A Swedish prosecutor is seeking a court order to detain Wikileaks founder Julian Assange for questioning in connection with a rape case.
A warrant was issued in August, then dropped, before the case was re-opened.
The warrant came days after the Wikileaks website published 75,000 leaked US documents about the war in Afghanistan.
Mr Assange denies all the allegations, which stem from his visit to Sweden in August.
Director of Prosecution Marianne Ny says she is requesting the court order to question Mr Assange because he is suspected of rape, sexual molestation and unlawful coercion.
"The reason for my request is that we need to interrogate him," said Ms Ny. "So far, we have not been able to meet with him to accomplish the interrogations."
Ms Ny reopened the rape investigation into Mr Assange in September but did not request his detention and allowed him to leave Sweden.
Mr Assange, a 39-year-old Australian, has suggested that the allegations are part of a smear campaign by opponents of his whistle-blowing website.
When the allegations first emerged, he said their appearance - at a time when Wikileaks had been criticised for leaking Afghan war documents - was "deeply disturbing".
A court will hear Ms Ny's application on Thursday afternoon.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11785281
A warrant was issued in August, then dropped, before the case was re-opened.
The warrant came days after the Wikileaks website published 75,000 leaked US documents about the war in Afghanistan.
Mr Assange denies all the allegations, which stem from his visit to Sweden in August.
Director of Prosecution Marianne Ny says she is requesting the court order to question Mr Assange because he is suspected of rape, sexual molestation and unlawful coercion.
"The reason for my request is that we need to interrogate him," said Ms Ny. "So far, we have not been able to meet with him to accomplish the interrogations."
Ms Ny reopened the rape investigation into Mr Assange in September but did not request his detention and allowed him to leave Sweden.
Mr Assange, a 39-year-old Australian, has suggested that the allegations are part of a smear campaign by opponents of his whistle-blowing website.
When the allegations first emerged, he said their appearance - at a time when Wikileaks had been criticised for leaking Afghan war documents - was "deeply disturbing".
A court will hear Ms Ny's application on Thursday afternoon.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11785281
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