US officially seeks Assange extradition

The United States has officially submitted a request to Great Britain for the extradition of Wikipedia founder Julian Assange, an American official said under anonymous conditions.

Assange faces 18 counts of publishing confidential information and plotting with former US intelligence correspondent Chelsea Mening to break the defence ministry's password, the AP reports.

The Brussels-based police officer, however, quoted US officials last week, under which the US Justice Department has decided not to file a lawsuit against Assangget because of his role in uncovering some CIA intelligence tools for spying, Kosovas Pres broadcast.

The Act issued by the Ministry of Justice last month is now in a federal court in Alexandria, Virginia.

Some legal experts say the additional charges of spying actions could slow down or worsen the extradition process to the extent Great Britain views as political acts that are relieved of extradition.

The request for the extradition of Assange is expected since American authorities launched criminal proceedings against him.

Assange, 47, was expelled from the Ecuador Embassy in London on April 11th after the country denied asylum it had served for seven years.

He is now in the Belmarsh prison in London, where he is serving a 50-week prison sentence for violating parole conditions.

Assange is also wanted by Sweden on rape charges, which he denied