Swedish prosecutors have
withdrawn an arrest warrant for WikiLeaks founder Julian
Assange, saying it was based on an unfounded accusation of
rape.
In a brief statement on August 21, chief prosecutor Eva Finne said "I don't think there is reason to suspect that he has committed rape."
Earlier, prosecutors issued an arrest warrant for Assange on accusations of rape and molestation. Karin Rosander, a spokeswoman for the Swedish Prosecution Authority, says Assange remains suspected of the lesser charge of molestation.
WikiLeaks, a whistle-blowing website, recently published thousands of leaked documents on U.S. military activities in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Assange says the allegations against him are "without basis" and that their appearance at this moment is "deeply disturbing."
Last week Assange, an Australian national, was in Sweden where WikiLeaks keeps some of its servers.
Assange has said he intends to publish 15,000 more documents on the war in Afghanistan.
The Pentagon says the information could risk the lives of U.S. troops and their Afghan helpers, and have demanded WikiLeaks return all leaked documents and remove them from the Internet.
compiled from agency reports
In a brief statement on August 21, chief prosecutor Eva Finne said "I don't think there is reason to suspect that he has committed rape."
Earlier, prosecutors issued an arrest warrant for Assange on accusations of rape and molestation. Karin Rosander, a spokeswoman for the Swedish Prosecution Authority, says Assange remains suspected of the lesser charge of molestation.
WikiLeaks, a whistle-blowing website, recently published thousands of leaked documents on U.S. military activities in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Assange says the allegations against him are "without basis" and that their appearance at this moment is "deeply disturbing."
Last week Assange, an Australian national, was in Sweden where WikiLeaks keeps some of its servers.
Assange has said he intends to publish 15,000 more documents on the war in Afghanistan.
The Pentagon says the information could risk the lives of U.S. troops and their Afghan helpers, and have demanded WikiLeaks return all leaked documents and remove them from the Internet.
compiled from agency reports