The founder of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, pleaded guilty Tuesday to violating U.S. espionage law. The plea deal brought an end to his imprisonment in Britain and lets him return him to Australia, where he arrived yesterday. Reuters reported the 52 year-old’s 14-year legal journey ended after he admitted to conspiring to obtain and disclose classified U.S. national defense documents. Rockland Congressman Mike Lawler of the 17th district says he was surprised when word first broke of the plea arrangement…
In 2010 and 2011, Wikileaks published hundreds of thousands of sensitive military and government documents supplied by former Army intelligence analyst, Chelsea Manning. The U.S. had accused Assange of endangering the lives of confidential sources.