WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange's US extradition hearing paused until May

A British judge on Thursday paused Julian Assange's extradition hearing following four days of intense legal wrangling over Washington's request for WikiLeaks founder to stand trial re on espion charges. Judge Vanessa Baraitser, who will ultimately rule on controversial case, ordered legal teams for 48-year-old Australian and US government to reconvene for briefcase manment hearings in March and April.

full extradition hearing is n set to resume for three weeks in mid-May, when witnesses will be called and cross-examined, with an eventual ruling expected by August at latest. judge refused a request Thursday by Assange's lawyers to let him sit with his defence team, and t in secure glass-walled dock area of courtroom when hearing resumes.

one-time hacker has repeatedly stood up and interrupted this week's proceedings to complain about being unable to hear arguments or confer confidentially with his lawyers. "I'm t able to guide m," Assange said on Thursday, in his latest courtroom outburst -- which Baraitser has repeatedly advised him against making.

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Arguing current set-up could impinge on Assange's right to a fair hearing, defence lawyer Mark Summers invited judge to "permit him confidential, discreet access to his lawyers" by letting him sit alongside m. "Someone can be in custody in this room without being in that glass cabin," he said. But Baraitser refused application, arguing various "sensible, proportionate measures" -- such as Assange passing tes to his team and requesting regular breaks -- would ensure he could participate.

"It's quite apparent to me... that you've had difficulty at all attracting attention of your legal team," she said. Assange faces charges under US Espion Act for 2010 release of a trove of secret files detailing aspects of US military campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as a single computer hacking charge. His extradition hearing inside Woolwich Crown Court, next to high-security Belmarsh prison where Assange is being held, began on Monday.

Making US government case, lawyer James Lewis accused WikiLeaks founder of risking lives of intelligence sources by publishing classified US government documents. He also detailed US claims that Assange helped US intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to steal documents before recklessly releasing m.

In response, lawyers for Assange argued charges were "political", and that his extradition would violate international law and numerous treaties. y also accused United States of "boldly and blatantly" misstating facts about his conduct, calling some of ir claims "lies, lies and more lies". A ruling against Assange could see him jailed for 175 years if convicted on all 17 US Espion Act charges and hacking count.

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Julian Assange Case

48-year-old whistleblower currently imprisoned in Belmarsh is slapped with 18 charges in United States including Espion Act, for conspiring to gain access into US military secrets between January and May 2010. If convicted, he will face up to 175 years in US prison. 

Wikileaks, an anti-secrecy organisation, was founded in 2006 as a platform for whistleblowers to release classified information anymously. By 2015, Wikileaks became a portal to publish over 10 million documents, including top-secret documents.  Ever since its launch in 2006, Wikileaks has published thousands of classified documents, disclosing details from national security, war, politics to film industry. In 2010, as per published files of WikiLeaks, Congress' Rahul Gandhi told n US Ambassador at lunch that Hindu extremists groups post a greater threat to his country than Muslim terrorists. 

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(with PTI inputs)