The United Kingdom has signed an extradition request for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who faces charges in the US under the Espionage Act.
UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid said he signed the papers on Wednesday, a day after the US Justice Department formally asked Britain to extradite the 47-year-old Australian.
“First of all I am very pleased the police were able to apprehend him and now he is rightly behind bars because he broke UK law,” Javid told BBC Radio 4 on Thursday.
“There is an extradition request from the US that is before the courts tomorrow but yesterday I signed the extradition order and certified it and that will be going in front of the courts tomorrow,” he added.
Bipartisan lawmakers want to strip Big Tech’s legal immunity that can shield social media companies
Breaking: US Launches Strikes on Two Iranian Targets
Israeli Military Investigating After Soldier’s Picture with Mary Statue Draws Outrage from Catholic Officials
FIRST ON FOX: Top Republicans take abortion pill fight to Supreme Court, citing coercion and safety risks
Substitute teacher whose sobbing mugshot went viral reaches plea deal in sex case involving student
Six underage girls recovered in sweeping operation targeting notorious trafficking corridor
Man accused of Ilhan Omar liquid attack pleads guilty, may face 14-month sentence
Four States Are Now Monitoring Potential Hantavirus Cases
Examining the Self-Imposed Ignorance of Those Afflicted with TDS
Results vs resistance: Collins and Platner draw battle lines in Maine Senate race
Tennessee passes new map as Democratic politicians protest with airhorns
Left-wing local leader torched after griping about American flags, pushing ‘more relatable’ replacement
Swing-district Republican breaks with Trump, pushes limits on Iran war
Powerful Dem’s jabs at Trump come back to haunt her after office raided by FBI: ‘Aged well’
DeSantis hits Obama with brutal one-line response to DOJ politicization accusation: ‘Would like a word’
The US will detail all charges against Assange on Friday, when it seeks his extradition in a London court.
US prosecutors initially charged Assange with a single count of computer intrusion, but last month added 17 new counts, including controversial charges under the
Espionage Act for encouraging, receiving and publishing national defense information in concert with former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning.
Such a charge under the Espionage Act has never been successfully prosecuted, according to CNN legal analyst Steve Vladeck.
Assange’s initial indictment sparked a debate over the First Amendment and whether his alleged role in procuring secret US material constituted protected journalistic activity.
Bipartisan lawmakers want to strip Big Tech’s legal immunity that can shield social media companies
Breaking: US Launches Strikes on Two Iranian Targets
Israeli Military Investigating After Soldier’s Picture with Mary Statue Draws Outrage from Catholic Officials
FIRST ON FOX: Top Republicans take abortion pill fight to Supreme Court, citing coercion and safety risks
Substitute teacher whose sobbing mugshot went viral reaches plea deal in sex case involving student
Six underage girls recovered in sweeping operation targeting notorious trafficking corridor
Man accused of Ilhan Omar liquid attack pleads guilty, may face 14-month sentence
Four States Are Now Monitoring Potential Hantavirus Cases
Examining the Self-Imposed Ignorance of Those Afflicted with TDS
Results vs resistance: Collins and Platner draw battle lines in Maine Senate race
Tennessee passes new map as Democratic politicians protest with airhorns
Left-wing local leader torched after griping about American flags, pushing ‘more relatable’ replacement
Swing-district Republican breaks with Trump, pushes limits on Iran war
Powerful Dem’s jabs at Trump come back to haunt her after office raided by FBI: ‘Aged well’
DeSantis hits Obama with brutal one-line response to DOJ politicization accusation: ‘Would like a word’
Assange lived inside the Ecuadorian embassy in London for seven years until April when the country revoked his protection and he was arrested.
The UK Home Office said in a statement: “Mr Assange was arrested in relation to a provisional extradition request from the United States of America. He is accused of offences including computer misuse and the unauthorized disclosure of national defence information.”
“We have received the full extradition request, which has been certified by the Home Secretary.
“This case is now before the courts and it would be inappropriate to comment further.”
Story cited here.
