Swedish Prosecutors Argue Case Against Assange

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange

Swedish prosecutors told Britain's Supreme Court on February 2 that a bid to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to Sweden where he is wanted for questioning over sexual assault accusations is valid.

Assange, whose website angered Washington by leaking thousands of secret U.S. documents, says the accusations against him made by two women in Sweden are politically motivated.

On February 1, his lawyers told the Supreme Court he cannot be extradited because Swedish prosecutors did not have legal authority to order his arrest in December 2010.

A court in Britain approved Assange's extradition already in February 2011, and a higher court later rejected his appeal, but Assange was allowed to take his case to the Supreme Court.

Judges are expected to defer their decision on Assange's fate for several weeks.

Compiled from agency reports