WikiLeaks' Assange a prisoner of his own making

A supporter of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange holds up a placard outside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London Aug. 16, 2012.

/ AP Photo

(CBS News) LONDON - He may be living in one of the poshest parts of London, but Julian Assange remains confined inside, a prisoner of his own making.

Senior diplomatic sources told CBS News the WikiLeaks founder has been granted permission to remain indefinitely at the Ecuadorean Embassy in London "until a diplomatic solution can be reached."

They hesitated to use the word "welcome."

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Assange has been holed up in the embassy since seeking refuge June 30.

On Thursday, the Latin American country granted Assange "diplomatic asylum," but the British government has repeated the threat that if Assange steps one foot off embassy grounds he will be arrested and extradited to Sweden.

"Diplomatic" rather than "political" asylum seems a small change, but it's an important one.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague has insisted that Britain does not recognize the status of diplomatic asylum, nor is it an internationally accepted means of granting refuge.

Embassy officials say no plan has been drawn up to assist Assange in getting past police officers to a plane out of Britain.

The diplomatic sources told CBS News the main sticking point to negotiations is third-country extradition.

Swedish police want to question Assange in Sweden over sexual assault allegations.

Ecuadorean officials said there have been no assurances by the Swedes that Assange won't then be bundled off and handed to the U.S., where his secret-spilling WikiLeaks has caused outrage in Washington.

Embassy officials said they have repeatedly offered Swedish investigators opportunities to question Assange at the embassy, but those offers have been turned down.

Relations between Ecuador and Britain hit a new low this week after the British Foreign Office sent a note reminding Ecuador of a little-known 1987 law that gives the U.K. the right to revoke embassy status, thus enabling officers to enter the embassy to arrest Assange.

The diplomatic sources said after the note was delivered to officials in the Ecuadorean capital Quito, "60 British police officers swarmed and surrounded the embassy." Every door and window was guarded. One source said it felt like the building was under siege.

Hague has since tried to downplay that threat, saying no plans were under way to storm the embassy and arrest Assange by force.

The police presence around the embassy, while still round-the-clock, has decreased considerably since.

[mentsoyans]

I don't really feel sorry for Assange is a primadona. But look at what his organization WikiLeaks has accomplished. They've embarrassed a lot of governments, while exposing corruption in other governments.

In Azerbaijan, the First Lady (Mehriban Aliyeva) comes from a rich, powerful family that controls almost all big business in Azerbaijan. WikiLeaks exposed Mehriban Aliyeva: she is stealing money through a kickback system. Mehriban Aliyeva's Wikipedia page says it all. She and this politician, Finance Minister Samir Sharifov, work together. Sharifov runs the government's finances, and Aliyeva's family has powerful hold on Azerbaijan big business. Sharifov and Aliyeva take money from programs for children and the poor. Mehriban Aliyeva is also an appointed-member of Parliament, but she never attends and she does not know anything about the issues. What a joke!

[expatriate2]

A prisoner of his own making???? He can walk the streets, go fishing, have a Club Premium at the local bar and thumb his nose at the rest of the world that doesn't appreciate the truth.

[KansasCity-2012]

A trial in the USA to prosecute Julian Assange will be difficult at best. A unanimous finding of guilt is not likely. A hung jury is a more predictable outcome.

[abbe91]

"Relations between Ecuador and Britain hit a new low this week after the British Foreign Office sent a note reminding Ecuador of a little-known 1987 law that gives the U.K. the right to revoke embassy status, thus enabling officers to enter the embassy to arrest Assange."

Sounds a bit like what happened to the US embassy in Iran in 1979 ...
I guess its embassy status was "revoked".

[Haggi57]

It seems to me that Ecuador should stay out of it completely.

This is between Assange and Sweden and especially Assange and the USA!
This filthy criminal needs to be brought to justice!

[Vahidavid]

The most likely scumbags are US government officials, military and corporate America spying on its citizens for profitable gain. Moreover, showing little or no regard for those they service. Assange merely hope to bring this to light... Your remarks hinge on the very things which have caused governments and big business to encroach on our right to protection from intrusion. In the US, any and all information about Assange gain through such covert spy tactics which violate our constitutional protected rights is nil and void and does not exist.

[Irishtraveller]

You can always tell "life's have nothing losers". It's a shame you amounted to nothing, I"m sure your parents are proud.

[velvet2112]

somebody has to tell us what these world liars politicians hide and do with our taxpayer money.

60 British police officer for one non violent made, I am sure they have better things to do in London than guarding one man. You report a crime in London and the police ignores it, no wonder...They should call Ghostbusters...cheaper to run than these bobbies

[matt6052]

I offered WikiLeaks an entire trove of purloined documents that prove the massive, government-sponsored, UFO cover-up conspiracy. They refused. WikiLeaks is a government front to tease out and shut down any attempt to tell the truth about the UFOs and the United States government. Do not trust WikiLeaks! Only YouTube posts the truth.

[Haggi57]

The only diplomatic solution for this criminal scumbag is a nice trip to America!