Truth-telling journalist or reckless criminal: A

British judge was given two conflicting portraits

of Julian Assange as the WikiLeaks founder’s

long-awaited extradition hearing began

Monday in a London court.

A lawyer for the U.S. authorities, who want to

try Assange on espionage charges, said the

Australian computer expert was an “ordinary”

criminal whose publication of hundreds of

thousands of secret military documents a

decade ago put many people at risk of torture

and death.

“Reporting or journalism is not an excuse for

criminal activities or a license to break ordinary

criminal laws,” said James Lewis, a British lawyer

representing the U.S. government.

HERO OR

CRIMINAL?

COURT HEARS

2 VIEWS OF

WIKILEAKS’

ASSANGE