Julian Assange Arrested on Sex Charges; WikiLeaks Founder Denied Bail
LONDON (CBS/AP) WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was denied bail by a judge after surrendering to British authorities over a Swedish arrest warrant Thursday.
Assange vowed in court to fight extradition to Sweden, where authorities are hoping to question him over a sexual molestation case.
Assange was arrested at 9:30 a.m local time Tuesday and appeared before Westminster Magistrate's Court. He surrendered Tuesday under an agreement reached between his own lawyers and the police.
Judge Howard Riddle told Assange that he had "substantial grounds" to believe the 39-year-old Australian wouldn't turn up for subsequent proceedings. He then put Assange into U.K. custody ahead of an extradition hearing.
District Judge Howard Riddle refused the WikiLeaks founder bail because Swedish authorities had presented "serious allegations against someone who has comparatively weak community ties in this country and the means and ability to abscond," reports the British daily, the Guardian.
He rejected the prosecution claim that bail should be rejected on the grounds of Assange's safety.
The founder of the secret-spilling website was asked whether he understood that he could consent to be extradited to Sweden, where he faces allegations of rape, molestation and unlawful coercion.
Clearing his throat, Assange said: "I understand that and I do not consent."
Assange denies the allegations, which stem from a visit to Sweden in August. Assange and his lawyers claim the accusations stem from a "dispute over consensual but unprotected sex," and have said the case has taken on political overtones.
Swedish prosecutor Marianne Ny has rejected those claims.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for WikiLeaks called Assange's arrest an attack on media freedom and said it won't prevent the organization from releasing more secret documents.
"This will not change our operation," Kristinn Hrafnsson told The Associated Press.