Julian Assange denied permission to challenge extradition

The Supreme Court has refused to allow Julian Assange latest appeal against extradition to the United States.

A court spokesman said Mr Assange's application did not raise "an arguable point of law". The decision is a major blow to his hopes to avoid extradition.

The Wikileaks founder, 50, is wanted in the US over the publication thousands of classified files in 2010 and 2011.

The case will now goes back down to the original decision-making judge who assessed the United States' request.

Home Secretary Priti Patel is then expected to make a final decision. And even at that stage, there may still be grounds to mount a fresh challenge.

Mr Assange faces an 18-count indictment from the US government, accusing him of conspiring to hack into US military databases to acquire sensitive secret information relating to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, which was then published on the Wikileaks website.

The Wikileaks documents revealed how the US military had killed hundreds of civilians in unreported incidents during the war in Afghanistan, while leaked Iraq war files showed 66,000 civilians had been killed, and prisoners tortured, by Iraqi forces.

The US says the leaks broke the law and endangered lives, but Mr Assange says the case is politically motivated.

Moar. . . . .

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-60743322