Police ends 3 years 24-hour watch of Wikileaks founder, Julian Assange

Julian Assange pictured at the Ecuadorian Embassy

Police officers have stopped guarding Wikileaks founder Julian Assange at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London for the first time in more than three years. Scotland Yard said today they have removed the permanent guard of officers who have been stationed outside ready to arrest Assange since he took refuge there in 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden over sex allegations. Scotland Yard said that while they are removing the 24/7 guard outside the embassy they will still do their best to arrest the WikiLeaks founder.
The outspoken former computer hacker still faces immediate arrest should he emerge from the embassy, with police assuring 'every effort' would be made to detain him. He would likely become the subject of a major manhunt, and would later be extradited. UK officials have repeatedly attacked the cost of surveillance on Assange, with the bill standing at £11.9m at the end of June this year. 
Swedish prosecutors dropped sexual assault claims against Assange in August when a time limit expired, but he is still wanted on a rape accusation made after his visit to the country five years ago. Assange denies the allegations.
Earlier this year Baroness Jenny Jones, deputy chair of the Police and Crime Committee at the London Assembly, told MailOnline: 'The policing bill for keeping one man holed up in an embassy has reached yet more ridiculous proportions.
'The Government has yet to explain why taxpayers have to pay for this. It's time to end the stalemate and stand down the officers.'
In June London Assembly member Caroline Pidgeon called on Assange to 'walk out' and 'let justice prevail.'
The Lib Dem politician added: 'He has devalued all his past work in highlighting abuses of power around the world by his extreme arrogance in evading an arrest warrant and the fair judicial process of Sweden.
'Eleven million pounds of public money has now been squandered and policing in London has been put under further pressure simply due to his actions.
'It is time he stopped putting his ego above that of ordinary Londoners who are picking up this huge policing bill.'

The Ecudorian Embassy that has housed Assange for the past 3 years

The round-the-clock police presence has become increasingly controversial as the cost to British taxpayers spiraled with no sign of an end to the legal stand-off between Swedish prosecutors and Assange.
He claims that were he to go to Sweden he would risk being handed over the US authorities for prosecution over WikiLeaks disclosures.
Assange was first arrested on a European Arrest Warrant in December 2010 and ordered to face extradition to answer sex charges, which he denies.
In a statement released this afternoon, a Scotland Yard spokesman said: 'While the MPS remains committed to executing the arrest warrant and presenting Julian Assange before the court, it is only right that the policing operation to achieve this is continually reviewed against the diplomatic and legal efforts to resolve the situation.
'As a result of this continual review the MPS has today Monday, 12 October, withdrawn the physical presence of officers from outside the embassy.
'The operation to arrest Julian Assange does however continue and should he leave the Embassy the MPS will make every effort to arrest him.
'However, it is no longer proportionate to commit officers to a permanent presence.
'The MPS will not discuss what form its continuing operation will take or the resourcing implications surrounding it.'
He added: 'This decision has not been taken lightly and the MPS has discussed it with the Home Office and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
'A significant amount of time has passed since Julian Assange entered the embassy and despite the efforts of many people there is no imminent prospect of a diplomatic or legal resolution to this issue.
'The MPS has to balance the interests of justice in this case with the ongoing risks to the safety of Londoners and all those we protect, investigating crime and arresting offenders wanted for serious offences, in deciding what a proportionate response is.'
In a recent interview, Assange claimed he had not had any fresh air or sunlight for three years.
He said: 'There are security issues with being on the balcony. There have been bomb threats and assassination threats from various people.'

Julian Assange, founder of Wikileaks

The Australian was granted political asylum by Ecuador under the 1951 Refugee Convention in 2012.
Swedish officials recently said they were optimistic about reaching an agreement with Ecuador which could pave the way for the questioning of Assange in London on outstanding accusations against him.
Justice ministry spokeswoman Cecilia Riddselius said talks between Swedish officials and their counterparts in Ecuador had been 'very good, very constructive' and could lead to a general agreement on legal cooperation 'in time for Christmas'.
Assange has said he would welcome being questioned at the embassy.

Source: DailyMail