Assange to appear in court over request for extradition

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will appear in court in London today for a hearing on efforts by Swedish authorities to extradite him to face allegations of the rape and sexual assault of two women. Court authorities said, however, that a final decision will not be made until a two-day court hearing in February, The Irish Times reported.

Mr Assange will travel from the Norfolk mansion where he has stayed since his release from prison in December to the 10am hearing at Belmarsh Magistrates’ Court in east London. He maintains that, if he is sent to Stockholm, he is danger of being extradited to the US to face espionage charges that could see him spending his life in prison.

The Australian has already faced a warning from Norfolk police after he showed up late for a court-ordered daily appearance at a police station near the mansion where he is staying.

Since he was released from jail on £200,000 bail, Mr Assange has been required to turn up at the police station every day between 2pm and 5pm, and to wear an electronic tag. However, he has not faced any restrictions on using the internet from his temporary home at Ellingham Hall, owned by journalist and businessman Vaughan Smith.