Julian Assange fought back tears as he lost the first bout of his extradition battle when a judge rejected his pleas for a full court hearing to be delayed. The Wikileaks founder appeared in person in court for the first time since May this morning after illness prevented him from being at previous hearings in his battle against extradition to the United States to face spying charges.
Assange, dressed in a navy suit and light blue jumper, raised his fist to supporters in the public gallery. He was cleanly shaven in contrast to the long beard he had grown while holed up in Ecuador's embassy.
But he struggled to say his own name, mumbling, pausing and stuttering as he gave his name and date of birth at the start of a case management hearing.
A full hearing is due to start in February next year, but Assange's lawyers tried to have it delayed for three months because they need more time to prepare their case. Judge Vanessa Baraitser declined the request to delay proceedings.
When his case was adjourned, Assange complained that he had not understood proceedings. He said: 'I can't research anything, I can't access any of my writing. It's very difficult where I am.'
He told the judge he is up against a 'superpower' with 'unlimited resources' and appeared to be fighting back tears as he added: 'I can't think properly.'
The case will now begin in February, although legal experts have suggested that, if the case goes to a series of appeals, it could be 2025 before Assange is actually sent to the U.S.
He is likely to remain in jail for that time and it is estimated jail and court costs would run to nearly £600,000.
Assange, 48, faces 18 counts in the U.S. including conspiring to hack government computers and violating an espionage law. He could spend decades in prison if convicted.
Former home secretary Sajid Javid signed an order in June allowing Assange to be extradited to the US over the computer-hacking allegations.
Assange was jailed for 50 weeks in the UK in May after he jumped bail by going into hiding in the Ecuadorian embassy in London.
The WikiLeaks founder was due to be released from HMP Belmarsh on September 22, but was told at a court hearing last month that he would be kept in jail because of 'substantial grounds' for believing he would abscond.
Poster Comment:
The prosecution of Assange is pure narcissistic brutality because the big boys in the U.S. War Mongering Department were shown to be careless murdering scumbags without the first inkling of compassion for those caught up in a war for oil and industrial profits. These pus sucking shitbags in our government were shown to be liars, and baby killers. Oh, the nerve of this Assange fellow. All of humanity should scream for his immediate release.