US Secretary of State tells Australia that WikiLeaks founder is accused of ‘very serious’ crime

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) – U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday pushed again towards Australian calls for for an finish to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s prosecution, saying the Australian citizen was accused of “very serious criminal conduct” in publishing a trove of labeled paperwork greater than a decade in the past.

Australia’s center-left Labor Party authorities has been arguing since profitable the elections final 12 months that the United States ought to finish its pursuit of the 52-year-old, who has spent 4 years in a British jail preventing extradition to the United States.

Assange’s freedom is broadly seen as a check of Australia’s leverage with President Joe Biden’s administration.

Blinken confirmed on Saturday that Assange had been mentioned in annual talks with Foreign Minister Penny Wong in Brisbane, Australia.

“I understand the concerns and views of Australians. I think it’s very important that our friends here understand our concerns about this matter,” Blinken informed reporters.

“Mr. Assange was charged with very serious criminal conduct in the United States in connection with his alleged role in one of the largest compromises of classified information in the history of our country,” he added.

Wong mentioned Assange’s prosecution had “dragged for too long” and that Australia wished the costs “brought to a conclusion.”

Australia stays ambiguous about whether or not the United States ought to drop the prosecution or strike a plea cut price.

Assange faces 17 expenses of espionage and one cost of pc misuse over WikiLeaks’ publication of of a whole lot of 1000’s of labeled diplomatic and navy paperwork in 2010.

American prosecutors allege he helped U.S. Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning steal labeled diplomatic cables and navy recordsdata that WikiLeaks later revealed, placing lives in danger.