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.
WHCA dinner gunman pleads not guilty to attempted Trump assassination charges
WHCA Dinner shooting suspect Cole Allen pleads not guilty, judge scoffs at defense’s power play
Footage shows moments before Frontier Airlines jet struck person on Denver airport runway
Democrats consider plan to wipe conservatives off Virginia Supreme Court: Report
Jeff Landry dismisses concerns about 45,000 discarded ballots after suspended primaries: ‘It’s not my fault’
Former Dem gov in hot seat for ‘complete failure’ in ‘INSANE’ early release of thousands of inmates
House Freedom Caucus vows ‘gloves are coming off’ as FISA deadline looms
Alert: American Who Was on Hantavirus Cruise Ship Tests Positive, as 2nd Passenger Now Showing Symptoms
Frontier Plane Hits Pedestrian During Takeoff at Denver Airport
US Sanctions Foreign Entities Accused Of Sharing Satellite Imagery, Access to Arms to Prop Up Iran’s War Effort
The unexpected force keeping beef prices high and why the pressure could last for years
How Al Qaeda repositioned itself to dominate the central Sahel
Pennsylvania man accused of fatal arson after woman allegedly rejected his advances
Virginia Dems Make Glaring Errors In Rushed Court Motion To Save Gerrymandering Scheme
Hegseth says Pentagon will review Mark Kelly’s public statements about classified briefing amid ongoing feud
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.
WHCA dinner gunman pleads not guilty to attempted Trump assassination charges
WHCA Dinner shooting suspect Cole Allen pleads not guilty, judge scoffs at defense’s power play
Footage shows moments before Frontier Airlines jet struck person on Denver airport runway
Democrats consider plan to wipe conservatives off Virginia Supreme Court: Report
Jeff Landry dismisses concerns about 45,000 discarded ballots after suspended primaries: ‘It’s not my fault’
Former Dem gov in hot seat for ‘complete failure’ in ‘INSANE’ early release of thousands of inmates
House Freedom Caucus vows ‘gloves are coming off’ as FISA deadline looms
Alert: American Who Was on Hantavirus Cruise Ship Tests Positive, as 2nd Passenger Now Showing Symptoms
Frontier Plane Hits Pedestrian During Takeoff at Denver Airport
US Sanctions Foreign Entities Accused Of Sharing Satellite Imagery, Access to Arms to Prop Up Iran’s War Effort
The unexpected force keeping beef prices high and why the pressure could last for years
How Al Qaeda repositioned itself to dominate the central Sahel
Pennsylvania man accused of fatal arson after woman allegedly rejected his advances
Virginia Dems Make Glaring Errors In Rushed Court Motion To Save Gerrymandering Scheme
Hegseth says Pentagon will review Mark Kelly’s public statements about classified briefing amid ongoing feud
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.
