The Department of Justice just announced that it is charging WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange “in connection with a federal charge of conspiracy to commit computer intrusion for agreeing to break a password to a classified U.S. government computer”:

Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, charged in computer hacking conspiracy. Click here for copy of the indictment: https://t.co/9JItxR6VRX — U.S. Attorney EDVA (@EDVAnews) April 11, 2019

This relates to Chelsea Manning with the government alleging that Assange helped Manning break a password to steal documents. He is not being charged for publishing the material:

BREAKING / NBC NEWS: The indictment unsealed against Julian Assange shows an allegation that he helped Chelsea Manning crack a password and get access to documents she would not normally have had access to. It is not for publishing the material. — Tom Winter (@Tom_Winter) April 11, 2019

“It quashes some of the concerns about this being a crackdown on the free press”:

The charges focus on Assange technically assisting Manning's hacking, making the charges more about Assange the hacker than Assange the journalist. It quashes some of the concerns about this being a crackdown on the free press. https://t.co/rHpE1MQHOp — Axios (@axios) April 11, 2019

More here:

Just In: The Justice Department says that Assange is being charged for assisting Chelsea Manning in hacking. “Assange engaged in a conspiracy with Chelsea Manning to assist Manning in cracking a password stored on DOD computers connected to the Secret Internet Protocol Network” pic.twitter.com/DBs3pN4uGm — Yashar Ali ? (@yashar) April 11, 2019

And we expect more charges will follow:

Trump administration releases charges for Julian Assange. This is related to his role in the Manning leak in 2010. Expect other charges to come. https://t.co/kZII2Ntp9X — (((AG))) (@AG_Conservative) April 11, 2019

Response from Assange’s legal team:

US Attorney for Assange, Barry Pollack statement on Assange arrest on behalf of the US in relation to 2010 publications: pic.twitter.com/a3hC6aLg7A — WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) April 11, 2019

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Related:

'Ma'am, this is a Wendy's': Pamela Anderson tears into Donald Trump over arrest of Julian Assange https://t.co/8SpzxxHPhX — Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) April 11, 2019