A sad announcement from Wikileaks - death of director Gavin MacFadyen - w/ new tweets

UPDATE Heavy.com finally shared the cause of death:

The Centre for Investigative Journalism posted an article on Saturday, October 22, about MacFadyen’s passing. The Centre did not, however, mention a cause of death at first. Later, they amended the story to clarify that MacFadyen died of lung cancer on October 22. He was surrounded by loved ones when he passed away.

Found a new article:

Gavin MacFadyen Cause of Death: How Did the Journalist Die?

Gavin MacFadyen has passed away. The Centre for Investigative Journalism tweeted the news about its founder on Saturday, after WikiLeaks created a stir when it tweeted a photo of MacFadyen without any explanation. How did the highly respected investigative journalist die?

Upshot is that they don't have answers yet but are on the case! They promise to publish as soon as they learn anything...

Gavin MacFadyen

Saturday 22nd October, 18:30

We are extremely sad to announce the death of Gavin MacFadyen, CIJ’s Founder, Director and its leading light.

Over his lifetime Gavin was a fierce defender of justice and human rights around the world. He was a warm, caring, larger-than-life person who, as many will attest, engendered love and respect from all who met him. His life and how he lived it were completely in sync with the principles that he held dear and practiced as a journalist and educator – to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.

Gavin founded the Centre for Investigative Journalism in 2003 to address the worsening media climate for in-depth, sceptical and adversarial reporting. Over the next 13 years he helped train thousands of reporters from over 35 countries, many of which are places where journalism is under attack and those who speak out are at enormous risk. His students have gone on to great things in their careers and can point to Gavin as a mentor and inspiration. He has touched countless lives; his steadfast support for whistleblowers and journalists working in difficult environments has saved and given succor to some of the globe’s most threatened individuals and groups. He was the model of what a journalist should be.

Gavin was one of life’s bravest, most passionate and courageous souls. Prior to CIJ, as an investigative journalist, Gavin produced and directed more than 50 investigative documentaries, many for Granada Television’s World In Action. They covered countries as diverse as Britain, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Guyana, South Africa, Mexico, Hong Kong, Thailand, the US, Sweden, India and Turkey. He was banned from Apartheid South Africa, the Soviet Union, and attacked by British Neo-Nazis because of his films. The volume and quality of his body of work is unparalleled.

His loyalty to those under attack from powerful forces, particularly whistleblowers and journalistic groups like Wikileaks, will remain a beacon for years to come.

His commitment to exposing the true nature of power was his life force. He spearheaded the creation of a journalistic landscape which has irrevocably lifted the bar for ethical and hard-hitting reporting. Gavin worked tirelessly to hold power to account. He once said “Good journalism is always political journalism.”

We want to catalogue all the memories and stories that people have about Gavin on our website. Please email GavinTributes@tcij.org with your thoughts, stories, anecdotes, photos, videos, interviews, and anything else about Gavin that you want to share. Help us celebrate this wonderful, unique, and inspirational human being.

On behalf of Gavin’s family and many friends,

Susan Benn

From Heavy.com

Why Did WikiLeaks Tweet a Picture of Gavin MacFadyen?

Earlier today, WikiLeaks tweeted a photo of an investigative journalist, Gavin MacFadyen, with no explanation or accompanying caption, and the tweet immediately began fueling Internet conspiracy theories. The tweet just featured a picture of the investigative journalist with no caption and no explanation. WikiLeaks later pinned the tweet. Why did WikiLeaks tweet this photo? It was later revealed that MacFadyen had passed away.

(note: There have been some variations in spelling on different sites - I believe I have cleaned them up)

Was it a secret that he was a director of Wikileaks? Am not seeing this information in the write-up...

Wikipedia acknowledges the death without much detail:

Gavin MacFadyen (b. 1940[1], d. Oct 22, 2016[2] (age 76)) was an American investigative journalist and filmmaker. He was the Director of the Centre for Investigative Journalism at Goldsmiths, University of London, an Advisor to The Whistler, and a Trustee of the Courage Foundation.[1]
In recent years, his work focused on facilitating and protecting whistleblowing activities.[2][3] He was closely linked to Julian Assange and formed the official Julian Assange Defence Committee, which raises funds to pay the legal expenses of Assange and other Wikileaks staff. He has appeared in a number of documentaries about Wikileaks, including We Steal Secrets and Julian Assange: A Modern Day Hero?.

NEW TWEETS

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Lookout's picture

The timing sure leads me to wonder if the CIA (or worse) was involved.

Peace to his family no matter the circumstances...

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

MsGrin's picture

Of course people are concerned - the timing is awful.

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'What we are left with is an agency mandated to ensure transparency and disclosure that is actually working to keep the public in the dark' - Ann M. Ravel, former FEC member

Bollox Ref's picture

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Gëzuar!!
from a reasonably stable genius.

Or anthrax...

And I see that my recs are very often not sticking still/again...

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Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.

A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.

tourniquet's picture

well, here we go.

heart attacks, drowning, small plane crashes and TAPAS FOR EVREYYONNEE

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GIANT ALL-CAPS SIG

sensetolisten's picture

STL-WIKIDT_0.jpg

And this...
STL-SETHAAA.JPG

I have no words for it.

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“I never did give them hell. I just told the truth, and they thought it was hell.”
― Harry Truman
sensetolisten's picture

And this is why I am supporting Trump.

Because, frighteningly, this is not even the complete list...

STL-HRC-BODYBAGS.jpg

Say what you want about Trump, but I haven't heard of any "suspicious deaths" linked to him. Yeah, I love Stein, but sadly, it is only a Trump, with a Republican populace that can hope to beat Hillary and prosecute her. Yeah, I think a Giuliani AG, would prosecute and imprison her, and I think Giuliani is salivating at the chance, and Giuliani is obviously gonna be his AG. So yeah, call me gullible, but I trust Trump and Giuliani AG to prosecute. And Giuliani AG will be the attack dog that will not stop tillhe has torn the entire Clinton Foundation and the DNC to shreds and imprisoned the lot of 'em. So yeah, I love Stein, sure, bu tif Bernie couldn't win, then Stein and the Green Party surely cannot, not facing the Clinton/DNC corruption. Hopefully, after Trump has drained the swamp, in 2020 or 2024, the Green Party will rise of the ashes of the Democrat Party's death.

As Trump says, let's

#DrainTheSwamp

[VIDEO:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHsZxJlxHYw]

Yup, I like everything Trump is saying in that video. And Trump is the only candidate bringing up wikileaks, and he is bringing it up over and over and over. So much for the conspiracy theory that Trump is in Hillary's camp. Not so much, these days, lol.

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“I never did give them hell. I just told the truth, and they thought it was hell.”
― Harry Truman
MsGrin's picture

forward. I don't want to be told I am being held hostage to a duopoly again.

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'What we are left with is an agency mandated to ensure transparency and disclosure that is actually working to keep the public in the dark' - Ann M. Ravel, former FEC member

three months of each other. Then there's Assange's attorney. I'd say it's beyond suspicious. Since Obama controls the government (CIA, FBI, Justice Dept., NSA, military) and Hillary is his choice to run it (into the ground) next, it would stand to reason that he's helping her get rid of threats to that outcome. 'Aint democracy grand?

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