WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange struck a deal Monday with the Biden administration, pleading guilty to a felony charge related to his alleged role in releasing classified U.S. material, according to multiple reports.
The 52-year-old reported agreed to the single criminal count of violating the U.S. espionage law by “conspiring to obtain and disclose classified U.S. national defense documents,” according to filed court documents from the U.S. District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands, Reuters reported. Assange was seen leaving the Belmarsh maximum security prison in the United Kingdom where he has spent nearly 5 years being held up while waiting to be extradited to the U.S. (RELATED: Trump Hints At Holding Fauci Accountable, Says He’ll Consider Pardoning Julian Assange If Reelected)
“Julian Assange is free,” Wikileaks posted to Twitter. “He left Belmarsh maximum security prison on the morning of 24 June, after having spent 1901 days there. He was granted bail by the High Court in London and was released at Stansted airport during the afternoon, where he boarded a plane and departed the UK.”
“This is the result of a global campaign that spanned grass-roots organisers, press freedom campaigners, legislators and leaders from across the political spectrum, all the way to the United Nations,” the post continues. “This created the space for a long period of negotiations with the US Department of Justice, leading to a deal that has not yet been formally finalised. We will provide more information as soon as possible.”
JULIAN ASSANGE IS FREE
Julian Assange is free. He left Belmarsh maximum security prison on the morning of 24 June, after having spent 1901 days there. He was granted bail by the High Court in London and was released at Stansted airport during the afternoon, where he boarded a…
— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) June 24, 2024
Video footage posted online captured the Wikileaks founder boarding a jet in England where he will return to his native country, Australia.
JUST IN: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange boards a jet at London’s Stansted Airport after being freed from prison.
Assange spent 1901 days at the Belmarsh maximum security prison.
Immediately after being released from prison, Assange departed the UK.
“He was granted… pic.twitter.com/MNw0809dbg
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) June 25, 2024
Assange had been pursued by the U.S. government for allegedly obtaining and publishing thousands of confidential military records given to him by former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning, which the U.S. argued had potentially endangered confidential sources within the Middle East, according to CNN. While the FBI and Justice Department opposed any deal with the Wikileaks founder that did not include a felony charge, Biden recently alluded to a deal which was encouraged by the Australian government, the outlet reported.
Last month, as Assange was still waiting in the Belmarsh prison, a UK court ruled that he had the right to appeal against his extradition to the U.S.
In order for the deal to go through the agreement still must be approved by a federal judge, CNN reported.
