WikiLeaks’ Julian Assange promises “significant” leak on U.S. election, Google
BERLIN - WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange promised “significant” disclosures on subjects including the U.S. election and Google in the coming weeks as the secret-spilling group marked its 10th anniversary on Tuesday.
Assange said WikiLeaks plans to start publishing new material starting this week, but wouldn’t specify the timing and subject. Speaking by video link to an anniversary news conference in Berlin, he said the leaks include “significant material” on war, arms, oil, internet giant Google, the U.S. election and mass surveillance.
WikiLeaks hopes “to be publishing every week for the next 10 weeks,” Assange said.
Assange had promised an “October surprise,” which he hinted could prove “devastating” to the Clinton campaign
Trump surrogate Roger Stone tweeted at the time that Hillary Clinton would be “done” following the disclosure of the WikiLeak findings.
“Well, it could be any number of things,” Stone said in August. “I actually have communicated with Assange. I believe the next tranche of his documents pertain to the Clinton Foundation but there’s no telling what the October surprise may be.”
WikiLeaks, which released Democratic National Committee emails days before the party’s national convention earlier this year, wouldn’t say who or what campaign would be affected by the upcoming U.S. election leaks. Assange said speculation that he or WikiLeaks intend to harm Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton is “false.”
Asked whether he feels any personal affinity with Clinton’s Republican rival, Donald Trump, Assange replied: “I feel personal affinity really, I think, with all human beings.”
“I certainly feel sorry for Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump,” he added. “These are two people that are tormented by their ambitions in different ways.”
Sweden is seeking Assange’s extradition in a rape investigation. He hasn’t left the Ecuadorean Embassy in London since 2012. Assange denies the rape allegation and says he fears being extradited to the U.S. to face espionage charges if he leaves.
Assange’s most recent shakeup -- the release of nearly 20,000 internal emails that pointed to possible Clinton favoritism by the Democratic National Committee during the primary process -- caused some upheaval during the Democratic Convention in Philadelphia. The party’s chairwoman resigned, and Bernie Sanders’ supporters booed when the Vermont senator urged them to vote for Clinton instead. Assange has since promised to release documents that could have a significant impact on the looming general election.