Gillard 'prejudicing Assange's right to trial'

This article was published in ABC News 7 December 2010

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has been accused of possibly prejudicing any future case against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange by claiming he is "guilty of illegality" for leaking US diplomatic cables.

Mr Assange is expected to meet with British police sometime in the next 24 hours after Swedish authorities issued a fresh warrant for his arrest over alleged sexual offences.

Mr Assange and his lawyers say they will fight any extradition from the UK because they fear he will be handed over to authorities in the US, where he has been dubbed a "high-tech terrorist" and an "enemy combatant".

This morning Ms Gillard said: "Let's not try and put any glosses on this. It would not happen, information would not be on WikiLeaks if there had not been an illegal act undertaken."

"The Australian Federal Police is going to provide the Government with some advice about potential criminal conduct of the individual involved," she added.