Canadian assailed over 'kill Assange'

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 6 (UPI) -- A Canadian commentator is facing a complaint for saying WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange should be assassinated.

Gail Davidson of the group Lawyers Against the War filed the complaint with Vancouver police, stating that Tom Flanagan "counseled and/or incited the assassination of Julian Assange contrary to the Criminal Code of Canada," Postmedia News reported Monday. Flanagan made the comment on television program last Tuesday.

Flanagan, a professor at the University of Calgary and Prime Minister Stephen Harper's campaign manager in 2006, said Assange "should be assassinated, actually. I think (U.S. President Barack) Obama should put out a contract and maybe use a drone or something."

Davidson said the statement constitutes a breach of the Criminal Code, which says counseling an offense, even if it is not committed, can be punished by a sentence similar to the actual crime.

The charge is usually used against gang leaders or others who order hits against enemies.

Flanagan later apologized and said he was not being serious.

Assange has said the professor "should be charged with incitement to commit murder."