Friday 3 April 2015
Anonymous Hacker Matt DeHart Family sent back to U.S.
DeHart family heads back to the U.S. after failed asylum claim.
Their final night in Canada mirrored their first — staying in a hotel near the border — but their anxiety was the polar opposite. While their arrival brought a sense of relief and peace, they said, their departure brought fear and uncertainty. They chose to leave on April Fool’s Day and to cross back to the United States over the Peace Bridge.
“Canada’s actions are shameful. It may as well not have a border,” said WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in a statement. “The abuse of the law in DeHart’s case is obvious, shocking and wrong,” said Mr. Assange. In a tweet, WikiLeaks referred to Mr. DeHart as an “alleged WikiLeaks middleman.”
The family maintains the charges are a ruse by government agents as leverage in a national security probe. Matt DeHart is a former member of the U.S. Air National Guard. While he trained in the secretive drone program, he says, he was involved in Anonymous, the global hacktivist group, and ran an Internet server used to leak a classified U.S. government document, likely destined for WikiLeaks.
The bizarre and disturbing case was the focus of a large investigation by the “National Post” last May that found serious questions about the way the case was handled. It has since attracted international attention.
Matt’s next court appearance will be 14 April 2015, for a hearing as to whether New York-based Tor Ekeland, who is a computer crime specialist, will be allowed to represent Matt with regards to the charges filed in Tennessee. US regulations generally require out-of-state lawyers to get permission from the local bar association or court, with rules on this varying widely from state to state. Matt ’s legal costs are already mounting, and his trial has only just begun. He urgently needs your help. Please donate to his defence fund.
WikiLeaks started the Courage Foundation and its acting director, Sarah Harrison, is also a WikiLeaks editor. Donations to the Matt DeHart defence fund can be made at:
- By Adrian Humphreys.
The Courage Foundation runs Matt DeHart’s official defence fund.
Official website - Courage Foundation
