Is Julian Assange a Terrorist?

Much has been said in the past two years about the WikiLeaks, which is an non-profit media organization created by Julian Assange in 2006. These documents have been harmful to families and individuals across the world, threatening the lives of several. Today, some consider Assange as a terrorist. I was asked in my International Relations class not too long ago a similar question. Mrs. Shapira asked me, "Falak, do you think Assange is a terrorist, or a freedom fighter?" We were actually learning about what the difference between a terrorist and a freedom fighter is, and Assange just came up. We spoke about Assange with a guest speaker in the International Relations class. People are scared of him because he has caused trouble with many people. However, I won't agree. I think Assange is a freedom fighter, or a normal human being. So what if he leaked those documents? Yes, they revealed secrets. But we live in a democratic world, and I think the media should be exposed to the truth and what is really going on in the world. Lets take for example that attack by the US forces in Iraq. I saw it on an interview of Assange that was posted on Aadesh's blog and on Moodle. The video footage that was leaked showed US forces attacking from helicopters, not knowing who exactly the targets are. Thinking that they were terrorists or anti-Americans, the went for the blow. However, several international journalists and Iraqi boys were killed. Innocent people's lives were taken away. How can Assange be considered a terrorist for showing the truth? Don't you all agree that whatever action you take, you must be ready for its consequences? Assange is a true democrat, and I completely think that there should be no secret kept away from the media.

And take a look at this video. It talks about the reactions of the Iraqi public after the documents on the US attacks on innocent people were exposed.

Al Jazeera Reports on Iraqi Reaction