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

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