Sweden, Ecuador clash over Assange interrogation

STOCKHOLM

Questioning WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange over rape allegations has been delayed after Swedish and Ecuadorian prosecutors clashed over who should interrogate him.

Swedish authorities said Thursday that Ecuador rejected a request from Swedish prosecutors to interrogate Assange at its embassy in London and said Ecuador would be doing the questioning.

"At the moment, we consider if it affects the possibilities to conduct the investigative matters and, if that is case, we shall submit a renewed request," Swedish Director of Public Prosecution Marianne Ny said in a statement Thursday.

Swedish prosecutors had previously demanded that Assange come to Sweden for questioning about the 2010 allegations and claimed that they had offered in March to question him in London.

Assange took refuge inside the Ecuadorian embassy in London on June 19, 2012, in an attempt to avoid extradition to Sweden. Ecuador granted Assange political asylum in 2012, despite pressure from Britain.

The Australian hacker fears if Britain extradites him to Sweden, then he would be extradited to the U.S. for releasing thousands of highly confidential documents on WikiLeaks.

STOCKHOLM

Questioning WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange over rape allegations has been delayed after Swedish and Ecuadorian prosecutors clashed over who should interrogate him.

Swedish authorities said Thursday that Ecuador rejected a request from Swedish prosecutors to interrogate Assange at its embassy in London and said Ecuador would be doing the questioning.

Swedish prosecutors had previously demanded that Assange come to Sweden for questioning about the 2010 allegations and claimed that they had offered in March to question him in London.

The Australian hacker fears if Britain extradites him to Sweden, then he would be extradited to the U.S. for releasing thousands of highly confidential documents on WikiLeaks.