The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
I’ll remain in the embassy, says Assange Police: Threat of arrest still looms
Julian Assange has signalled he will remain inside the Ecuadorian embassy in London despite the Swedish authorities suddenly dropping a sevenyear rape investigation against him.
The WikiLeaks founder made a rare appearance on the balcony of the central London building to hail the decision by Sweden’s Director of Public Prosecutions as an “important victory”.
He gave a clenched fist salute to his supporters, and scores of journalists and TV crews, before maintaining that a “legal conflict” with the United States and the UK continues.
The Australian, who has lived inside the embassy for almost five years, said the “road is far from over”, adding it was “extremely regretful” he was still being threatened with arrest if he leaves the embassy.
The Ecuadorian government is to step up efforts to allow Mr Assange to continue his asylum in its country after Sweden's Director of Public Prosecutions, Marianne Ny said she had decided to “discontinue” her investigation.
Scotland Yard said it was obliged to execute a warrant issued by Westminster Magistrates’ Court for the arrest of Mr Assange following his failure to surrender to the court in June 2012, should he leave the embassy.
Asked if Britain would now support a request to extradite Mr Assange to the United States, Prime Minister Theresa May said: “In relation to Julian Assange, any decision that is taken about UK action in relation to him were he to leave the Ecuadorian embassy would be an operational matter for the police.”
The Crown Prosecution Service said a European Arrest Warrant against Assange was discharged at Westminster Magistrates’ Court. Julian Assange is the enigmatic figure behind the whistleblowing WikiLeaks website and has become a poster boy for campaigners against state spying and censorship.
To his critics he is a danger to national security and his work could make him the subject of espionage charges in the US.
The 45-year-old shot to public attention after founding the pro-transparency website in 2006 as an online library of otherwise secret documents from governments, spy agencies, political parties and corporations.
Mr Assange took refuge inside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London after being bailed during extradition court hearings.
He has always denied the rape allegation brought by Swedish prosecutors.