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In this May 19, 2017 file photo, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange gestures to supporters outside the Ecuadorean embassy in London. Photo: AP Photo

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange may have been victim of ‘espionage’ and extortion while in Ecuadorean embassy, lawyers claim

  • Source in 47-year-old’s defence team says complaint is against ‘a group of Spaniards who allegedly engaged in extortion’
WikiLeaks

Julian Assange’s lawyers have filed a court complaint in Spain against a group of Spaniards they allege extorted the WikiLeaks founder whom they say may have been the victim of “espionage”, a source in his defence team said Saturday.

Assange, who for seven years lived holed up in London’s Ecuadorean embassy where he had taken refuge to avoid extradition to Sweden on rape accusations, was arrested on April 11 after Ecuador terminated his asylum.

The 47-year-old founder of WikiLeaks, which exposed everything from US military secrets to the wealthy’s tax evasion, is now awaiting sentencing for breaching his British bail conditions in 2012.

The source, who wished to remain anonymous, said the complaint was against “a group of Spaniards who allegedly engaged in extortion”.

The source said the complaint was also against various employees of the embassy and Ecuador’s foreign ministry “who could be responsible”, without detailing how.

Protesters hold the flag of Ecuador and a sign supporting WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange outside the Organisation of American States. Photo: AP Photo

The source added a probe was ongoing into the alleged extortion, as well as “espionage” that could have taken place against Assange, without giving further details.

According to online daily eldiario.es, four Spaniards have videos and personal documents of Assange which they somehow obtained via an alleged spying system that included security cameras set up in the embassy in London.

The Spaniards allegedly tried to extort 3 million (US$3.3 million) out of WikiLeaks not to publish any of it, the report says.

Assange tried to set up ‘centre for spying’ in London embassy, says Ecuador President

If confirmed, it is unclear how the Spaniards got access to the alleged spying system and were able to get the information about Assange.

It is also unclear whether his lawyers accuse the embassy and ministry employees targeted in the complaint, reportedly made to Spain’s top-level National Court, of being behind the alleged espionage.

Watch: Assange said he would leave the London embassy ‘soon’ – in 2014

The National Court could not comment when contacted by Agence France-Presse.

The accusations of espionage contrast with Ecuadorean President Lenin Moreno’s version of events.

Assange hosted hackers at Ecuador embassy, says President Moreno

In an interview with The Gu ardian newspaper, he claimed Assange had himself tried to set up a “centre for spying” in Ecuador’s embassy.

Now in prison in Britain, Assange is also fighting a US extradition warrant relating to the release by WikiLeaks of a huge cache of official documents.

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