Assange planning to leave embassy
WIKILEAKS founder Julian Assange, who has spent over two years in Ecuador’s London embassy to avoid a sex crimes inquiry in Sweden, said yesterday that he planned to leave the building “soon”, but Britain signalled he would be arrested if he did.
Mr Assange made the surprise assertion during a news conference alongside Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino. But his spokesman played down the chances of an imminent departure, saying the British government would need to revise its position and let him leave without arrest, something it has repeatedly refused to do.
Mr Assange fled to the embassy in June 2012 to avoid extradition for questioning in Sweden over sex assault and rape charges, which he denies. The Australian said he feared that if was extradited to Sweden he would then be handed over to the US, where he could be tried for one of the largest information leaks in US history.
He would be arrested if he left the London embassy since he has breached his British bail terms.
“I am leaving the embassy soon … but perhaps not for the reasons that the Murdoch press and Sky News are saying at the moment,” Mr Assange told reporters at the embassy in central London.
Britain’s Sky News, part owned by Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox, had reported that he was considering leaving the embassy due to deteriorating health.
WikiLeaks began releasing thousands of confidential US documents on the internet in 2010. That embarrassed the US, and critics said it put national security and people’s lives at risk.
Ecuador later granted Mr Assange political asylum. But he was unable to leave Britain and has ended up living in the embassy’s cramped quarters.
His comments briefly raised the possibility of his leaving imminently. But his spokesman, Kristinn Hrafnsson, told reporters that he could only do so if the British government “calls off the siege outside”. Mr Assange had no intention of handing himself over to the police, he added.
Mr Patino said he would try to hold talks with his British counterpart to resolve the case. Recent changes to British extradition laws may mean Mr Assange would not be facing extradition if his case had just started.
Britain’s Foreign Office said it remained committed to reaching a diplomatic solution to the problem, but reiterated that Mr Assange had to be extradited.
“As ever we look to Ecuador to help bring this difficult, and costly, situation to an end,” a spokeswoman said.
The Assange issue has put Britain and Ecuador at odds, with London angered by President Rafael Correa’s decision to grant him asylum and Quito unhappy over Britain’s refusal to allow him safe passage.
Asked about his health, Mr Assange said anyone would be affected by spending two years in a building with no outside areas or direct sunlight.