Woman in WikiLeaks rape ’smear’ campaign claims to be Assange’s victim

LONDON - One of the two women who were behind an alleged smear campaign against the founder of the controversial WikiLeaks website, Julian Assange, has said she supported the rape claim after experiencing unwelcome sexual advances from Assange.

She claimed that the woman, Anna Ardin, who alleged rape was a stranger to her, but when she approached her, she agreed to accompany her to the police station.

“I believed her information immediately because I had a similar experience myself. The other woman wanted to report a rape, I gave my statement as a support statement to her story and to support her,” The Sydney Morning Herald quoted her, as saying.

Assange, an Australian who lives mostly in Sweden, was charged briefly with rape and molestation by Swedish prosecutors last week.

He dismissed the charges as a Pentagon inspired smear campaign to create “sex traps” to harm his credibility.

“I don’t know who’s behind this but we have been warned that for example the Pentagon plans to use dirty tricks to spoil things for us,” he said. “I have also been warned about sex traps,” Assange said earlier.
A spokeswoman for the Swedish prosecutor said that although the rape charge was dropped, the molestation charge is still under investigation. (ANI)