Swedish court rejects Assange plea against arrest for rape

STOCKHOLM - The Swedish Supreme Court Thursday rejected an appeal by WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange against an arrest warrant issued against him on allegations of rape.

The founder of the whistleblowing website is being sought by Swedish authorities on suspicion of rape, sexual molestation and unlawful coercion.

International police agency Interpol has listed Assange on its “red” list, or highest-priority fugitives to be held for deportation to the country where they are wanted.

The Supreme Court said in its ruling it did not find any exceptional reasons that would justify a review of the detention order that had been upheld by two lower courts.

Assange’s lawyer, Bjorn Hurtig, had urged the court to investigate why Assange was being pursued over the allegations made by two women in August, when Assange was in Sweden for the publication of thousands of leaked Pentagon papers about the war in Afghanistan.

Assange has denied the allegations.

The 39-year-old Australian’s whereabouts are unknown.

WikiLeaks is currently the centre of international attention after it began publishing some 250,000 confidential US diplomatic cables this week.