Being a " celebrity " comes at a cost ! Julian Assange is a famous Australian because he is the founder of Wikileaks and that organization leaked secrets that embarrassed the worlds greatest military superpower. He quickly learned that sticking your nose into the affairs of the United States - has " consequences " !
Assange was a world traveller and gave lectures and attracted publicity wherever he went. It seems that on a visit to Sweden he made friends with two young women and this resulted in what was claimed to be consensual sex. Apparently there was a dispute over a condom. It is claimed that Assange refused to wear one and his partners asked police if that constituted an offence ? Judicial opinion was sought - and an investigation launched on a possible charge of rape !
Assange was now back in Britain and amazingly, Sweden sought extradition to bring him back to Sweden to face questions. Not to face charges, but to be formally questioned by the Swedish police. Assange refused and the matter then developed into lengthy court action and appeals - resulting in the issuing of an arrest warrant for forcible repatriation to Sweden.
It seemed amazing that a sovereign country would go to this trouble when the women involved were not seeking charges and Assange believed that their action was under pressure from the United States which hoped to implement extradition charges of their own to bring him to the United States where he could face life imprisonment under American espionage laws.
Assange promptly sought the protection of a friendly foreign country and took refuge in the London embassy of Ecuador - and there he has remained for four long years with the embassy surrounded by a big posse of British police on 24.7 duty. He receives visitors within it's walls and has made several public announcements from the safety of it's balcony - and this police safety net has cost the British government millions of dollars.
At long last a chink of light has appeared in this impenetrable darkness. The Swedish police are talking about sending someone to London to interview Assange - in the Ecuadorian embassy - to clear up this vexing issue of the " condom " !
Of course it is not yet a matter of " beer and skittles " ! The Ecuadorian embassy has hinted that it would require advance notice to allow it to vet the questions that Sweden would be submitting, and so far the attitude of the British government - who hold that Assange is defying an order issued by their court - would be if the Swedes declared themselves satisfied and dropped further requests for extradition. There is also no word of how the United States feels in this matter !
Of course, this is exactly what Assange proposed four years ago. He had no objection to answering questions on his sexual relationship with what he claims were two consenting Swedish women, but he did object to being brought to a country from which the United States might seek to drag him into it's net for prosecution - on very dubious legal charges.
Eventually, this must reach some sort of conclusion, but a lot of ego's are involved. Britain has had it's court order challenged and has spent untold millions retaining a police ring of steel around a London embassy. America may be satisfied with the publicity gained keeping Assange holed up as a virtual prisoner. The fact that another " leaker " is in a similar situation in Moscow must certainly give others reason to pause before divulging American military secrets.
The world will wait and see if Julian Assange is finally to be granted the freedom to strut the world stage - and whether he can again return to the country of his birth !
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