LONDON, U.K. - WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange who is recently seeking asylum in Ecuador after losing his extradition case, says that he is willing to be extradited to Sweden where he faces charges of rape and sexual assault, but wants diplomatic guarantee that he will not be sent to the U.S. over Wikileaks revelations.
As Assange spends his 9th day in the Ecuador Embassy, he told the Sydney Morning Herald that "Ultimately it may be a matter of what guarantees the United Kingdom, the United States and Sweden are willing to provide...For example, 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," as covered by the U.K. Daily Mail.
Upon being denied appeal for extradition earlier this month, Assange was released on a $316,000 bail provided by many high-profile supporters.
The 40-year-old is facing extradition to Sweden, where he will face charges of sexual abuse and rape. Assange denies these allegations and claims they are politically motivated.
Assange supporters gathered outside the Ecuador Embassy in England. Wikipedia founder Richard O'Dawyer has started a petition Monday to fight Assange's extradition charges.
Julian Assange rose to fame in 2010 when he leaked a number of US diplomatic cables and videos regarding the war in Iraq and Afghanistan through his co-founded online organization Wikileaks. The organization stirred great derision from Washington and other countries whose secrets were divulged. Assange and his team argue that there is foul play in the alleged sex crimes allegations and that these accusations are sponsored by a number of upset politicians.
