Ecuador close to agreeing to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's request for political asylum

Officials in the South American country were said to be trying to figure out how Assange could leave the UK without being arrested

41-year-old has been taking refuge in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London to avoid extradition to Sweden

He is wanted for questioning on sex crime allegations

Ecuador was said tonight to be on the verge of agreeing to Julian Assange’s request for political asylum.

Officials in the South American country were said to be trying to figure out how the WikiLeaks founder could leave the UK without being arrested.

Assange has been taking refuge in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London since June 19 to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he is wanted for questioning on sex crime allegations.



Deal: Ecuador was said last night to be on the verge of agreeing to Julian Assange's request for political asylum

The former computer hacker, who enraged Washington in 2010 when his WikiLeaks website published thousands of secret U.S. diplomatic cables, says he fears he could be sent to the United States, where he believes his life would be at risk.

Ecuador had promised to make a decision this week.

Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino said yesterday that his country was also looking at how the 41-year-old Australian might travel to Ecuador if he is granted asylum.

'Beyond the international treaties, the right to asylum etc, and the autonomy or sovereignty the national government has to take a decision of this nature, we have to look at what will happen next,' he said before an event in the highland city of Ambato.

'It’s not only about whether to grant the asylum, because for Mr Assange to leave England he should have a safe pass from the British (government). Will that be possible? That’s an issue we have to take into account.'

Support: Assange has been taking refuge in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he is wanted for questioning on sex crime allegations. Supporters of his are pictured outside the building

Assange is in breach of his British bail conditions and the British police have said he is liable to arrest if he steps out of the embassy, which is located in London’s ritzy Knightsbridge area, miles away from any airport.

Any decision to grant asylum would be greeted with dismay in Westminster.

It would set the stage for a diplomatic showdown between the two countries over Assange’s fate.

Last night Whitehall officials insisted Assange would be arrested if any attempt was made to remove him from the embassy.

Police cannot enter the embassy because it is protected under international agreements.

A source said: ‘It’s up to them whether or not to grant him asylum, but as far as we are concerned it makes no difference.

‘We still have an arrest warrant for him. We have a legal obligation to arrest him. We will arrest him if he leaves the embassy.’



Granting Assange the asylum he demands would be seen as a breach of the country’s international obligations. Leftist Correa, a self-declared enemy of U.S.'imperialism', said he sympathizes with Assange but also feels respect for the British legal system and for international law.

Assange has not been charged with any offence in Sweden or in the United States.

Swedish prosecutors want to question him about allegations of rape and sexual assault made by two WikiLeaks supporters in 2010.