Assange likely to be arrested: Police  

London, Jun 20:

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, who dramatically sought sanctuary in the Ecuador embassy here and applied for political asylum, could be arrested since he has breached one of his bail conditions, police said today.

The Metropolitan Police Service said that one of his bail conditions was that he would remain at the bail address between 22.00 hours and 0800 hours. This was breached last night after he sought sanctuary in the Ecuador embassy and sought political asylum.

The police statement said that they are aware of his location in the Ecuador embassy.

Meanwhile, a foreign office statement said: "The Ecuadorean authorities have informed us that Mr Assange had...requested political asylum in their embassy in London. The government of Ecuador is considering the request."

"As Mr Assange is in the Ecuadorean embassy he is in diplomatic territory and beyond the reach of the police. We will seek to work with the Ecuadorean authorities to resolve this situation as soon as possible," it said.

The 40-year-old hacker-turned-activist, Assange has been on conditional bail and is sought to be extradited to Sweden to face allegation of sex offences, which he denies.

British police had arrested Assange on December 7, 2010 on behalf of the Swedish authorities. Assange, an Australian national, was arrested on a European Arrest Warrant by appointment at a London police station.

"He is accused by the Swedish authorities of one count of unlawful coercion, two counts of sexual molestation and one count of rape, all alleged to have been committed in August 2010. Assange appeared at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court on 7 December 2010," the police statement said.

PTI