WikiLeaks' Julian Assange Has Been Arrested In London

Source: Jack Taylor / Getty

Julian Assange Has Been Taken Into Custody In London

Julian Assange was arrested in London on Thursday, April 11.

The WikiLeaks co-founder was taken into custody at the Ecuadorian embassy in London, according to reports from BBC News. Assange had been staying at the embassy for the past seven years, utilizing asylum in an alleged effort to avoid extradition to Sweden in connection with a sexual assault case that has since been dropped.

This comes after the Ecuadorian government withdrew Assange’s asylum, which is when Scotland Yard authorities were “invited into the embassy” by the ambassador. Home Secretary of the U.K. Sajid Javid said in a statement that Assange would be “rightly facing justice” after the arrest. “No one is above the law,” he tweeted. The asylum status, according to comments from Ecuador’s president Lenín Moreno cited by Guardian, was revoked due to “repeated violations” made by Assange.

A press release from London’s Metropolitan Police Service today added that Assange had been “further arrested on behalf of the United States authorities” following his arrival at a central London police station. “This is an extradition warrant under Section 73 of the Extradition Act,” police said, noting that Assange was slated to appear in court later on Thursday.

The original arrest at the embassy was reported as being carried out on a June 2012 warrant for failing to surrender to the court.