[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

4:15 CST. (thanks!)

[Oratam]

U.S. Wins Appeal in Julian Assange Case, Bringing His Extradition Closer

WikiLeaks founder plans to challenge the latest ruling in the U.K. Supreme Court

LONDON—The U.S. government won an appeal against a U.K. court’s decision to bar the extradition of Julian Assange, clearing an important hurdle in Washington’s battle to put the WikiLeaks founder on trial on spying charges.

The decision by the U.K. High Court to overturn a lower court’s refusal to extradite Mr. Assange isn’t necessarily the end of the case—Mr. Assange can still appeal to the U.K. Supreme Court, lawyers say.

Mr. Assange’s fiancée, Stella Moris, said in a statement following the verdict that Mr. Assange and his team “will appeal this decision at the earliest possible moment.”

In their ruling, Lord Chief Justice Ian Burnett and Lord Justice Tim Holroyde said assurances given by the U.S. that Mr. Assange wouldn’t be held under the strictest maximum-security conditions if extradited were sufficient to clear the path to extradition.