Oz government unlikely to interfere in Assange's Sweden extradition case

It was recently announced that Assange''s appeal against extradition to Sweden to answer rape and sexual assault charges would now be heard in February by a panel of seven UK Supreme Court justices because of ''the great public importance of the issue''.

His supporters are calling on the Australian government to ask for Assange to be repatriated and serve any sentence in Australia.

''The Prime Minister should immediately rule out his transfer to the US and establish whether or not the US will seek the ''temporary surrender'' of Assange if he finds himself in custody in Sweden," the Greens Senator Scott Ludlam said.

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According to the Sydney Morning Herald, a request by Ludlam for a briefing on the government''s position resulted in a statement earlier this month from the then Attorney-General, Robert McClelland.

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"The decision by a foreign state to make, or grant, an extradition request is a sovereign act done in accordance with that state''s domestic laws and procedures and in light of any relevant treaty obligations that it has assumed," Mr McClelland wrote.

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''On that basis, Australia would not expect to be a party to any extradition discussions that may take place," he added.

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According to the report, if extradited to Sweden, Assange fears he could be moved to the US where WikiLeaks is under investigation for releasing thousands of secret cables.

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