A Swedish prosecutor seeking to extradite Wikileaks founder Julian Assange over sexual misconduct allegations did not follow proper procedure in the case, a defense witness said on the second day of a hearing in London.
The court originally set aside two days for the proceedings, but Judge Howard Riddle said the hearing will resume Friday.
Sven-Erik Alhem, a former chief prosecutor in Sweden, testified Tuesday that prosecutor Marianne Ny "should have made sure Assange was able to give his version of events in detail" before issuing an international arrest warrant. He also said there is no reason why Assange cannot be questioned in the U.K.
But the British lawyer representing Sweden, Clare Montgomery, said Ny had issued an arrest warrant for Assange only after making repeated unsuccessful attempts to arrange an interview with him.
In a court document from Ny read aloud by Montgomery, Ny said, "It must have been crystal clear to Julian Assange ... that we were extremely anxious to interview him."
Assange's Swedish lawyer, Bjorn Hurtig, also told the court that an initial prosecutor had "acted against the laws of confidentiality, telling one of our tabloid newspapers that Julian was suspected of rape." He said prosecutors and police had also leaked details of the case to the media.
Alhem's comments reinforced testimony the day before by retired Swedish Appeals Court Judge Brita Sundberg-Weitman, who accused Ny of having a "rather biased view against men" and a malicious attitude toward Assange. Sundberg-Weitman also said the prosecution's case was slim.
The WikiLeaks founder is fighting extradition to Sweden, where he is wanted for questioning over claims of rape and sexual molestation made by two Swedish women. Assange has denied any wrongdoing, and his lawyers say prosecutors have rebuffed his offer to be questioned from London.
Assange's legal team has taken the unusual step of publishing the entire defense online. They insist that there is no need for an extradition warrant because their client is "ready, willing and able" to cooperate with Swedish authorities, and that he offered to go to Scotland Yard or the Swedish Embassy for interrogation.
Supporters of Assange and WikiLeaks — which has come under fire from the U.S. and other governments for its release of sensitive diplomatic cables — say the allegations against him are politically motivated.
Assange's defense also claims that publicity about the case and the Swedish custom of hearing rape cases behind closed doors means that he might not receive a fair trial if he is sent to Sweden.
Attorney Geoffrey Robertson said Monday that closed-door hearings would be "a flagrant denial of justice.
Montgomery countered that Swedish trials were based on the principle that everyone deserves "a fair and public hearing." She said evidence is heard in private in some cases but that it often is published after the trial and recited in the judgment.
WikiLeaks first touched off an international uproar when it released video of a 2007 incident in which troops firing from a U.S. Army helicopter killed 12 civilians in Baghdad. It later began publishing classified American diplomatic cables containing information that angered and embarrassed the U.S. and its allies.
American officials are trying to build a criminal case against WikiLeaks.
Preliminary defense arguments released by Assange's legal team claim "there is a real risk that, if extradited to Sweden, the U.S. will seek his extradition and/or illegal rendition to the USA, where there will be a real risk of him being detained at Guantanamo Bay or elsewhere."
The document adds that "there is a real risk that he could be made subject to the death penalty" if sent to the United States. Under European law, suspects cannot be extradited to jurisdictions where they may face execution.
Swedish officials deny any American pressure in the case. They said that if Assange were in Swedish custody, he'd have legal protection against extradition to the U.S.
The hearing is due to end Tuesday. But Judge Howard Riddle could take several weeks to consider his ruling, which can be appealed by either side.
Assange was arrested in London in December after Sweden issued a warrant on rape and molestation accusations. He was released on bond on condition that he live — under curfew and electronically tagged — at a supporter's country mansion in eastern England, and Assange has managed to conduct multiple media interviews and sign a reported $1.5 million deal for a memoir.
Larry Miller reported from London for this story, which contains material from The Associated Press
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