Assange to Appear in U.K. Court Monday

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will try his best Monday to convince a London court not to extradite him to Sweden, where he’s wanted on sexual-assault charges. Assange will appear at a two-day court hearing before the high-security Belmarsh Magistrates’ Court. Sweden put out a European warrant for his arrest under a 2004 law that helps speed up extradition between EU member states, and the British court will be deciding whether the U.K. has a case for denying the request. The grounds for refusing extradition requests are limited, but Assange’s lawyers will argue that the warrant was issued as punishment for his political opinions and could be the first step toward a transfer to the United States. In an outline of their case posted on the Internet, the legal team said they fear that if he ends up in American hands, he could be sent to Guantanamo Bay or “be made subject to the death penalty.”