Julian Assange a Possible Maybe Perhaps?

Which makes me somewhat reluctant to offer it up, but what the hell.

WikiLeaks' Assange 'very likely' to lose extradition fight

Barrister pokes ahead of Thursday's hearing

An expert in UK extradition law says it's “very likely” that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will lose his battle against extradition to Sweden, where he's wanted for questioning in an investigation into rape and sexual assault allegations.

Julian Knowles, a barrister for law firm Matrix Chambers and the author of books on extradition, told BBC Radio that the legal and factual bases underpinning Assange's defense during three days of extradition hearings in London earlier this month weren't persuasive. As a result, Chief Magistrate Judge Howard Riddle, who is scheduled to deliver his judgment on Thursday, is likely to rule in favor of Swedish prosecutors seeking Assange's extradition, he said.


“From what I read and heard about the Assange extradition hearing, I think it's very likely that the Swedish prosecutor will prevail and extradition will be ordered by the senior district judge,” Knowles said during an interview on BBC Radio's Law in Action program. “In a nutshell, the two preliminary arguments that the defense are running are (one) the prosecutor has no power to issue the warrants and (two) that Mr Assange is only really wanted for questioning and isn't really wanted for trial and you have to be wanted for trial in order to be properly extradited.”

Knowles went on to say: “There is no doubt that a Swedish prosecutor does have the power to issue warrants.” He also said that the Swedish prosecutor handling the case “has made clear that Mr Assange is wanted for trial if he goes back. Unless he can demonstrate his innocence ahead of trial, he will be tried.”

Knowles shot down other claims made by Assange's legal team, including the argument that the alleged behavior being investigated, even if true, didn't amount to extradition offenses. Allegations leveled by one of Assange's accusers involve the use of force and would “obviously” constitute sexual assault if tried in the UK.more

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