Julian Assange , Reaches Plea Deal With , US Government.<br />'The Independent' reports that Wikileaks <br />founder Julian Assange has been released <br />from Belmarsh prison as part of a plea deal <br />with the United States Justice Department.<br />Assange will be flown out of the U.K. as part <br />of the deal before he makes a guilty plea deal <br />that could end the years-long legal battle.<br />On June 24, Assange boarded a flight at Stansted airport <br />ahead of a scheduled appearance later this week in the <br />Mariana Islands, a Western Pacific U.S. commonwealth.<br />The U.S. government has charged the <br />Wikileaks founder with conspiracy to obtain <br />and disclose national defense secrets.<br />The charges stem from one of the largest leaks of <br />classified information in U.S. history, disclosing tens of <br />thousands of reports regarding the war in Afghanistan.<br />The disclosure, which occurred between 2009 and <br />2011, included unfiltered diplomatic cables that <br />potentially endangered the safety of confidential sources. .<br />The leak also included significant <br />activity reports related to the war in Iraq <br />and information regarding Guantanamo Bay.<br />According to the latest DOJ filing, Assange is expected <br />to plead guilty and be sentenced to 62 months of time <br />already served, thus avoiding U.S. imprisonment. .<br />This is the result of a global campaign <br />that spanned grass-roots organizers, <br />press freedom campaigners, <br />legislators and leaders from <br />across the political spectrum, <br />all the way to the United Nations, Wikileaks statement, via X.<br />After more than five years in <br />a 2x3 metre cell, isolated 23 hours <br />a day, he will soon reunite with his <br />wife Stella Assange, and their children, <br />who have only known their <br />father from behind bars, Wikileaks statement, via X
