16/12/2010

Assange Is Granted Bail

Julian Assange, the founder of whistle-blowing website Wikileaks, has been granted conditional bail.

Earlier this week, the 39-year-old Australian was granted bail in London but prosecutors objected to the decision and he remained in jail.

He is currently fighting extradition to Sweden, where he is accused of sexually assaulting two women.

At the Royal Courts of Justice, Mr Justice Ouseley granted conditional bail after supporters put up £240,000 in sureties.

Mark Stephens, Mr Assange's Solicitor, said the bail appeal was part of a "continuing vendetta by the Swedes".

He added: "We have won costs today but they should be paid by Sweden not the hard-pressed Crown Prosecutiong Service."

Representing the Swedish authorities Gemma Lindfield, informed the judge there was "a real risk" Mr Assange would flee abroad.

However Mr Justice Ouseley highlighted that Mr Assange had offered to meet the police in London when he heard the Swedish matter was still live and he said: "That is not the conduct of a person who is seeking to evade justice."

Earlier, the judge banned the use of Twitter to account Thursday's proceedings.

Mr Assange is due to return to the court on 11 January.

(BMcN)

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