in.

He told News Corp Australia that Mr Morrison and the country's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) "should in a nuanced way do something".

"It can be resolved simply to the satisfaction of all," he said.

"There has been some talk in a meeting between a senator and a senior DFAT official to extradite Julian to Australia."

Mr Morrison has previously said Assange, an Australian citizen, will have consular assistance available to him but will not get "special treatment".