LONDON (AP) WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange missed a court session today, apparently due to health problems. He had been expected to appear from prison via video link at a brief extradition hearing at Westminster Magistrates Court.
Lawyer Gareth Peirce told the court Assange was not very well.
Assange, 47, is in Belmarsh Prison serving a 50-week sentence for jumping bail in Britain while fighting extradition to the United States, which accuses him of violating the Espionage Act by publishing secret documents containing the names of confidential military and diplomatic sources.
Sweden also seeks him for questioning about an alleged rape, which Assange has denied.
It is not clear which claim would take precedence.
The decision would likely be made by Britains home secretary.
Judge Emma Arbuthnot said a more substantive extradition hearing set for June 12 may be moved to a court next to Belmarsh Prison for convenience.
Roughly two dozen supporters chanted Free Assange outside the courthouse. His case has attracted fresh support from free press advocates in the week since the U.S. filed serious espionage charges against him.
He had earlier been held on suspicion of conspiracy to break into classified computer systems, a less serious charge.
