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| Swedes Offer to Question Julian Assange in London | Swedes Offer to Question Julian Assange in London |
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| LONDON — In a move that could unlock years of stalemate, Swedish prosecutors on Friday offered to travel to Britain to question the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange over allegations of sexual assaults in 2010. | LONDON — In a move that could unlock years of stalemate, Swedish prosecutors on Friday offered to travel to Britain to question the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange over allegations of sexual assaults in 2010. |
| The Swedish officials had previously refused to conduct interviews in London, where Mr. Assange has taken refuge in the Ecuadorean Embassy since June 2012. | The Swedish officials had previously refused to conduct interviews in London, where Mr. Assange has taken refuge in the Ecuadorean Embassy since June 2012. |
| But with some of the crimes under investigation set to reach their statute of limitations in August, the officials said that they had changed their minds, and that they had also asked for permission to take a swab of DNA from Mr. Assange. | But with some of the crimes under investigation set to reach their statute of limitations in August, the officials said that they had changed their minds, and that they had also asked for permission to take a swab of DNA from Mr. Assange. |
| “My view has always been that to perform an interview with him at the Ecuadorean Embassy in London would lower the quality of the interview, and that he would need to be present in Sweden in any case should there be a trial in the future,” Marianne Ny, the director of public prosecutions in Sweden, said on Friday in a statement. | “My view has always been that to perform an interview with him at the Ecuadorean Embassy in London would lower the quality of the interview, and that he would need to be present in Sweden in any case should there be a trial in the future,” Marianne Ny, the director of public prosecutions in Sweden, said on Friday in a statement. |
| “Now that time is of the essence, I have viewed it therefore necessary to accept such deficiencies in the investigation and likewise take the risk that the interview does not move the case forward,” she added. | “Now that time is of the essence, I have viewed it therefore necessary to accept such deficiencies in the investigation and likewise take the risk that the interview does not move the case forward,” she added. |
| One of Mr. Assange’s defense lawyers, Per Samuelson, welcomed the initiative and suggested that it would most likely be accepted. He said he had spoken to Mr. Assange early on Friday. | One of Mr. Assange’s defense lawyers, Per Samuelson, welcomed the initiative and suggested that it would most likely be accepted. He said he had spoken to Mr. Assange early on Friday. |
| “This is what we have been asking for, for years, so finally the prosecutor is speaking the same language,” Mr. Samuelson said. “We are a little irritated that it has taken her so long to do.” | “This is what we have been asking for, for years, so finally the prosecutor is speaking the same language,” Mr. Samuelson said. “We are a little irritated that it has taken her so long to do.” |
| “We received the formal request from the Swedish prosecutor by email,” he added. “In that email, there are some preconditions, one of which is that both the Ecuadorean and the United Kingdom authorities approve the request. For us, she could come tomorrow, but since she demands that the two countries approve, that could take some time.” | “We received the formal request from the Swedish prosecutor by email,” he added. “In that email, there are some preconditions, one of which is that both the Ecuadorean and the United Kingdom authorities approve the request. For us, she could come tomorrow, but since she demands that the two countries approve, that could take some time.” |
| Mr. Samuelson added, however, that he thought that both Britain and Ecuador wanted to resolve the situation and would not obstruct an interview taking place in London. | Mr. Samuelson added, however, that he thought that both Britain and Ecuador wanted to resolve the situation and would not obstruct an interview taking place in London. |
| He also said that the Swedish prosecutor already had access to a sample of Mr. Assange’s DNA. “We don’t know why she is asking for it once more,” he said, adding that he had not discussed that aspect of the request with Mr. Assange. | He also said that the Swedish prosecutor already had access to a sample of Mr. Assange’s DNA. “We don’t know why she is asking for it once more,” he said, adding that he had not discussed that aspect of the request with Mr. Assange. |
| Mr. Samuelson said that Mr. Assange welcomed the change of position from the Swedish prosecutor. | Mr. Samuelson said that Mr. Assange welcomed the change of position from the Swedish prosecutor. |
| “I am convinced that once the prosecutor hears him, she will understand that he is innocent and will drop the investigation,” he said. | “I am convinced that once the prosecutor hears him, she will understand that he is innocent and will drop the investigation,” he said. |
| In the statement, Ms. Ny said that if Mr. Assange agreed to the interview in London, it would be carried out by the supporting prosecutor to the case, Chief Prosecutor Ingrid Isgren, along with a police officer. | In the statement, Ms. Ny said that if Mr. Assange agreed to the interview in London, it would be carried out by the supporting prosecutor to the case, Chief Prosecutor Ingrid Isgren, along with a police officer. |
| Karin Rosander, the director of communications for the Swedish prosecutor, said that it was unclear how soon any interview could take place. After getting the agreement of Mr. Assange, the Swedish authorities would still need to make a formal request to Britain before going ahead, she said. | Karin Rosander, the director of communications for the Swedish prosecutor, said that it was unclear how soon any interview could take place. After getting the agreement of Mr. Assange, the Swedish authorities would still need to make a formal request to Britain before going ahead, she said. |
| Mr. Assange is wanted for questioning over allegations of sexual misconduct and rape involving two women he met during a visit to Sweden in 2010. | Mr. Assange is wanted for questioning over allegations of sexual misconduct and rape involving two women he met during a visit to Sweden in 2010. |
| No charges have been brought formally, but that step is usually taken later in a criminal investigation in Sweden than in many other countries. In 2012, Mr. Assange lost an appeal in Britain against extradition to Sweden, prompting his request for refuge in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London, where, under diplomatic protocol, Britain does not have jurisdiction. | No charges have been brought formally, but that step is usually taken later in a criminal investigation in Sweden than in many other countries. In 2012, Mr. Assange lost an appeal in Britain against extradition to Sweden, prompting his request for refuge in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London, where, under diplomatic protocol, Britain does not have jurisdiction. |
| Mr. Assange denies the allegations, but he has refused to go to Sweden to face them because he says he could then, ultimately, be extradited to the United States. There, he might face trial over the publication on WikiLeaks of huge quantities of delicate information that caused acute embarrassment for the United States and for other governments and revealed confidential details about diplomatic relations. | |
| A solution to the impasse would probably be welcomed by Britain, where a police chief said this year that the cost of guarding the embassy to ensure that Mr. Assange did not leave was draining resources. | A solution to the impasse would probably be welcomed by Britain, where a police chief said this year that the cost of guarding the embassy to ensure that Mr. Assange did not leave was draining resources. |
| The Metropolitan Police in London have provided a 24-hour guard at a cost of about $15 million since the operation began, and Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe told LBC Radio this week that officials were considering “how we can do that differently in the future, because it’s sucking our resources in.” | The Metropolitan Police in London have provided a 24-hour guard at a cost of about $15 million since the operation began, and Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe told LBC Radio this week that officials were considering “how we can do that differently in the future, because it’s sucking our resources in.” |