Reuter site - WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange arrested in Britain

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WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange arrested in Britain

Tue, Dec 07 05:46 AM EST

LONDON (Reuters) - WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been arrested by British police on a European warrant issued by Sweden over allegations of sex crimes including rape, London's Metropolitan Police said Tuesday.

Swedish prosecutors issued the arrest order for the 39-year-old Australian who is wanted in Sweden on suspicion of committing sexual crimes, which he denies.

Police said Assange, at the center of a row over the release of secret U.S. diplomatic cables, had been arrested at about 9.30 a.m. (0930 GMT) Tuesday by appointment at a London police station under a European Arrest Warrant.

"He is accused by the Swedish authorities of one count of unlawful coercion, two counts of sexual molestation and one count of rape, all alleged to have been committed in August 2010," London police said in a statement.

He is due to appear before City of Westminster Magistrates Court in London later Tuesday.

(Reporting by Michael Holden; editing by Keith Weir)