Julian Assange extradition order signed by the UK to go to the US

He’s been trying to avoid it for years, now the UK has signed an order allowing a court to decide whether to extradite Julian Assange to the United States.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will face a hearing in London tomorrow after the UK government signed an order allowing a court to decide if he will be extradited to the United States.

UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid said today he had signed an extradition order, but it was the court’s decision on whether Assange will be sent to America to face spying charges that carry a 175-year maximum sentence.

Mr Javid said on the Today Programme: “He’s rightly behind bars. Yesterday I signed the extradition order and certified it and that will be going in front of the courts tomorrow.”

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WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is taken from court, where he appeared on charges of jumping British bail seven years ago, in London. Picture: AP

Assange has been hit with 17 counts under the US Espionage Act and one count of computer hacking.

The charges related to a dump of thousands of classified documents that the US claimed put the lives of secret sources at risk.

The leaks also exposed embarrassing secrets of the US involvement in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

Julian Assange supporters hold placards and banners in protest outside Westminster Magistrates Court in London. Picture: AFP

The final decision on whether Assange can be extradited will rest with the courts.

Tomorrow’s hearing was likely to outline the US case in detail for the first time.

The case will be held at London’s Belmarsh Magistrates Court near where Assange is being held in a maximum-security prison.

His father John Shipton visited him this week.

Julian Assange's father John Shipton is in Europe to raise funds to help his son with his legal case. Picture: Ella Pellegrini

Assange, who is being held in the top-security Belmarsh prison in southeast London, is not expected to attend Friday’s hearing in person but could take part via video-link, although it will be largely procedural.

Assange has also been under investigation by Swedish authorities over a rape allegation from 2010.

He had a technical win when the Swedish court ruled he should not be detained in his absence but the investigation remains ongoing.

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