From Iceland — Icelandic Government Will Defend MP Beleaguered By US Authorities

Icelandic Government Will Defend MP Beleaguered By US Authorities

Published January 10, 2011

The Minister of Foreign Affairs said that he will fight “tooth and nail” to protect MP Birgitta Jónsdóttir, who is currently the target of a US Justice Department investigation of Wikileaks.
As has been reported globally, the US Justice department demanded that Birgitta – who was once a Wikileaks volunteer in Iceland – hand over her private messages from her Twitter account. Birgitta has refused, adding that the US authorities were also after her personal information. She has contacted a lawyer, and intends to fight the order.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Össur Skarphéðinsson told RÚV that he intends to fight “tooth and nail” for Birgitta, adding that he has called for a meeting with US ambassador Luis E. Arreaga to discuss the matter. Vísir reports that a meeting has been established, and although an exact date has not been set, that it should happen within the next few days.
Össur also told RÚV that he considers Birgitta’s treatment by US authorities “unacceptable”. He added that parliament has also gotten involved, as the parliamentary president is examining Birgitta’s legal rights. Minister of Justice Ögmundur Jónasson has also told reporters that he considers the situation “a very serious matter”.
Birgitta is currently on her way to Canada, and recently changed her original flight plan – to land in the US first and then on to Canada – to flying first to London, UK, and then to Canada.

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