Wikileaks founder Julian Assange agrees to remain at maximum security Belmarsh jail ahead of US extradition hearing next month over the leak of 750,000 classified military documents
- Julian Assange, 47, is being held in south-east London following dramatic arrest
- Faces being extradited to US over leaked classified military and diplomatic files
- Ecuadorian embassy kicked him out after he relied on immunity for seven years
- President accused him of ‘despotic’ behaviour and a dirty protest during his stay
Julian Assange (pictured after his arrest at the embassy) has agreed to remain in custody ahead of his extradition hearing next month
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has agreed to remain in custody ahead of his US extradition hearing next month, a court heard today.
The alleged cyber criminal faces being extradited to the United States over the leak of huge amounts of classified military and diplomatic documents in 2010.
The 47-year-old was dramatically arrested and dragged from the Ecuadorean Embassy on April 11 after the country withdrew its diplomatic protection.
President Lenin Moreno later accused Assange of ‘despotic’ behaviour and said he was responsible for a dirty protest at the embassy.
The Australian will remain at maximum security Belmarsh jail in south-east London ahead of his next hearing in a fortnight.
Neither Assange nor his legal team attended today’s brief hearing at Wesminster Magistrates’ Court.
Barnaby Hone, prosecuting, told District Judge Margot Coleman: ‘He has consented to be remanded in custody and produced on 2 May.’
Assange faces up to five years in prison if extradited to the US over the leaking of nearly 700,000 confidential documents provided by former US intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning.
He also faces potential extradition to Sweden over sexual assault allegations from 2010, as the case may be reopened by Swedish authorities.
Pictured: The moment that police arrested Assange as he was kicked out of the Ecuadorian embassy after a seven-year stay
Last week, Assange did not enter a plea to the US charge but he was found guilty of failing to surrender.
Australian-born Assange surrendered to UK police on 7 December 2010 but was later released on bail.
He breached his bail after he failed to challenge the extradition proceedings and sought asylum in the Ecuadorian embassy, which was formally granted in August 2012.
Assange will be sentenced for failing to surrender at Southwark Crown Court at a future date.
He was remanded in custody ahead of his next extradition hearing at Westminster Magistrates Court on May 2.