Assange blasts Canada for deporting alleged hacker

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange blasted the Canadian government this week for handing over an alleged Anonymous hacker to U.S. authorities.

Matthew DeHart, a former U.S. soldier, had sought political asylum in Canada based on a claim that he was tortured by American agents investigating Anonymous. He was extradited this weekend.

{mosads}“Canada’s actions are shameful. It may as well not have a border,” Assange said in a statement. “The abuse of the law in DeHart’s case is obvious, shocking and wrong.”

DeHart’s case has certain parallels to the situation surrounding Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor responsible for massive leaks of classified information.

A former Air National Guard member, DeHart reportedly trained in the drone program. He is alleged to have leaked classified documents in a collaboration with Anonymous and WikiLeaks.

DeHart fled to Canada last year ahead of a child pornography trial. He claims the charges are a ruse by law enforcement to further a probe into his involvement with hacker and whistleblower groups online.

He and his parents applied for refugee status but were denied in early February.

DeHart has been named the third beneficiary of the Courage Foundation, an international group offering financial and other help to prominent whistleblowers. The previous two awardees were Snowden and imprisoned Anonymous hacker Jeremy Hammond.