Assange ordered to UK police station: First step in extradition process

London police have issued an order for whistleblower Julian Assange to appear at a police station to begin the extradition process. The Wikileaks founder is in the Ecuadorian embassy, appealing for asylum on grounds of political persecution.

London Metropolitan police delivered an order calling for the Australian to come to Belgravia police station in central London on Thursday.

Assange is currently liable for arrest by the UK police should he leave the embassy on the basis that he violated his bail conditions.

He arrived at the Ecuadorian Embassy last Tuesday, appealing for Asylum from the country’s government. Assange hopes to sidestep his removal to Sweden where he is wanted for questioning over allegations of sexual abuse.

He has voiced fears that Stockholm may turn him over to US jurisdiction where he could be tried on charges of espionage. The publishing of thousands of diplomatic wires on the Wikileaks site prompted a wave of aggressive rhetoric from US politicians branding the whistleblower as a terrorist.

The Ecuadorian government has said that it is no hurry to reach a conclusion over Assange’s appeal. President Rafael Correa stressed his government was considering the legal and political consequences of granting asylum and that it had not set a deadline for the decision. He has recalled the UK ambassador to Ecuador to assess the situation.

"We will come to a decision as a sovereign nation which doesn't exclude the possibility of consulting with friendly nations," said the president on Tuesday.

Julian Assange said that he sought protection from the Ecuadorian government because he had been abandoned by Canberra.

The Australian government disputes this, arguing that they are powerless to intervene as he has broken no Australian laws.

Asssange has maintained throughout the drawn-out trial that the allegations set against him are depthless and politically-motivated

Assange wants guarantee he won’t be sent to the US

After a week holed up in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has said he is prepared to go to Sweden for questioning in a sexual assault case – but only if he is guaranteed that he won’t be extradited to the United States.

The Australian-born whistleblowing boss made a last-resort bid for freedom last week, when he arrived at the Ecuadorian embassy and asked for political asylum. His request is now being considered by that country’s president, and the ambassador has been recalled for consultations as well.

Assange and most of his supporters believe that once he arrives in Sweden, he will be extradited to the United States, as Washington wants to pursue him for revealing sensitive information about US military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. There is also the matter of thousands of leaked diplomatic cables, which have put the US in an uncomfortable position with its allies and partners worldwide.

Assange said that “if the US were to guarantee [it would] drop the grand jury investigation and any further investigation of WikiLeaks’ publishing activity, that would be an important guarantee… diplomatic commitments do have some weight.”

Until a decision is made about his asylum application, Ecuador says he will remain under its protection. But Assange faces arrest for breaching the terms of his bail if he leaves the West London building.

Ecuador recalls ambassador for Assange advisement

Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa has recalled his ambassador to the UK in order to discuss the case of Julian Assange. The asylum bid is being analyzed without concession to foreign pressure, but with caution to “other countries’” opinions.

­"We are calling our ambassador back for consultations because this is a very serious matter," Correa said Friday. “We are going to proceed cautiously, responsibly and seriously in this case, without bowing to absolutely any pressure.”

Ecuadorian envoy Ana Alban had met earlier with British authorities to ascertain their point of view.

"We will take it into account, but Ecuador will make the final decision," Correa added. "We don't wish to offend anyone, least of all a country we hold in such deep regard as the United Kingdom. We are going to have to discuss with and seek the opinions of other countries.”

President Correa also said it is too early to talk about a “safe passage” out of the country for Assange, since the final decision has not yet been made.

The WikiLeaks founder arrived at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London seeking political asylum four days ago, breaking the conditions of his bail. British police are determined to arrest him as soon as he steps out of the front door of the embassy, whether he is granted asylum or not.

In an interview with Australian Broadcasting Corp radio on Friday, Assange accused Washington of building a plot to bring him to the US. Assange hoped his dramatic move would at least “draw attention to the underlying issues," as the Australian government had made an "effective declaration of abandonment" by not intervening in British court procedures.

Rejecting reports that the decision on granting asylum might be expected soon, President Correa acknowledged that Ecuador will take all the time necessary to verify the reasons presented by Assange.

“Ecuador is a country which defends the right to life,” he said. “We have to see whether there is a threat to Julian Assange's life."

Correa on Assange asylum: We will seek other countries' opinions

Ecuadorean president Rafael Correa speaks during press conference in Quito.

Julian Assange’s bid for political asylum is being closely discussed with "other governments involved," Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa said, adding that shaping a decision may take longer than first thought.

­"We don't wish to offend anyone, least of all a country we hold in such deep regard as the United Kingdom," Correa said on Friday. “We are going to have to discuss with and seek the opinions of other countries.”

It is too early to talk about a “safe passage” out of the country for Assange, since the final decision has not yet been made, President Correa added.

The WikiLeaks founder arrived at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London seeking political asylum four days ago, breaking the conditions of his bail. British police are determined to arrest him as soon as he steps out of the front door of the embassy, whether he is granted asylum or not.

In an interview with Australian Broadcasting Corp radio on Friday, Assange accused Washington of building a plot to bring him to the US. Assange hoped his dramatic move would at least “draw attention to the underlying issues," as the Australian government had made an "effective declaration of abandonment" by not intervening in British court procedures.

Rejecting reports that the decision on granting asylum might be expected soon, President Correa acknowledged that Ecuador will take all the time necessary to verify the reasons presented by Assange.

“Ecuador is a country which defends the right to life,” he said. “We have to see whether there is a threat to Julian Assange's life."

Russian Media - Assange works on from 'ambassadorial premises'

While the world anticipates the next dramatic twist in Julian Assange’s legal saga, a WikiLeaks press spokesman told RT about the mood inside the Ecuadorian embassy in London, where Assange is seeking political asylum.

­RT: You’ve just been inside and met with Julian Assange. How is he feeling about all of this?

Kristinn Hrafnsson: Well, he is in a good spirits, as always. He is certain he is taking the right move.

RT: It was a dramatic step and very unexpected for a lot of people. Were you aware of what was going on?

KH: I can’t really comment on that. But nothing surprises me anymore in this world.

RT: And how is the mood inside? Is there any sense of what decision is going to be from Ecuador’s government?

KH: Well, you know that he has a lot of goodwill within the Ecuadorian government and the Ecuadorian people. There is a lot of support in Latin America in general. People have actually been on the streets in support of WikiLeaks. WikiLeaks' revelations have done a lot of good in Latin America and in Ecuador as well. But the outcome is uncertain and it will just take days for that to be revealed.

RT: Do you think Assange felt like he was pushed into a corner because, obviously, a lot of legal options have been exhausted?

KH: The legal options here in the UK are exhausted. And it is of course very serious that in a very uncompromising manner the Swedish prosecutor has stated that he would be put into prison, into isolation, upon arrival in Sweden – even though he has not been charged with anything, and is only wanted for questioning. Questioning he has been asked into for a year and a half. He actually has wanted to be questioned. He, I believe, offered the prosecutor to come over here to the embassy to question him.

The more serious question on hand, of course, is the looming threat of extradition from Sweden to the United States. We know that the secret grand jury has been in operation for more than a year and a half gathering information, in a clear attempt to indict Julian and possibly all those in WikiLeaks.

And we have an indication that a sealed indictment is already in place but that is unconfirmed.

RT: Julian has always maintained that this is politically motivated, the case that has been brought against him. You work for WikiLeaks now. How did this affect WikiLeaks?

KH: Julian has been under house arrest for now more than one and a half years. WikiLeaks has continued. But of course the situation has affected WikiLeaks. One of many obstacles that we have to face and fight is the banking blockade for example, where we have a court case, the first of many.

But we have continued and it is extraordinary, of course that despite the house arrest Julian has continued to work and lead the work of WikiLeaks, and will from these new premises while he stays here as well.

RT: There has been a bit of criticism about the fact that breaking the bail conditions means the there has been a lot of money lost that people put up for him. Has he mentioned anything about that?

KH: As far as I know, there is no certainty that the bail money is lost. That is up to some legal interpretation which I am not expert in. But the bail money is not lost, as far as I know, yet.