Judge sends Assange extradition decision to UK government

By JILL LAWLESS
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — A British judge has formally approved the extradition of Julian Assange to the United States to face spying charges. The case will now go to Britain’s interior minister for a decision, and the WikiLeaks founder still has legal avenues of appeal. A judge at Westminster Magistrates’ Court issued the order in a brief hearing on Wednesday. Assange’s lawyers have four weeks to make submissions to Home Secretary Priti Patel, who will decide whether to grant the extradition. The U.S. wants to try Assange on 17 charges of espionage and one charge of computer misuse related to WikiLeaks’ publication of classified documents. He argues he is entitled to First Amendment protections of freedom of speech