Julian Assange was spotted boarding a plane to a remote U.S. territory to attend upcoming hearings for his plea deal Tuesday.
Assange reportedly spent $500,000 on the flight to the territory of Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands, an intentional decision to avoid setting foot on the U.S. mainland. Assange accepted a plea deal with the American government on Monday.
Assange spent five years in a British prison as he attempted to prevent his extradition to the U.S. The plea deal included a sentence of five years in prison and it took time served into account, effectively releasing Assange.
Assange will plead guilty to one count of conspiring to obtain and disclose information related to the national defense when he reaches the U.S. federal count in Saipan.
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The guilty plea must be approved by a judge. Assange previously spent seven years of refuge in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London after Swedish authorities sought his arrest on rape allegations.
On Monday, his wife, Stella Assange, celebrated the deal in a social media post.
“Julian is free!!!!” she wrote on X. “Words cannot express our immense gratitude to YOU- yes YOU, who have all mobilised (sic) for years and years to make this come true. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.”
Wikileaks said Assange was granted bail by the High Court in London and was released at London Stansted Airport where he boarded a plane to return to Australia.
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“As he returns to Australia, we thank all who stood by us, fought for us, and remained utterly committed in the fight for his freedom. Julian’s freedom is our freedom,” the group said in a social media post.
The charges against Assange stem from one of the largest publications of classified information in American history. Assange, an Australian citizen and hero to many free press advocates, disclosed tens of thousands of documents related to reports about the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as State Department cables and information about the detention of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay.
This is a developing story. Check back soon for updates.
