The Spanish security company Undercover Global (UC Global), which guarded the Ecuadorian embassy in London from 2015 to 2018, illegally recorded conversations between Assange and his lawyers, the newspaper reported. Spanish National High Court Judge Santiago Pedraz believes that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of the United States was a possible customer of the wiretapping.
In the document published by El Pais, Pedraz explains to the UK authorities the need to take testimony from Assange's British lawyers and doctors, who were under surveillance. In addition, over two years ago, the judge sent a European investigative order to the UK government, asking for more information on the case, but has not received any response, the media outlet reported.
This is a court artist sketch by Elizabeth Cook of Julian Assange appearing at the Old Bailey in London for the ruling in his extradition case, in London, Monday, Jan. 4, 2021. A British judge has rejected the United States’ request to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to face espionage charges, saying it would be “oppressive” because of his mental health. District Judge Vanessa Baraitser said Assange was likely to kill himself if sent to the U.S. The U.S. government said it would appeal the decision. (Elizabeth Cook/PA via AP)
© Elizabeth Cook
According to the newspaper, Assange's lawyer, who were tapped at the Ecuadorian embassy and whom Pedraz wants to question, are now defending the WikiLeaks founder in an extradition case. If is is proven that CIA learned about Assange's defense strategy by illegally wiretapping his lawyers, his extradition to the US might be abolished.
In April, the UK Westminster Magistrate's Court formally approved the extradition of Assange to the US, where he is facing a possible sentence of up to 175 years in prison. In May, Assange's defense filed a representation to UK Home Secretary Priti Patel to block his extradition.
WikiLeaks was founded by Assange on 4 October 2006, but rose to prominence in 2010 when it began to publish large-scale leaks of classified government information, especially from the US. Assange is wanted by the US on espionage charges after WikiLeaks published thousands of classified documents that shed light on war crimes committed by American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.