21 Nov 2010

International arrest warrant issued for Assange

6:34 am on 21 November 2010

Authorities in Sweden have issued an international arrest warrant for the founder of the whistle-blower website Wikileaks.

They want to talk to Julian Assange about allegations of rape and molestation, but he says the allegations are part of a smear campaign, the BBC reports.

Swedish police say their counterparts everywhere in the world now know that Mr Assange should be arrested and transferred to Sweden.

He is wanted for questioning after two women accused him of sexual assaults during a visit to the country in August this year.

It is not known where Mr Assange is, though a few days ago he was reported to be in London.

Mr Assange's lawyers say he is willing to co-operate, while supporters say he is being persecuted after his website angered the United States military by releasing hundreds of thousands of classified files on Iraq and Afghanistan.