Assange makes court appearance

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will fight to remain in Britain next month, it was confirmed earlier.

His legal team said it is ready to start a full two-day extradition hearing on February 7. In a 10-minute hearing at Belmarsh Magistrates' Court, his QC Geoffrey Robertson said all legal preparations are in place.

Assange is wanted by the Swedish authorities over claims he sexually assaulted two women during a visit to Stockholm in August last year.

The computer programmer was released on £240,000 bail by a High Court judge last month after spending nine days in Wandsworth Prison.

He denies committing any offences and his supporters claim the criminal inquiry and extradition request is unfair and politically motivated.

Speaking outside court after the hearing, Assange said he was "happy about today's outcome" and vowed that WikiLeaks's activities would continue.

The skeleton argument he and his legal team produced in a short time over Christmas will be made public later.