Like any techno-political soap opera watcher, I've on occasion wondered why it is so damned hard for Julian Assange to get away from that embassy.
Riddle me this: you've been stuck in a little room in Equador's embassy in London for 8 years. You can't leave without getting arrested and most likely extradited.
A few countries not friendly to the U.S., but most notably Russia, have tried to figure out how to get you out of there
Your crimes are mostly pissing off people in power in the way journalists really should, but there is also compelling evidence of at least one actual crime — that you provided material assistance to someone hacking secret information. If the U.S. gets hold of you, you can pretty much count on paying the piper.
Still, you have hordes of supporters, and even entire countries with not insignificant resources willing to give a hand if only to tweak the nose of the U.S.
Diplomatic vehicles, helicopters, disguises, being made an ambassador yourself, just plain sneaking out... nothing has panned out.
So what are your options? Jetpack? Smuggle in parts of a drone capable of carrying a person? VTOL car? Urban ghillie suit? Rocket skates? Dig a tunnel in the basement? It seems hard to believe that the bored lax surveillance of 8 years on can't be defeated by a motivated technogencia.
You've probably only got one shot...so how would you do it?
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 27 2018, @02:51AM (2 children)
Maybe he already escaped, and is just keeping up the charade to keep the authorities from looking for him.
(Score: 2) by bzipitidoo on Thursday December 27 2018, @04:12AM (1 child)
Just what I was thinking. Would be hilarious if it has already been over a year since he left.
The whole situation is very weird. If it's so illegal to detain him, why can't Assange just walk out? Why are they willing to break laws that stop them from grabbing him, but not willing to break the rules that keep them out of the embassy?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 27 2018, @08:43PM
Simple, very different consequences.
Breaking UK law against illegal detainment are easily swept under the rug with some media smear campaign. A small group will be outraged, maybe a blog or editorial about the fall of the Rule of Law.
Breaking into the Ecuadorian embassy could be considered an act of war and other countries would be pissed because it would represent a threat to their own embassies.