Swedish prosecutors confirm upcoming Assange interview

By Michael Daventry

LONDON (AA) – Wikileaks founder Julian Assange will be interviewed in the presence of Swedish prosecutors in London next week, four years after he first took refuge in the city’s Ecuadorian embassy.

Sweden confirmed on Monday that Ecuador granted a request for its officials to attend an interview with Assange at the building on Nov. 14.

The interview will be conducted by an Ecuadorian prosecutor and a DNA sample will be taken if Assange provides his consent, the Swedish Prosecution Authority said.

“I welcome the fact that the investigation can now move forward via an interview with the suspect,” said Marianne Ny, the prosecutor in charge of the case.

Assange, 45, is wanted by Sweden on sexual offense charges.

He took refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in June 2012, after U.K. authorities granted a Swedish request to extradite him.

The move provoked a stalemate, with diplomatic rules preventing British police from entering the building and Assange unable to leave without facing arrest.

“The results of the interview will later be reported from Ecuador to the Swedish prosecutors in a written statement. After this report, the prosecutors will take a view on the continuation of the investigation,” the Swedish Prosecution Authority added.