Islam Times - Australia Welcomes News About Julian Assange

Islam Times - Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday “welcomed” news that Wikileaks founder Julian Assange was expected to plead guilty to a felony US crime as part of a deal that will see him return to his native home.

Albanese indicated he will make a statement on Assange’s case after the legal process was complete, Anadolu Agency reported.

Assange was released from Belmarsh maximum security prison earlier Monday following a bail by High Court in British capital before boarding a flight at London Stansted Airport at 5 pm local time (1600GMT), according to video footage posted by his organization on X.

A spokesman for the Australian government said it was “not appropriate to provide further comment” until the proceedings were concluded, ABC News reported.

Prime Minister Albanese “has been clear (that) Mr. Assange's case has dragged on for too long and there is nothing to be gained by his continued incarceration,” it added.

Court documents indicate that Assange is set to appear in the US District Court on the Mariana Islands, a US commonwealth in the western Pacific Ocean near his native nation Australia, on Wednesday.

Assange is expected to plead guilty to a single count of violating the US Espionage Act, namely that he conspired to unlawfully obtain and disclose US national security information.

According to Wikileaks, Assange left Belmarsh maximum security prison after having spent 1,901 days there.