Reports: WikiLeaks' Assange backpedals on extradition promise
Self-exiled WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is backpedaling on an offer to accept extradition to the United States, a lawyer representing him has told reporters.
Last week, Assange said through WikiLeaks that if President Obama granted clemency to Manning, a soldier convicted of sharing secrets with WikiLeaks, he would leave his exile home at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London and return to the United States.
But a lawyer for Assange says Assange wanted Manning released immediately. President Obama directed that Manning be released in May.
"Mr. Assange had called for Chelsea Manning to receive clemency and be released immediately," lawyer Barry Pollack told The Hill via an e-mail. "Mr. Assange welcomes the announcement that Ms. Manning's sentence will be reduced and she will be released in May, but this is well short of what he sought.
Pollack did not respond to an e-mail sent to him Wednesday evening. Another Assange lawyer, Melinda Taylor out of The Hague, Netherlands, did not respond to a query via Twitter.
Assange has not been charged with a crime but could be charged for leaking U.S. government secrets. He also is wanted by Swedish authorities for sexual assault.
The computer programmer and journalist is a native of Australia.
