WikiLeaks’ Assange close to extradition as UK court dismisses plea

Julian Assange, the founder of whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks, has come closer to being deported to Sweden on sexual assault charges after a UK high court dismissed his appeal against the deportation.
 
Lord Justice Thomas and Justice Ouseley today handed down their judgment in the 40-year-old Australian's appeal against a European arrest warrant issued by Swedish prosecutors after rape and sexual assault accusations made by two Swedish women following his visit to Stockholm in August 2010.

The judges ruled the issuing of the warrant and subsequent proceedings were "proportionate" and dismissed arguments that the warrant had been invalid and descriptions of the alleged offences unfair and inaccurate.

Assange himself put up a brave front after the ruling, dismissing it as ''merely technical''. He insisted he had not been charged with any crime.

He is accused of raping one woman and molesting and coercing another into unprotected sex during his Stockholm visit to promote the work of WikiLeaks.

Assange's lawyers said they would take 14 days to decide whether to seek the right to appeal to the Supreme Court, and said they would challenge the £19,000 costs against him, indicating he might not have the means to pay.

Lord Justice Thomas said a date would be fixed in three weeks' time to hear any case by Assange that he should be allowed to take the case to the apex court.