Iceland’s Pirate Party Leader Plans Risky Trip to USA | PirateTimes

Posted: February 2, 2013/Under: Andrew Reitemeyer, Creator, Iceland, News/By: Andrew Reitemeyer

Iceland’s Pirate Party Leader Plans Risky Trip to USA

February 2, 2013 · by Andrew Reitemeyer · in Pirate Party News

Into the Lion’s Den

Pirate Party Iceland’s Birgitta Jónsdóttir will travel to the USA early in April 2013, at great risk to her own liberty, to bring attention to the fact that whistle blower Bradley Manning has been held for over 1000 days without charge. The Icelandic government and her own lawyers have strongly advised her not to go but she says in her Icelandic blog

“I have decided that it is impossible to live my life in such a way that, as a member of parliament and of the electorate, I have to have such restrictions imposed on me so that I cannot enjoy the freedom to travel to a country that claims to be the land of the free” [Translated]

She will travel to the US in early April. This is shortly after the fact that the US justice department demanded that Twitter hand over all her tweets with out informing her or the public. Twitter bravely fought this action in the courts also she was denied access to a list of companies namely that the same demand for her data from the authorities. This is after FBI arrived unannounced in Reykjavik to “investigate” Wikileaks in the country. There can be little doubt they were targeting Brigitta as she was very instrumental in bringing out the famous video “Collateral Murder” which shows the gunning down of Iraqi civilians by US forces in Baghdad in 2007. The Secretary of State Ögmundur Jónasson found out about the spies and bundled them back to the States followed by a diplomatic protest. One wishes more politicians in Western nations would have the moral fibre and courage shown by Ögmundur.

PPIS is one of the movement’s youngest parties having been founded on 24 November 2012 and Birgitta was appointed its first “leader” by consensus. So Pirates around the world will be supporting her in her brave act but with concern at the possible actions the US authorities might take.

Featured Image: by http://www.flickr.com/photos/savebradley/ savebradley

About Andrew Reitemeyer

I joined the Pirate Party of Lower Saxony in Germany in April 2012, once I found out that non citizens were welcome to join and become active members of the Party.
I joined the Pirate Times soon after it was started as a proof reader and am now an editor and author. Since then I have returned to my native New Zealand and joined the Pirate Party of New Zealand.
Politically I come from the libertarian left and have, up to now, not regarded any political party as having a solution for the democratic deficit that envelops the world. With the advent of the Pirate Party, which truly embraces grass roots democracy, I have found a political home. The Pirate Times is a way I can contribute to furthering the Pirate Movement around the world.
Skype: frithogar

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Tags: Birgitta Jónsdóttir, Bradley Manning, Iceland, PPIS, USA, Whistleblowing

- Rob Ueberfeldt
  
  What is the problem with her traveling there? Saying there can be little doubt that the FBI are targeting here is speculation. The article doesn’t tell us if the US authorities have made any comments regarding her status. Surely if she requests and applies for a visa any imminent threat of arrest or incarceration would be revealed?
  - - Andy K
      
      Like Julian Assange’s grand jury…lol

- unity100
  
  She should NOT do it. her work is too important at this point in time, to risk for a publicity attempt which will not sway a dedicated oppressor and the public under it. u.s. secret services have been known to be used for other means of repressing/removing dissent or political opponents even in foreign countries than plainly arresting/prosecuting. she should stick to the important work she is doing.
  - - Arbed121
      
      Yes, quite right. Look at this article from only two days ago on how the US government went to a court ex parte to stop even the basis on which they were refusing an FOI request about FBI surveillance of Wikileaks supporters in the Wikileaks Grand Jury investigation from becoming public:
      
      DOJ Tells Judge WikiLeaks Investigation Details Should Remain Secret:
      http://legaltimes.typepad.com/blt/2013/01/doj-tells-judge-wikileaks-investigation-details-should-remain-secret.html
      
      One of those reasons was that the FBI already had testimony from informants in the investigation and it would cause an international furore if their identity was revealed.

- Arbed121
  
  I think this is a silly move. If anything happens to her, it could actually detract from the focus being placed on the pre-trial hearings of poor Bradley Manning. If nothing happens to her (and, in my mind, that would raise BIG questions about Birgitta), the media will use that fact to say there is no possibility of onward extradition to the US from Sweden for Assange – “see, they aren’t interested in prosecuting Wikileaks personnel” – and he MUST go to Sweden. So, if you think it through, Birgitta’s not actually being supportive of Wikileaks.
  
  Back in July 2013 Birgitta wrote in the Guardian how she received a diplomatic message that she had nothing to fear in travelling to the US, but there were specific instructions that the message was to be passed to her only VERBALLY. Nothing in writing? Now why would the US government insist on that? Her US lawyers, the ACLU, also found a secret docket in US court filings with her name on it. They couldn’t get it unsealed. What’s it for? Witness subpoena to the Wikileaks Grand Jury would be my guess.
  
  http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jul/03/evidence-us-judicial-vendetta-wikileaks-activists-mounts
  - - joe col
      
      I doubt she received something in July 2013 ? On a more serious note:
      
      If she was detained or had problems this would give major problems with Iceland + world-wide coverage on issues. It would also put more pressure on getting her released as well as Bradley from several countries and MANY people around the world. IF no problems arise she has still reached her objective on putting the spot-light on bradley manning again. Therefore I believe it’s a very smart move to take the trip