Wikileaks founder Julian Assange could be arrested by the Metropolitan Police within weeks, MPs have been told
SICKLY Wikileaks founder Julian Assange could be in British custody within weeks, MPs have been told.
The hacker has been hiding in London’s Ecuadorian Embassy since 2012 after claiming political asylum for publishing millions of CIA files online.
But they want him out, and his communication with the outside world was cut off three months ago when he was accused of interfering with other states.
Now Mr Assange’s supporters and intelligence experts say matters are “coming to a head” and Ministers believe his health is rapidly deteriorating.
Leading critic Bob Seely said he had been told Mr Assange time “maybe about to run out” before he is turned over to the Metropolitan Police.
The campaigning Tory MP added: “Far from being a ‘freedom of information’ hero, he may well have worked against democracy by aiding Russia.”
And supporters of Mr Assange say “the situation is very serious. Things are coming to a head.”
One told Reuters the latest information from inside the embassy was “not looking good”.
A Whitehall source told The Sun to “expect movement” in the coming weeks but last night the Foreign Office insisted that the was not an “imminent" breakthrough expected.
Last month they said they were “increasingly concerned” about Mr Assange’s health “which we think is deteriorating.”
Minister Sir Alan Ducan said he “would like to make the assurance that if he were to step out of the embassy, he would be treated humanely and properly.”
Hopes of Mr Assange being taken into custody where heightened as Ecuador's president flew to London to meet with Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt.
Lenin Moreno will address a disability conference today, but his staff insisted that he will not address the Assange issue during his visit to London.
But previously he described it as “unsustainable” and “a stone in his shoe”.
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On Friday Jeremy Hunt, the new Foreign Secretary, said Mr Assange “is free to walk out of the doors of the Ecuadorean embassy any time he wishes.”
He added: “At any time he wants to he is free to walk out onto the streets of Knightsbridge and the British police will have a warm welcome for him."
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