REPLAY: WikiLeaks founder Assange lands in Australia a free man
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00:00Now back to Canberra Airport. We've just seen the plane that Julian Assange, we think he's on anyway,
00:05coming in to land there at Canberra Airport. His long, long 14-year wait for freedom has already
00:15happened because he was released from that US court a little bit earlier on, but now he has
00:20flown to Canberra where it's expected he will be reunited with his father very shortly, of course.
00:27Well, let's cross to our correspondent Adam Hancock who can join us now from Sydney. I mean,
00:32Adam, it really is a monumental moment this, isn't it? Not just for Julian Assange,
00:36but for all of his supporters right around the world who've waited for this moment as well.
00:42Absolutely. This is the moment they have been dreaming of for a long, long time. Julian Assange
00:48returning to his native Australia as a free man. It's been a very long process. It's been a very
00:55long few days in all honesty for Julian Assange. He left the United Kingdom on Monday where he'd
01:01been in Belmarsh High Security Prison in London. He took a journey all the way across the world,
01:07stopping in Bangkok before going out to a remote Pacific island which is still classified as US
01:14territory. He was in a court there this morning where his plea deal was formalized. The judge
01:21said that he can leave as a free man. And then he headed on to here in Australia. And as we can see
01:29from these live pictures, that is where he is arriving right now in Canberra. His wife is
01:36waiting for him as is his father as well. They've both been speaking today about how excited they
01:40are to be reunited with Julian Assange who is finally returning to Australia. Yeah, I noticed
01:46that comment from Stella Assange's wife even yesterday saying she was elated by the news
01:54obviously over the last 24 hours. You talked about a timeline there, Adam, and that's the timeline of
01:58the last 24 hours. But it's incredible. I just printed out a timeline of where this story comes
02:04from, from when Julian Assange Foster founded Wikileaks in Australia. That was right back in 2006
02:12and it was in 2010 that Wikileaks released that almost half a million documents relating to the
02:18US wars in Iraq and in Afghanistan. I mean, it does feel like that name of Julian Assange has
02:23been around for so long and journalists and newspapers and organizations have been talking
02:30about his name and his story now for so many years. Absolutely, yeah. And I think that's one
02:36of the reasons why there has been this push in recent years to try and secure his freedom because
02:41there is a sense, particularly here amongst some politicians, that this has been going on
02:46for too long. It's something that Anthony Albanese, the Australian Prime Minister,
02:50said in Parliament yesterday. He said no matter what your opinions are of Julian Assange, and he
02:55does divide opinions here in Australia and around the world, there's just a feeling that enough is
03:01enough. This has been going on for too long and work had to be done to secure his release. And
03:06it does seem very strange now that we are talking about him as a free man given how long, as you
03:11mentioned, we have been discussing his case. There's been numerous legal battles. He's been
03:16clearing extradition to the United States for a long time. All those years hold up in the Ecuadorian
03:22embassy in London and then five years in the Belmarsh prison as well. So this really is a
03:28monumental moment for Mr Assange, for his family and for his supporters and those who have backed
03:33him since the very start. How do you think he'll be welcomed there in Australia, Adam? Because it's
03:39a slightly difficult position, isn't it? I mean, he's obviously been accused by the Swedish
03:44authorities, by the US authorities of crimes and found, you know, in the end the Swedish
03:50charges dropped. But at the same time, you know, it's a difficult situation, particularly perhaps
03:56for some of those politicians in Australia who obviously don't want to offend anyone in the US,
04:00I suppose. Yes, they're going to have to toe quite a fine line. And I spoke to one expert earlier on
04:07about this very subject, actually. And he said to me, this is not going to be an occasion where
04:10people are going to be high-fiving each other as he returns to the country. They know that they have
04:14a very delicate relationship with the United States. They've formed very close ties, particularly
04:20under the Albanese administration in recent years, signing a number of security pacts. And
04:27Anthony Albanese has a very close personal relationship with the US president,
04:31Joe Biden. So I think it's going to be carefully managed. They are aware that, you know, he has
04:36pleaded guilty today to that one charge of violating US espionage law. But obviously,
04:43there are supporters of him here in Australia who are delighted that he is at home. We expect to see
04:47some very emotional scenes when he reunites with his family. We don't know where he's going to go
04:52next. There is a scheduled press conference by Wikileaks happening here in Australia in the next
04:57few hours. We're not sure yet whether or not Mr. Assange will speak at that press conference.
05:02We're also due to hear as well from the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, again. But it's
05:08certainly a huge occasion for Mr. Assange's supporters as the plane doors now just opening
05:15and we wait to see who is leaving that plane on the airfield in Canberra.
05:20Has there been any indication at all? I'll just wait and see. Is that Julian
05:24Attaché? I don't think it is. So yeah, it will be imminently anyway, we suspect.
05:29I mean, is there any indication either from Wikileaks or from anything the family have said
05:33about what he may do next? I mean, could he even go back to the courts to challenge what happened
05:40to him or anything like that? So his lawyer who spoke outside the courtroom in Saipan today did
05:47mention that the work of Wikileaks will continue and was indicating that Julian Assange isn't
05:53going to go away. His brother has told media outlets as well that there is a plan to try and
06:00get a presidential pardon in the United States. He's currently banned from entering the US without
06:07special permission. So it does look like the work is going to continue for Mr. Assange. But
06:13there is a feeling that maybe for a while he will prefer to be out of the spotlight,
06:17spend some time with his family and just get used to living a normal life. I know his wife was
06:22talking earlier about how this is going to be sensory overload, this experience for him,
06:27compared to how he has been living for the last 12 years or so, all of that time in solitary
06:32confinement, a lot of time holed up in an embassy as well. So to have this level of freedom again
06:37is going to be a big change to his lifestyle. But yeah, we await really, that's the big
06:42question now. Now he is back in Australia. What is next for Julian Assange? I mean,
06:46it is incredible, isn't it? Just on a human level, if you forget everything about what he
06:51may have been accused of and the legal processes, forget all that, just imagine
06:55what it must be like to have spent the last 14 years under the not knowingness, I suppose,
07:03of knowing what's going to happen next. And then on the end of that, have the last 24 hours where
07:08so much has happened so quickly. Yeah, it's incredible. And I was looking today at one of
07:15those timelines actually of this story and the difference even in the appearance of Julian
07:21Assange from back in 2010 when a lot of this started to the present day. There was obviously
07:28his appearance when he left the Ecuadorian embassy. I can't quite recall exactly what year
07:32that was, but he looked very different to when he went inside. And there were concerns that that
07:37lifestyle was taking the toll of him, really a lack of sunlight, a lack of socialization.
07:42And then when he went to the maximum security prison in Belmarsh in London, his wife reported
07:48that he was spending a lot of time in solitary confinement. So I know he has been able to keep
07:53in contact with some of his supporters and his close friends and family. But obviously,
07:56it hasn't been that daily level of communication. So I think the last 24 hours, you saw the scenes
08:02outside the courthouse in Saipan. There was a media scrum and even being in that kind of
08:07environment must have been quite shocking. And don't forget as well, he's traveled across the
08:11world. He left London on Monday. He's now in Australia. He's gone via Pacific Island. So
08:17he must quite literally be all over the place right now. But I'm sure
08:20his main priority is just getting into the welcoming arms of his family.
08:25There have been some ups for him, haven't they? Just looking at the timeline I've got in front
08:29of me, there was a moment in February 2016 when Assange himself claimed total vindication. That
08:35was as a UN working group on arbitrary detention found that he'd been unlawfully detained,
08:43recommended that he be immediately freed and given compensation. Britain at that time,
08:49where he was in Belmarsh prison, called that finding, frankly, ridiculous. I mean, the ups
08:55and downs of what has happened to Julian Assange have been incredible. I was speaking to
09:00Benedict Pavio, our correspondent in London, just several times over the last few months,
09:06as it was not known at that stage whether there was going to be some deal between
09:10the UK and the US authorities to extradite him, to not extradite him. Just that sort of
09:16rollercoaster, I suppose, of emotions that have gone on and on and on over the last few months.
09:21And let's not forget all the way back to 2006. Yes. Yeah. I mean, it's a real story of just
09:29complete highs and lows over the course of that 14 years. You know, there's been moments when
09:35things have looked quite positive for him and there's been moments when things have looked
09:39very difficult for him. And certainly there's been moments when it looks like just a solution
09:43wouldn't be found to this saga. So it's come really as a surprise that in the last few days,
09:50all of this has happened. I know that the lawmakers here in Australia are trying to
09:53stress really that this isn't an overnight process. This has been going on for a long
09:58time, and particularly in the last two years since Anthony Albanese took office,
10:02the efforts have really stepped up to try and secure his release. But I think with that level
10:08of stress for that long, sorry, for that length of time, the highs and the lows of all of the
10:14all of the legal rules, ups and downs, it certainly has been an unbelievable story.
10:18And I asked someone today whether or not they think this will be the end of the saga. And they
10:21said to some degree it definitely will, because he is now a free man and he's returned to Australia.
10:26But really, the story of Julian Assange has been so dramatic that
10:30they don't think it will just end immediately today with his with his return to his home country.
10:34Yeah, I mean, we talk about being a free man. I mean, you can't quite imagine him,
10:37you know, wandering down to the corner shop to buy a pint of milk tomorrow morning. I mean,
10:41it's going to be an incredible time for him to readjust. And of course, you know,
10:46there could be other things that happen in the future, which could affect not necessarily his
10:52freedom again, but his reputation, I suppose, is the word once again.
10:57Yes, absolutely. It's a big question now about the kind of work that he will continue to do,
11:03the kind of efforts that he will put in continuing with his organization, Wicked Leaks.
11:07Will he give interviews to the media? Somebody that I was speaking to earlier, a professor here
11:13in Australia, was saying that they wouldn't blame him if he didn't want to sort of put himself in
11:17the spotlight and give those interviews. But we are awaiting a press conference in around about
11:22an hour's time here in Australia. They're going to be holding a press conference, Wicked Leaks,
11:27at a hotel in Canberra. And it will be very interesting to hear the tone of that press
11:32conference, what exactly is announced and whether or not Julian Assange himself will speak to the
11:36media. I think the door has been down off the plane for quite some time now. We have no sighting
11:42yet of Mr. Assange. I presume just last minute preparations are ongoing. I know that he has flown
11:50across the world with Kevin Rudd, the former Australian prime minister, who's now Australia's
11:54ambassador to the US. There's been a number of high ranking Australian officials traveling with
12:00him, showing really the efforts that Australia have gone to to secure the release of Mr. Assange
12:06over the last few years and how delicate this balance has been. Yeah, if you're just tuning in
12:11to us here at France 24, you're watching the world today just to let you know that we're continuing
12:16to focus, as you can see from the screen, on that plane there carrying Julian Assange,
12:21which has left US territory and just landed around about 10 minutes or so ago, 15 minutes ago now,
12:27at Canberra Airport. Julian Assange back on Australian soil or certainly will be once he's
12:33come down those stairs that we're expecting to happen imminently. Let's talk a bit about
12:40Sweden's role in this as well, because let's not forget the first time that Julian Assange really
12:45came against his legal troubles was Swedish prosecutors. It was back in 2010 that they
12:51issued an arrest warrant for Julian Assange based on what was at the time just one woman's allegation
12:57of rape and another allegation of molestation. The warrant was withdrawn shortly afterwards
13:03and Assange denied those allegations, but then later on they reopened the rape investigation
13:11and it wasn't until quite a long time later that all those allegations were eventually dropped.
13:18That was not until November of 2019, which is obviously only just a few years ago. I mean,
13:24all of that went on for well over 10 years or almost 10 years that Julian Assange was
13:32living under those allegations. Yeah, those allegations certainly were hanging over
13:38him for a long time. I think that definitely had an impact on public opinion of Mr. Assange
13:44as well and added really to the complexity of the case, obviously with him seeking refuge
13:50in the Ecuadorian embassy in London all those years ago. And also I think just for the confusion
13:56for the public trying to keep a grasp on this story as well with so many different allegations
14:00against Mr. Assange over the years, so many different legal battles, hearings as well.
14:05It feels like as a reporter I've been reporting on this for a long, long time. So I just want to
14:11bring in as well, we've had some reaction from Julian Assange's wife, Stella, who posted on
14:17social media just saying that she is elated, excited and exhausted. This was just before she
14:25was heading to the airport to meet Mr. Assange when he arrives here in Australia. And she also
14:31referenced the couple's two sons who are aged five and seven. And it's worth bearing in mind
14:36that this is the first time that since they've been alive that Mr. Assange has been a free man and
14:41able to be there for them at home. He said the two children are very, very excited and are jumping
14:47around like two little balls. And we've had this kind of statement all day as well. Julian Assange's
14:53father earlier told the media here in Australia, I think he referenced that he was doing cartwheels
14:58around his house in anticipation of his son returning. So strip away all the elements of
15:03this from a personal level for the family members involved in this. It's a huge moment and something
15:08that they just have been waiting for for so long. And for it to finally happen, I think they're
15:13almost in a sense of shock that it's happened so quickly and in the manner that it has happened as
15:18well. This mad dash across the world, effectively going to the US territory out in the Pacific
15:24and ensuring that the plea deal could be certified today, getting that judgment,
15:29getting through the final hurdle. I was watching a media report here last night in Australia,
15:34and they finished their report by referencing the fact that given the twists and turns until he is
15:40back on Australian soil, nobody was taking any chances. I know some of the statements yesterday
15:46from politicians here, including the prime minister, were pretty tight lipped. It was a
15:50sense of cautious optimism. Nobody wanted to put their foot in it, as it were, or say anything
15:56which could jeopardize this case at the final stage. So there has been this sort of impending
16:02story happening here over the last 24 hours when it became clear what was happening and that he was
16:07going to be heading to Australia. And it was only really the last few hours that we found out
16:12exactly where he was going to be arriving. And at one time there had been some speculation yesterday
16:16that he may go to Sydney or Melbourne. We don't actually know his onward movements from Canberra
16:21as well. A lot remains unknown about what he will do in Australia, where he will go. He was
16:26born in Queensland, but I know as a youngster, he moved around the country a lot. So
16:31yeah, it certainly is all about reintegrating himself into normal life, but also
16:36getting used to being back in Australia as well, a place that he's not been for at least 14 years.
16:41Yes, incredible. You talk about just getting his feet back on Australian soil. He's just a few
16:47metres away from it, but obviously taking his time to come out of that aeroplane on the tarmac
16:54there at Canberra. Hopefully we will see it at some point. We talked just a moment ago, Adam,
17:00about the role of Sweden. Perhaps we should talk also about the role of Britain as well. I mean,
17:05it was back in February 2011 that a district court ruled that Julian Assange should be extradited
17:12to Sweden. Another few key dates, January 21, a British judge ruling that Assange cannot be
17:19extradited to the US. Then of course there were, we're seeing some people come down the steps now,
17:24we'll just keep watching those images to see if one of them is Julian Assange. Obviously,
17:30a lot of other people on that plane with him doesn't appear to be amongst them at the moment,
17:36but no sign that they're all sort of looking back up the staircase to see whether it will
17:42be him imminently. I mean, it's been a very difficult and complicated case. We talked
17:47about Sweden before, we talked about the US. For the UK as well, causing numerous problems,
17:52the number of times he came and spoke on that balcony at the Ecuador embassy, giving a very
17:58awkward and perhaps difficult image for some of the UK and the justice system there too.
18:05Yes, it's been a problem that the UK has wanted to be solved for a long time. Nobody was really
18:12happy with the situation, particularly when he was... There he is. I'm just going to interrupt
18:16you, Adam, because there he is, Julian Assange, getting off that plane, shaking hands with the
18:22crew. I'll be quiet and just leave the sound to tell the story.
19:23He's hugging her now. He's kicked her up in the air.
19:32Kissed her on the cheek, kissed her on the mouth.
19:36Big kisses.
19:37Big kisses.
20:07Wow, amazing emotional moments there as Julian Assange stepped off that plane,
20:26greeted by his wife Stella, greeted by his father as well.
20:30And above all, being able to wave to the crowds, Adam, very briefly.
20:35Yes, yes. Pictures that his supporters and his family, I'm sure, will watch many, many times
20:40on a loop in the future, because it's quite an incredible moment, really. Julian Assange back
20:46on home soil after that 14 plus year legal battle. It's been a lot of ups and downs as we've been
20:53discussing, but he has finally arrived in Canberra as a free man. I'm sure we're going to hear a lot
20:59about what happens next to him, but I'm sure he's delighted to be home and reunited with his family.