Julian Assange walks out during CNN interview when asked about sex charges

Julian Assange walks out during CNN interview when asked about sex charges

LONDON -- WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, lives life on the run and when he was asked about rape and sexual harassment charges filed against him by two women during a CNN interview, he chose to walk off the set. (See video, left.)

In July 2010 Assange leaked over 900,000 classified military war documents that officials were, and still are concerned could endanger lives of soldiers and others related to the war in Afghanistan.

Last week Assange’s organization leaked over 400,000 classified military war documents on their WikiLeaks website, this time leaking records that could endanger the lives of soldiers and other related to the war in Iraq.

While the leaking of hundreds of thousands of sensitive documents is the bigger story, people clearly want to know more about the personal life of Julian Assange, and about the troubles within his organization, WikiLeaks.

During the CNN interview, Atika Shubert, London, asked some tough questions. She questioned Assange about alleged conflict with some of his WikiLeaks staff members.

Some of the former employees, who were suspended during their employment at the company, cited Assange’s difficult personality in their conversations with CNN.

Assange appeared uncomfortable with the line of questioning but remained in his seat. He gave the standard reply that these employees must have been unhappy because they were suspended.

Life on the run

Assange lives life on the run. The New York Times paints him as a man “dripping in paranoia.”

John Burns and Ravi Somaiya describe the WikiLeaks founder as "moving like a hunted man"—speaking in whispers, churning through pricey encrypted cell phones, booking hotel rooms under false names, sleeping on floors, dyeing his hair, paying only in cash.

The behavior comes as the Pentagon weighs his actions under the 1917 Espionage Act, as "about a dozen" volunteers have left him, and as he tries to find refuge, somewhere.

Newser reported that Sweden rejected his residence bid. His British visa expires in a few months. He worries that Britain, where his Australian passport legally allows him to stay for six months, and Iceland, another country with "generous press freedoms," are no longer viable options due to their strong ties to Washington.

Late last month, while traveling from Stockholm to Berlin, his checked bag, which contained three encrypted laptops, disappeared; Assange believes it was intercepted.

Rape and sexual harassment charges

Two women came forward and accused Assange of rape and sexual harassment. When asked about the charges during a CNN interview Saturday Assange told Shubert that if she continued questioning his personal life he would walk off the set.

“I’m going to walk if you’re going to contaminate this extremely serious interview with questions about my personal life,” Assange said.

The reporter pushed the issue and he decided to keep his word. He got up, ripped off the microphone, and walked out.

He's still being investigated in connection with rape allegations. “When it comes to the point where you occasionally look forward to being in prison on the basis that you might be able to spend a day reading a book, the realization dawns that perhaps the situation has become a little more stressful than you would like,” he says.

Sources: The Newser, The New York Times