London: The UK's Home Secretary Sajid Javid has certified a formal request for Julian Assange's extradition to the US on espionage and hacking charges.

The request will now be reviewed by British courts, in a process expected to take months if not years.

Mr Javid told BBC radio that “there is an extradition request from the US that is before the courts tomorrow but yesterday I signed the extradition order and certified it and that will be going in front of the courts tomorrow”.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. Credit:AP

“It is a decision ultimately for the courts, but there is a very important part of it for the home secretary and I want to see justice done at all times and we’ve got a legitimate extradition request, so I’ve signed it, but the final decision is now with the courts,” he said.