01/02/2012

WikiLeaks Founder Prepares For Final Appeal

Julian Assange, founder of whistleblowing website Wikileaks, is appealing at the UK supreme court to block his extradition to Sweden over alleged sex crimes.

The Australian-born agent provocateur is to appear in court on Wednesday for an expected two-day hearing on whether he should be sent back to Sweden to face accusations from two women.

Mr Assange claims the allegations are politically motivated and relate to his publishing of leaked American diplomatic communications and secret military documents.

He was detained in Britain in December 2010 on a European arrest warrant issued by a Swedish prosecutor after two female former WikiLeaks volunteers accused him of sexual assault.

His lawyers have argued that the warrant is invalid because it was issued by a prosecutor rather than a neutral judge or court.

(DW)

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