WIKILEAKS

Assange Makes Defiant Speech

First appearance in two months.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange made his first public appearance in two months Sunday after securing diplomatic asylum in Ecuador. Assange took refuge in the Ecuadoran Embassy in London in a bid to escape extradition to Sweden to face allegations of sexual misconduct. Speaking from the balcony of the embassy, Assange called on the U.S. to end its “witch hunt” against WikiLeaks, thanked supporters, and credited them with stopping the British police from seizing him. “To my family and my children who have been denied their father, forgive me; we will be reunited soon,” Assange said. Ecuador granted Assange diplomatic asylum Thursday.