Updated on
Summary A former Swedish prosecutor called by the defence attacked his country's handling of sex crimes allegations against WikiLeaks' founder Julian Assange that could lead to his extradition to Sweden.
Sven-Erik Alhem, a former chief district prosecutor in Stockholm, told a British court considering a Swedish request to extradite Assange that Swedish prosecutors should have tried to question Assange in Britain before applying for his extradition. The hearing did not finish in the two days set aside for it and lawyers will return on Friday to make closing statements. Assange, a 39-year-old Australian computer expert who has infuriated the US government by releasing thousands of secret US diplomatic cables on his website, is wanted in Sweden to face allegations of sexual misconduct made by two WikiLeaks volunteers during a visit there last August. Assanges lawyers argue that he would not get a fair trial in Sweden and that being sent there could be a stepping stone to extradition to the United States, where they say he could end up facing execution for leaking secrets. Assanges lawyers accuse Swedish prosecutors of abusing the fast-track European arrest warrant because they only want to question Assange, not charge him. Assange has been free under strict conditions since a British court released him on bail in December. The US government is examining whether criminal charges can be brought against him over the diplomatic cables.
