LONDON - WikiLeaks chief Julian Assange was arrested in London today on suspicion of rape after surrendering to a Swedish arrest warrant, setting up a possible extradition fight that could drag on for months.
Assange, 39, was detained after attending a London police station by appointment at 0930 GMT and is due to appear at City of Westminster Magistrates Court later in the day, the Metropolitan Police said in a statement.
“Officers from the Metropolitan Police Service’s Extradition Unit have this morning, Tuesday 7 December, arrested Julian Assange on behalf of the Swedish authorities on suspicion of rape,” the statement said.
“He is accused by the Swedish authorities of one count of unlawful coercion, two counts of sexual molestation and one count of rape, all alleged to have been committed in August 2010.”
The net has tightened around the Australian former computer hacker since his whistleblower website began releasing thousands of secret US diplomatic cables last week, infuriating Washington and other countries.
Assange’s lawyers were not immediately available for comment, but they have said he will fight extradition to Sweden, saying they fear he could then be passed on to the United States from the Scandanavian country. - AFP
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