Monday 20 May 2019 8:19 am | Updated: Wednesday 05 June 2019 8:39 am

Sweden requests arrest warrant for Wikileaks founder Julian Assange over rape allegation

Swedish prosecutors today filed a request for an arrest warrant for Wikileaks founder Julian Assange.

Assange is wanted in connection to a rape allegation first made against him in 2010.

Sweden reopened the investigation last week after closing its file as Assange spent seven years in the Ecuadorian embassy in London.

Deputy director of public prosecutions in Sweden, Eva-Marie Persson, said this morning: “I request the District Court to detain Assange in his absence, on probable cause suspected for rape (less serious crime).

“If the court decides to detain him, I will issue a European Arrest Warrant concerning surrender to Sweden.

“In the event of a conflict between a European Arrest Warrant and a request for extradition from the US, UK authorities will decide on the order of priority.

“The outcome of this process is impossible to predict.”

Police arrested Assange at the embassy in a raid last month and he is currently serving a 50-week sentence for skipping bail.

Today’s move to request Assange’s detention via a European Arrest Warrant is the first step to extradite Assange from the UK and to Sweden.

Assange has said he fears he would be extradited from Sweden to the US, where he could face charges on leaking thousands of confidential documents on the US military and its diplomatic relations with other countries via Wikileaks.

The Met police revealed they also arrested Assange after a US request for his extradition.

Persson said: “I am well aware of the fact that an extradition process is ongoing in the UK and that he could be extradited to the US.

“In my opinion a new interview with the suspect is required. It may be necessary, with the support of a European Investigation Order, to request an interview with Julian Assange be held in the UK. Such an interview, however, requires Julian Assange’s consent.”