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LONDON — Key figures in Britain’s opposition Labour Party said Friday the government should oppose the extradition of Julian Assange to the United States.
Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said in a tweet that the U.S. is trying to extradite Assange because he exposed “evidence of atrocities in Iraq and Afghanistan.”
Diane Abbott, Labour’s spokeswoman for domestic affairs, told the BBC the government should block the extradition on human rights grounds, adding that much of the information that he brought into the public domain was in the public interest. Abbott said the U.S. case against Assange is about the “embarrassment of the things he’s revealed about the American military and security services.”
Police arrested the WikiLeaks founder Thursday at the Ecuadorian embassy in London after Ecuador withdrew his asylum.
He is in custody awaiting sentencing for jumping bail in 2012, and is also facing what is expected to be a lengthy extradition proceeding initiated by the United States.
U.S. Justice Department officials seek to put Assange on trial for allegedly conspiring to break into a classified government computer at the Pentagon. The charge was announced after Assange was taken into custody. If found guilty, Assange faces a maximum five years in prison. It is also possible that Assange, 47, will face an extradition request from Sweden if prosecutors there decide to pursue allegations of rape and sexual misconduct against him.
Assange took refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in 2012 after he was released on bail in Britain while facing extradition to Sweden on the allegations. He had stayed inside the embassy building for seven years.
Swedish prosecutors dropped the case against Assange in 2017, saying at the time there was no prospect of bringing him to Sweden because of his protected status inside the embassy.
Assange received a verbal rebuke in his first court appearance Thursday afternoon when District Judge Michael Snow found him guilty of breaching his bail conditions.
“Mr. Assange’s behavior is that of a narcissist who cannot get beyond his own selfish interests,” Snow said.
Assange’s next court appearance was set for May 2 via prison video-link in relation to the extradition case, a process that involves several layers of appeal that could take years.
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Ms Anderson has thrown her support behind the WikiLeaks founder, who was today arrested by police after they entered the Ecuadorian Embassy where they Australia had been holed up since 2012. Pamela Anderson tweeted: “I am in shock. I couldn’t hear clearly what he said? He looks very bad. How could you Ecuador? (Because he exposed you). How could you UK.? Of course - you are America’s b***h and you need a diversion from your idiotic Brexit b*******.”
In a further rant, Ms Anderson also lambasted Donald Trump, accusing the US President of being a “toxic coward”.
The 51-year-old in another tweet, continued: “And the USA ? This toxic coward of a President. He needs to rally his base?
“You are selfish and cruel. You have taken the entire world backwards.
“You are devils and liars and thieves. And you will ROTT. And WE WILL RISE.”
Mr Assange was arrested by Metropolitan Police officers at the Ecuadorian Embassy after the nation withdrew his asylum.
Ecuadorean president Lenin Moreno the South American country had complied with its duties to Mr Assange under international law but accused Wikileaks of repeatedly violated the rules of his asylum, including a provision which was meant to stop him intervening in the internal matters of other countries.
Mr Moreno claimed a leak of Vatican documents in 2019 was the most recent example of Mr Assange violating that policy.
In a video posted on Twitter, Mr Moreno also said Ecuador has "reached the limit of its patience" with Mr Assange.
He added: "I requested Great Britain to guarantee that Mr Assange would not be extradited to a country where he could face torture or the death penalty.
"The British government has confirmed it in writing, in accordance with its own rules."
A Met Police statement said: “Julian Assange, 47, (03.07.71) has today, Thursday 11 April, been arrested by officers from the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) at the Embassy of Ecuador, Hans Crescent, SW1 on a warrant issued by Westminster Magistrates' Court on 29 June 2012, for failing to surrender to the court.
“He has been taken into custody at a central London police station where he will remain, before being presented before Westminster Magistrates' Court as soon as is possible.
“The MPS had a duty to execute the warrant, on behalf of Westminster Magistrates' Court, and was invited into the embassy by the Ambassador, following the Ecuadorian government's withdrawal of asylum.”
An additional statement released later added: “Julian Assange, 47, (03.07.71) has today, Thursday 11 April, been further arrested on behalf of the United States authorities, at 10.53am after his arrival at a central London police station.
“This is an extradition warrant under Section 73 of the Extradition Act.
“He will appear in custody at Westminster Magistrates' Court as soon as possible.”
A Home Office spokesperson also said: “We can confirm that Julian Assange was arrested in relation to a provisional extradition request from the United States of America.
“He is accused in the United States of America of computer related offences.”
Speaking after Mr Assange's arrest, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt told Sky News: "Julian Assange is no hero. He has hidden from the truth for years and years.
“It is right that his future should be decided in the British judicial system.”
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is seen on the balcony of the Ecuadorian Embassy in LondonThomson Reuters
Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks, was arrested by British police at the Ecuadorian embassy in London on Thursday.
The London Metropolitan Police's arrest comes after Ecuador revoked his asylum. The Latin American country confirmed the withdrawal in a video posted on Twitter.
He is in custody at a central London police station and will be taken to Westminster Magistrates' Court "as soon as is possible," the Metropolitan Police said in a statement.
Scotland's first minister has said the UK must not waste time now a flexible extension to Brexit has been agreed until 31 October.
In a tweet, Nicola Sturgeon said it was "a relief" that the UK would not be "crashing out" of the EU on Friday.
She added that allowing people to decide if they still wanted to leave was now imperative, and that Scotland's interests must be protected.
Holyrood will not be recalled now that the extension has been agreed.
Scottish Parliament Presiding Officer Ken Macintosh had warned MSPs they would be recalled from 13:00 on Thursday if the UK was due to leave the EU without a deal on Friday.
However, following the announcement of the extension, Mr Macintosh said a recall was no longer necessary.
European Council president Donald Tusk said the UK could still ratify the withdrawal agreement or choose to "cancel Brexit altogether".
He added: "Let me finish with a message to our British friends: This extension is as flexible as I expected, and a little bit shorter than I expected, but it's still enough to find the best possible solution. Please do not waste this time."
Prime Minister Theresa May, who had wanted a shorter delay, said the UK would still aim to leave the EU as soon as possible.
Speaking on BBC radio's Good Morning Scotland programme, Scottish Secretary David Mundell said Theresa May was determined to leave the EU by 30 June.
He said: "We're not leaving the EU tomorrow on the basis of no deal. I think everyone, certainly in Scotland, is in agreement that leaving the EU on Friday would not have been a good outcome.
'Persuade parliament'
Mr Mundell added: "She [Theresa May] wants to deliver Brexit by 22 May so that we don't have to have the European elections and there is still an opportunity to do that.
"If we can, as I would hope - because these talks seem to be serious - get some form of agreement with the Labour Party, then it would be possible to ratify the withdrawal agreement by 22 May and leave by then, and it would still be possible also to leave by 30 June."
The UK is bound to hold European elections in May, or leave on 1 June without a deal.
The prime minister had earlier told leaders she wanted to move the UK's exit date from Friday of this week to 30 June, with the option of leaving earlier if her withdrawal agreement was ratified by parliament.
Following the extension announcement, she said that although the delay extends until 31 October, the UK can leave before then if MPs pass her withdrawal deal.
"I know that there is huge frustration from many people that I had to request this extension," she said.
"The UK should have left the EU by now and I sincerely regret the fact that I have not yet been able to persuade parliament to approve a deal."
Mrs May added: "I do not pretend the next few weeks will be easy, or there is a simple way to break the deadlock in parliament. But we have a duty as politicians to find a way to fulfil the democratic decision of the referendum, deliver Brexit and move our country forward.
"Nothing is more pressing or more vital."
The PM said that the UK "will continue to hold full membership rights and obligations [of the EU]" during the delay.
What was agreed?
A Brexit extension "only as long as necessary" and "no longer than 31 October" to allow for the ratification of the withdrawal agreement
The UK "must hold the elections to the European Parliament" and if it fails to do this, the UK will leave on 1 June
The European Council reiterates there can be no reopening of the withdrawal agreement negotiations
Jack Shepherd, who was found guilty of killing a woman in a speedboat crash on the River Thames, has arrived in the UK to finish his extradition from Georgia.
He fled before the trial which convicted him of the manslaughter of Charlotte Brown.
Speaking to the BBC on-board a plane at Tbilisi International Airport, Shepherd said he regretted going on the run and did so through "animalistic fear".
He arrived at Gatwick Airport at 21:20 BST.
He was taken from Gatwick by Metropolitan Police officers ahead of his court appearance later.
Speaking in Georgia before he left for the UK, Shepherd said: "I am terribly sorry for my involvement in Charlotte's death and subsequent actions which have made things worse and I'd like to make amends for that.
"I ran for fear. It wasn't premeditated, it was just a case of being driven by an animalistic fear and jumping on a plane with not much of a plan."
British Prime Minister Theresa May arrives for a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on Tuesday.
MAYBE IT’S a mirage, but there are signs that Britain’s destructive deadlock over leaving the European Union may be easing. Last week, Prime Minister Theresa May finally broke with the extremists in her Conservative Party who had blocked the exit deal she negotiated, and she opened negotiations with the opposition Labour Party. The hope is to find a compromise formula for Brexit that would preserve close economic relations with the continent and thus minimize the inevitable damage of a split. Meanwhile, E.U. leaders appear prepared to grant a new extension on Britain’s departure at a summit Wednesday, avoiding a crash-out this Friday. Such a disastrous no-deal Brexit has already been ruled out by Parliament — the one thing that badly divided body has been able to agree on.
Months more of fractious debate could lie ahead in London — especially as the E.U. might offer a long extension, until the end of 2019 or beyond. In the interim, Ms. May might be forced to step down as Conservative leader, agree to a general election or hold a new referendum on Brexit — or perhaps all three. That could reverse the fragile trend toward finding a centrist consensus and further polarize the country — which is why responsible members of all parties should work for a negotiated compromise.
For now, the chance that talks between Ms. May and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn will produce results don’t look particularly good. Mr. Corbyn, a rigid Marxist, has until recently been unwilling to pursue a solution to the Brexit crisis; his priority has been to force an election that he thinks could make him prime minister. The Labour Party, too, is badly divided over whether and how Britain should depart the E.U. And Ms. May can be inflexible. After the first rounds of talks, Mr. Corbyn complained that the prime minister had been unwilling to depart from her previous “red lines.”
The broad parameters of a compromise are nevertheless fairly clear. Britain would agree to remain in the E.U. customs union, which would allow mostly frictionless trade to continue and avoid the creation of a “hard border” between British Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland — the factor that bedeviled Ms. May’s deal. Britain would remain outside the E.U. single market but would harmonize provisions for workers’ rights and the environment. And Parliament would enact legislation or negotiate provisions with the E.U. to ensure that any compromise deal would be respected by a future government, should Ms. May depart.
Accepting such terms would be agonizing for Ms. May, as they would split her party. But she has made the right decision by seeking to forge a centrist compromise, rather than accepting the ultimatums of the Conservative ultras. If no deal can be reached with Mr. Corbyn, she should follow through on her vow to hold a series of parliamentary votes on alternatives — and take whatever passes to Brussels.
Read more:
Fareed Zakaria: Brexit will mark the end of Britain’s role as a great power
Anne Applebaum: Theresa May was warned about Brexit. She didn’t listen.
Megan McArdle: Brexit hasn’t even happened, yet Ireland is already seeing signs of the economic toll
Robert J. Samuelson: We anti-Brexit folks should feel pretty self-satisfied now. Well, we’re not.
The Post’s View: Britain must swallow the hard realities of Brexit — or leave the choice to voters
