London: There was so much interest in
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange when he was brought to the
Wandsworth prison that authorities had to transfer him to the
prison's segregation unit where he has limited access to the
internet.
Assange was sent to prison after being denied bail on
Tuesday on charges of sexual assault in Sweden, which is
seeking his extradition.
According to The Guardian, other prison inmates had
been supportive of Assange, whom the US has accused of
jeopardising its national security by releasing a flood of
confidential diplomatic documents.
Assange will seek to get bail again at the Westminster
magistrates court next Tuesday.
Assange asked for one of his legal team to be allowed
to bring him a laptop, but was refused prisoners are not
commonly allowed their own computers.
His solicitor Mark Stephens said: "He doesn't have
access to a computer, even without an internet connection, or
to writing material. He's got some files but doesn't have any
paper to write on and put them in."
Stephens said Assange was concerned that "people have
unjustly accused WikiLeaks of inspiring cyber attacks".
Assange, 39, was seen by a doctor when he arrived at
Wandsworth as part of standard assessment of prisoners to
check if they pose a suicide risk.
In a letter to the Guardian appearing tomorrow,
prominent supporters including John Pilger, Terry Jones,
Miriam Margolyes and AL Kennedy call for Assange's immediate
release.
They wrote: "We protest at the attacks on WikiLeaks
and, in particular, on Julian Assange," they write, adding
that the leaks have "assisted democracy in revealing the real
views of our governments over a range of issues".
PTI
First Published: Friday, December 10, 2010, 14:25