Wikileaks Julian Assange no longer being guarded by police …

By Keiligh Baker for MailOnline

Published: 08:37 EST, 12 October 2015 | Updated: 03:13 EST, 13 October 2015

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Police officers have stopped standing guard outside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, where Wikileaks founder Julian Assange is holed up, for the first time in more than three years.

Scotland Yard said yesterday that they have removed the permanent guard of officers who have been stationed outside ready to arrest Assange since 2012 - at a total cost of 12.6million

The controversial activist has been living in the embassy to avoid being extradited to Sweden over rape allegations.

Assange appeared to celebrate the announcement by ordering himself a celebratory pizza, as a 12.99 Domino's order marked for 'J Assange' was delivered to the embassy yesterday afternoon.

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Police said they have removed the permanent guard of officers who have been stationed outside the embassy ever since Julian Assange (pictured at the embassy) took refuge there in 2012 in a bid to avoid extradition

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 in order that he can be extradited.

The police's decision to end their round-the-clock surveillance comes after repeated attacks on the cost of the operation, which has totalled 12.6million so far.

Officers insist that they will not relent in their efforts to arrest Assange, who was accused of rape by a Swedish woman after visiting the country five years ago.

He denies the allegation, but says he cannot travel to Sweden to stand trial lest he be extradited to the US, where he fears prosecution over Wikileaks' publication of secret military and diplomatic records.

Three charges of sexual assault were dropped by Swedish prosecutors in August due to the statue of limitations.

Following the announcement by the police Assange appears to have ordered himself a pizza to celebrate

Assange has spent the past three years seeking political asylum. He is wanted for arrest for crimes of espionage, leaking documents and alleged sex crimes (pictured: Police leave the Ecuadorian embassy)

Assange has been granted asylum by Ecuador on political grounds, but is reported to have annoyed embassy staff and become frustrated at being confined to just a few rooms, with a small balcony giving him his only chance to get fresh air.

The country's Left-wing government is believed to have considered a series of plans to smuggle Assange out of the UK - including appointing him an Ecuadorian diplomat or disguising him in fancy dress.

London politicians welcomed the decision to withdraw the permanent police guard, arguing that Scotland Yard could have saved millions by adopting different techniques from the start.

Green Party leader Jenny Jones said: 'Why have we wasted so much valuable police time and taxpayer money keeping one man trapped in an embassy, when using covert surveillance was always an option?'

Labour's Murad Qureshi added: 'With neighbourhood policing being decimated by cuts, we need to see this money spent on protecting Londoners not police officers providing window dressing for the Ecuadorian Embassy.'

The Domino's delivery was marked for a J Assange as it was delivered to the Ecuadorian embassy

Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat candidate for Mayor, criticised Assange for wasting the money of British taxpayers by refusing to face trial.

'Over 12million of the Met's resources have sadly been squandered and policing in London has been put under further pressure simply due to Assange's actions,' she said. 'It is now time that this immense policing bill created by a diplomatic spat was picked up by the Home Office.

'But most importantly, irrespective of the level of policing of the Ecuadorian embassy in the future, the one fact remains is that he should simply walk out of Ecuadorean embassy and finally let justice prevail.'

Assange was first arrested on a European Arrest Warrant in December 2010 and ordered to face extradition to answer sex charges.

A spokesman for Wikileaks claimed that police were 'escalating the covert operation' and accused officers of trying to cover up the costs of the operation by ending the highly visible guard.

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

In a statement released yesterday, 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 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.'

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

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.'

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.

October 2006 Assange sets up WikiLeaks for anonymous whistleblowers

April 2010 WikiLeaks reveals a video called Collateral Murder, showing two US military teams shooting a group of men from Apache helicopters. Among those killed were two Reuters war correspondents

July 2010 WikiLeaks releases US logs from the Afghan War, which includes civilian casualties and the names of alleged NATO informers

August 2010 - During a visit to Sweden a prosecutor orders Assange's arrest for rape and molestation, though this is terminated five days later

September 2010 After reviewing the original claim, the investigation is renewed by Swedish prosecutors. Assange is arrested in his absence

October 2010 Iraq War logs are released the biggest single leak in US military history

November 2010 A quarter of a million unclassified and confidential diplomatic cables are published by WikiLeaks. US Attorney-General Eric Holder confirms there is 'an active, ongoing criminal investigation' into WikiLeaks. Swedish prosecutors issue an international warrant for Assange's arrest

December 2010 US vice president Joe Biden dubs Assange a 'terrorist'. He is arrested by British police and later released on bail

February 2011 A High Court in London approves Sweden's extradition request

April 2011 WikiLeaks publishes files from Guantanamo Bay revealing details of detainees

November 2011 High Court dismisses Assange's appeal against extradition. He takes it to the UK's Supreme Court

May 2012 Supreme Court upholds the High Court's decision to surrender Assange to Sweden

June 2012 Assange requests the appeal to be re-opened; Supreme Court rejects this request. Assange then seeks political asylum at the Ecuadorian embassy in London

August 2012 Ecuador grants Assange asylum, saying there are fears his human rights might be violated if he is extradited

August 2014 - Assange reveals plans to leave the embassy 'soon'

November 2014-Sweden's Court of Appeal upholds the arrest warrant against Assange

August 2015 - Swedish prosecutors drop their investigation into two allegations - one of sexual molestation and one of unlawful coercion because they have run out of time to question him. But he still faces the more serious accusation of rape. He continues to deny all the allegations

October 2015 - Metropolitan Police announces that officers will no longer be stationed outside the Ecuadorian embassy

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