Assange father ‘doing cartwheels’ over son’s return home

AFP | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia  

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s father said he was “doing cartwheels” yesterday over his son’s impending return to his native Australia.

Assange’s father John Shipton said his son’s release from incarceration was “pretty good news”, speaking shortly before a court in the US Pacific territory Northern Mariana Islands set him free as part of a plea deal.

“Doing cartwheels is a good expression of the joy that one feels,” he said in an interview with Australian broadcaster ABC.

Shipton said his son’s spirits had lifted, with the prospect of ordinary life and a reunion with his wife Stella and their two children on his return to Australia later in the day.

“He will be able to spend quality time with his wife Stella, and his two children, be able to walk up and down on the beach and feel the sand through his toes in winter -- that lovely chill -- and be able to learn how to be patient and play with your children for a couple of hours -- all of the great beauty of ordinary life.”

Shipton thanked Australia’s ambassador to the United States, Kevin Rudd, and its high commissioner to the UK, Stephen Smith, for helping to “unravel” the years of legal drama.

He criticised his son’s treatment by the US authorities, saying free speech was the most important tenet of the constitution: “You can’t possibly call yourself a civilisation if you act outside of the constitution that embraces your nation.”