Sunday 17 April 2011

The affair Irmeli Krans in the case of Sweden against Assange

By Marcello Ferrada-Noli

Note. This text was originally written to serve as publisher’s presentation notes to the newly published article in Professors blogg by the American attorney and journalist Andrew Kreig. However, the length consideration and other information added compelled  its publication  separately. The article of Andrew Kreig in Professors blogg "Swedish authorities face yet another irregularity in their sex probe of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange" is found here

Clip of the police-investigation. Page 10 of the FUP document


Irmeli Krans: "Claes Borgström is a worth-admiring and axtremely knowledgeable lawyer. I am proud he is a social democratic"

The Swedish newspaper Expressen - a right-wing tabloid of the Swedish establishment's press - convinced the world in March it had a “scoop” of breaking-news in the Assange case. The paper reported that the police officer Irmeli Krans who interrogated one of the Assange-accusers was a friend of the main accuser-instigator Anna Ardin. But this fact was already known by everybody who cared to read the proceedings of the police investigation. So it was simply one of the many irregularities in the case ignored by the mainstream Swedish media, much like the continuing cover-up of the rigged documentary about Julian Assange broadcast the State-owned National Television, SvT 1.

So the question remains why Expressen would have decided to publish “the scoop”.  Professors blogg's interpretation is simple. 

Expressen's so called scoop it was to create an alibi, an exception, within an  overall cover-up that otherwise is performed by the Swedish mainstream media in regard to the  affair Assange.

The trick consisted in showing now "anti-official", "critical investigative journalism", through "breaking news" but referred to facts already known by the legal teams and prosecutor of the case, and therefore in no possible way it would alter the course of events.

Why? The story broke at a time when the Swedish-media behaviour have been in the focus of worldwide attention because of the Assange verdict in London ordering his extradition. Further, the only element admitted by Judge Riddle giving the Assange’s defence right was the judge’s  reference to the hostility against Assange from the Swedish press. This was also the main contain of my witness report  submitted by Assange's lawyers to the London court, which was based in research summarized in Newsmill ("Professor: Medierapporteringen om Assange är osaklig och likriktad") and published in full text here in Professors blogg ("Does Sweden Inflict Trial by Media against Assange?"). 

Professors blogg's alibi-hypothesis derives also support from the fact that Expressen published its “scoop” simultaneously in English – which is very unusual for Expressen and most others in the  Swedish media, This would mean that a primarily goal was to counteract  international opinion. 

Close-up of a picture published by Irmeli Krans in her homepage, posing around Thomas Bordström in the company of other police officers

As indicated above, the main issue about Irmeli Krans is not her friendship with Anna Ardin. Instead The main issue here is to investigate to which extent their frienship - and their political bound in the social democratic Party - biased the interrogation of Ardi's accuser-peer Sofia Wilen itself.  Further, what was the plan for the interrogation? Was it according to a sequence recently disclosed in the Swedish investigative forum Flashback?

Important questions:  

  • Why did the accuser SW in the company of AA arrived to the Police station at 14,00 the 20th of August to be interrogated in such opportunity coinciding with just the day and just the shift of Irmeli Krans at just that Police station? (The interrogation, as noted here and elsewhere, was conducted by Anna Ardin's friend and party comrade  Irmeli Krans, the police-officer and HTB-feminist Irmeli Krans?
  • What associations would exist in the fact that the police officer was also active in the social democratic HTB movement, and as a member of its leadership?
  • What is the relevancy in the context above that such interrogation was never tape-recorded, against what it is customary and instructed by the Police authority? Or later re-edited out of "memory" by the police officer friend of the acusser AA?
  • Or that the same police officer that publicly have declared admiration for the accusers' lawyer Claes Borgström and his law-firm partner Thomas Bordström, both militant-feminists and both politicinas belong to the very same political party than Krans and AA? Yes, the same Claes Borgström, author of the initiative to re-open the Swedish case against Julian Assange.
  • Or that Thomas Bodström - the main Swedish politician targeted by the WikiLeaks  disclosures and involved in the CIA rendition flights of Swedish political prisoners - was also her boss as former Minister of Justice?
  • The same Thomas Bodström which is from the very same political social-democratic group "Bröderskap" in which accuser AA is the political secretary since 2009? 

If all the above does not suggest a set-up scenario to any normal intellectually-equipped reader then we will have to take the discussion of the notion normalcy from the very beginning.

Marcello Ferrada-Noli

Post Scriptum. The article Key facts the police files reveal (in the English site The Julian Assange Rape Case) gives a detailed description of what would have happened in the Police station at the time of the interrogation mentioned above. Some of the aspects described are fact-based; some are speculations around the facts. But definitely worth to read.


Below a timeline and referred text as published by the Swedish-based Daddy's blogg

<<August 20th Ardin and Wilen go to Klara police station in Stockholm to make inquiries about the possibility of forcing Assange to take an STI test. The visit results in charges being filed against Assange. [20] 

Police woman Irmeli Krans, (later confirmed to be a personal friend and socialdemocrat party colleague with Anna Ardin, Claes Borgström and his business partner Tomas Bodström), starts the interrogation, but before it is finished, policewoman Linda Wassgren calls the prosecutor Maria Häljebo Kjellstrand and arranges the arrest (anhållan) of Julian Assange.

Maria Häljebo Kjellstrand, unlawfully told the press that Julian was wanted for rape (reported in the tabloid Expressen, owned by Bonniers AB, part of the Investor group. Bonnier AB  also own Swedish newspapers Dagens Nyheter, Dagens industri, Sydsvenska dagbladet, Ystad allehanda, Trelleborgs allehanda, Kristianstadsbladet and are part owner of TV channel TV4 ).

Kjellstrand was replaced the next day by prosecutor Eva Finné who invalidated the arrest and stated that the interrogation report showed that no crime had been committed.  Not even the weaker of the possible charges. She states that the original interrogation report of Sofia Wilén shows that there was no crime described. This original interrogation was later said to be  lost or deleted, and it was never signed by Sofia Wilén.  (the interrogation was never finished, Sofia Wiléns distress on hearing about the arrest and rape charge towards Julian Assange made her unable to concentrate.)

Monday the 25th August, two days after the interrogation Irmeli Krans could no longer access the protocol in the police computer system Dur 2. Mats Ghelin then orders Irmeli Krans to write a new report of the above interrogation of Sofia Wilen. (precise references to the original report http://www.flashback.org/sp28605042%29

There were early rumors of an internal promemoria among the police protesting the rape charge. This protest was probably coming from Irmeli Krans. Probably, and speculatively, the whole affair at this moment was grasped from the control of Anna Ardin and Irmeli Krans, and into the hands of policeman Mats Gehlin. The same Mats Gehlin that become leader of the investigation from now on, and that continuosly leaks material to the press, and makes public statements to the press where he critisizes prosecutor Eva Finné.
>>

The complete and extensive timeline in Daddy's blogg here


Timeline as given  in Flashback forum 18 April 2011[According to Flashback/MoLok]


2010-08-20 Police report against Julian Assamge (JA)

2010-08-20 Police Imeli Krans (IK) (active Social Democrat and friend of Anna Ardin, AA) decides the case should be categorized under suspicion of rape

2010-08-20 Police LW decides on suspicion of sexual assault
2010-08-20 JA arrested in absentia

2010-08-21, kl. 11:31 to 12:20 SW Police are questioning AA (telephone interviews, commentary)

2010-08-21 Chief prosecutor Eva Finné (EF) inhibits the arrest-decision on JA

2010-08-25 Chief prosecutor EF decides to close the investigation on rape but gives directives for further investigation of molestation

2010-08-26, kl. 14:43 to 18:40 NS states that she keeps hearing of SW (abstract). Not read or approved by SW.



CORRECTION: "It should also say that Irmeli Krans (not NS), held the interrogation with SW" [Sent to Professors blogg by Anonimous 19 April 2011].
2010-08-30, Kl. 17:43 to 18:37 the police interrogation MG JA.

2010-08-27 AA's and SW's lawyer Claes Bodström (CB) request reconsideration of EF's closure decision.

2010-09-01, kl. 16:45, police NS prepares PM, where she states that her questioning of SW 2010-08-20, took place between the hours. 16:21 to 18:40. NS stated that she would have edit anew the hearing 2010-08-23 but was denied access. Typing was 2010-08-26 but then did she not watch the law.



CORRECTION:  "It should say that Irmeli Krans (IK) wrote the PM (not NS), as IK held the interrogation with SW" [Sent to Professors blogg by Anonimous 18 April 2011]

2010-09-01 Over Prosecutors MN decides to resume the investigation of rape, sexual coercion and sexual assault

2010-09-03 Hearing 2 with SW???

2010-09-07, kl. 15:25 to 15:50 Police EV hold hearings with the PO, a friend of AA (telephone interviews, commentary)

2010-09-08, kl. 04:40 (?) -10.05 MG Police are questioning HR, childhood friends with SW (telephone interviews, commentary)

2010-09-08, kl. 09:30 to 10:15 Police EV hold hearings with KB, friend to the AA (telephone interviews, commentary).

2010-09-13, kl. 09:09 to 09:25 Police MG holds hearings with KS, a colleague with SW (concept Hearing)

2010-09-13 prosecutor EL decides on suspicion of sexual assault in four cases

2010-09-14 Over Prosecutors MN gives JA's public defender BH told that JA is free to leave Sweden.

2010-09-20, kl. 09:42 to 11:10 Police EV keeps questioning of the witness journalist JW (audio interviews).

2010-09-20, kl. 11:20 to 12:17 Police MG hold hearings with witnesses DB (audio interviews).

2010-09-21 Over Prosecutors MN, contact JA's public defender bra to interrogate JA.

2010-09-27 Over Prosecutors MN decides on suspicion of sexual assault, and decides to ask JA, in his absence.

2010-10-06, kl. 17:38 to 17:55 Police MG holds hearings with JW, SW's brother (telephone / concepts interrogation).

2010-10-10 Police MG prepares PM due to talks with SKL; clearance: no traces of DNA on the condom from the AA's apartment, however, traces of DNA on the condom from SW's apartment.

2010-10-22, kl. 14:15 to 14:35 Police MG keeps hearing of SB, SW's former boyfriend (telephone / concepts interrogation).

2010-10-25 Formal expert report from SKL on condoms

2010-10-27, kl. 17:00 to 17:25 Police MG keeps hearing of MT, a colleague with SW (Phone / concepts interrogation).

2010-10-28 Police MG speaks with SKL who say it shows something that is not going to suggest condom from AA's apartment.

2010-11-15 Detention memorandum drawn

2010-11-18 Stockholm City Court JA arrest in absentia on suspicion of rape, among other things

2010-11-24 Svea Court of Appeal determines the arrest of JA, JA is still an international wanted list.

2010-12-07 JA apprehended by police in London

2010-12-14 The insidious attempt at character assassination by the JA campaign twitter # prataomdet (TALK ABOUT) comes into play.

The complete and extensive timeline in Flashback Forum (MoLok) here




Media links 1, 2, 3

Other articles in Professors blogg on the Swedish case against Assange
   


Labels & links Wikileaks, J Assange, Assange, yttrandehefrihet, media, , , intressant

Swedish authorities face yet another irregularity in their sex probe of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. By Andrew Kreig

Professors blogg proudly presents a new article by the prominent American attorney and journalist Andrew Kreig, Director of the Washington-based Justice Integrity Project. Andrew Kreig is a columnist in the Huffington Post and he contributes as well as guest-columnist in Professors blogg./ Prof. Marcello Ferrada-Noli


Swedish authorities face yet another irregularity in their sex probe of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange
By Andrew Kreig

Introduction
All who despair of progress in human rights work in the face of oppression should take heart from the tireless efforts of Dr. Ferrada de Noli on the Professors Blogg. He and it truly make a difference. As such, I am proud that one of the Justice Integrity Project’s recent articles about Sweden is being republished in the ongoing series about the Assange case.  That case is important, but let’s raising our perspective beyond it.  Professors Blogg is providing cutting-edge material of global importance on the phenomenon of media self-censorship, as evident in its recent series about Swedish National Television coverage of Assange.  Media self-censorship increasingly undermines Western democracies, partly because it is less dramatic than outright government censorship and therefore so much hard to report. But its effect is the same: to curtail the information we need as citizens to protect our rights and advance our opportunities. 

Irmeli Krans
On March 10, the Swedish tabloid Expressen reported that Assange complainant Anna A. (“Witness A”) age 31, was a longstanding friend of Irmeli Krans, the politically active Stockholm policewoman who wrote up a complaint Aug. 20 after Witness A brought her friend Sofia W. in for testimony. The complaint alleged sex misconduct by Assange, 39, during his speaking trip that month.

Swedish authorities have denied that the police-witness relationship compromises their sex misconduct investigation. Defense attorneys reacted by saying the friendship creates a conflict of interest, particularly in such an unprecedented case. Sweden issued an Interpol alert to capture Assange even though he has never been formally accused of a crime. Also, Sweden claims the right to extradite Assange and have him held without bond for a secret trial. Meanwhile, United States authorities are working feverishly to help build a parallel spy case, in part by holding alleged accomplice, Pfc. Bradley Manning, pretrial in virtual solitary confinement, with enforced nakedness. We provide details below.


A sample of news
Listed below are selected articles on legal reform and political, security and media factors. The articles contain a sample of news. See the full article by visiting the Project home page's section on News Reports, and clicking the link.

Expressen, Interrogator in the Assange Case Friend with Woman Accusing WikiLeaks Founder, March 10, 2011. The police interrogator in the Julian Assange-investigation is a friend of one of the two women who is accusing the Wikileaks founder of sexual assault, Expressen can now reveal. Personal remarks on the internet reveal that the interrogator and the woman who reported Julian Assange had contact in April 2009. This was sixteen months before Assange was reported to the police for, amongst other things, rape allegations. On her own Facebook page, the police interrogator two weeks ago praised the lawyer of the two women and described Assange as the "overrated bubble ready to burst". The Wikileaks founder Julian Assange and his lawyers have on several occasions criticized the Swedish judicial system and claimed that all possibilities of a fair trial have been eradicated.

Associated Press / Huffington Post, Swedish police under scrutiny in Assange case, March 10, 2011. Julian Assange's Swedish lawyer says a newspaper report casts doubt on whether the sex abuse investigation against the WikiLeaks founder was carried out in an impartial manner. Swedish tabloid Expressen reported Thursday that a police officer involved in the initial phase of the probe had personal and political links to one of the two women accusing Assange of sexual misconduct. Expressen also said the officer, Irmeli Krans, described Assange as a "bubble ready to burst" on her personal Facebook page. "If this information is correct, then one should carefully consider whether the nature of the investigation is such that he can be assured a fair trial," Assange's lawyer Bjoern Hurtig told The Associated Press.

Professors blogg, Opinion censorship in Swedish media: Link-search engine NOT the cause, Dr. Marcello Ferrada de Noli, March 12, 2011. Swedes should start by protesting and demand a fair media report on this and all issues affecting the Nation. The public should own the truth. Those in power should own the shame. Twingly unequivocally admits that a Swedish newspaper would censure publications whose content is estimated as inappropriate. The question is still who authored the request for censuring BOTH Naomi Wolf’s and Andrew Kreig’s articles on the theme Karl Rove, Assange and Sweden published in the Swedish-based Professors blog?

Counterpunch, How the Swedes Set Up Julian Assange, Israel Shamir, March 7, 2011. The British magistrate court has decided to surrender Julian Assange to the Nordic Amazons who were hunting for his head – pending appeal. Thus the long Saga of the Broken Condom, or whatever name by which it will become known to posterity, took a definite turn for the worse. The judge decided to honor the European Arrest Warrant issued by man-eating Swedish prosecutor Marianne Ny. Julian has appealed to the High Court, ensuring that the saga will go on as a side divertissement to the main story, Cablegate. We shall not delve again into what happened between Julian and the two women; this has already been covered in previous installments. Today we turn to the dramatic events that occurred immediately afterwards.

Washington Post, WikiLeaks suspect's treatment 'stupid,' U.S. official says, Ellen Nakashima, March 12, 2011. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley has called the treatment of WikiLeaks suspect Bradley E. Manning, an Army private whom military jailers forced to sleep naked for several days last week, "ridiculous and counterproductive and stupid." President Obama, asked Friday about Crowley's statement, said he had made inquiries about the conditions of Manning's incarceration. "I have actually asked the Pentagon whether or not the procedures that have been taken in terms of his confinement are appropriate and are meeting our basic standards. They assured me that they are," Obama said.

Salon / Unclaimed Territory, Amnesty calls for protests over Bradley Manning's treatment, Glenn Greenwald, March 10, 2011. Oh, that's very reassuring -- and such a very thorough and diligent effort by the President to ensure that detainees under his command aren't being abused. He asked the Pentagon and they said everything was great -- what more is there to know?

Washington Post, Government can get records from Twitter for WikiLeaks probe, judge rules, Dana Hedgpeth, March 11, 2011. A federal judge ruled Friday that the government can obtain records from the online social networking site Twitter in its criminal investigation of WikiLeaks. Three key players in the probe had argued that handing over their Twitter account information violated their constitutional rights.
Andrew Kreig



Labels & links Wikileaks, J Assange, Assange, yttrandehefrihet, media, , , intressant