Rape Probe of WikiLeaks Founder Reopened

(Sept. 1) -- A top Swedish prosecutor reopened a rape investigation into WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange today, the latest twist in a confusing case that has seen prosecutors of differing ranks repeatedly overrule each other.

"There is reason to believe that a crime has been committed. Considering information available at present, my judgment is that the classification of the crime is rape," director of public prosecution Marianne Ny said in a statement cited by Swedish news site The Local. "More investigations are necessary before a final decision [on whether to bring charges] can be made."

Two women last month reported the 39-year-old Australian for alleged rape and sexual molestation, leading a Swedish duty prosecutor to file an arrest warrant against Assange on the evening of Aug. 20. However, that warrant was withdrawn less than 24 hours later, and charges of rape dropped, by chief prosecutor Eva Finne, who said in a statement: "I don't think there is reason to suspect that he has committed rape."

That move has now been overruled by Ny -- one of the top figures in the Swedish prosecution service -- after the lawyer representing both women appealed Finne's decision. As well as reopening the preliminary investigation into alleged rape, Ny also said that Assange should be investigated on suspicion of "sexual coercion and sexual molestation," according to The Associated Press. That announcement also supersedes a previous decision to investigate the second case as "molestation," which isn't a sexual offense under local laws.

Ny said she received new information on the case but wouldn't discuss it.

"We went through all the case material again, including what came in [Tuesday], and that's when I made my decision" to restart the investigation, she told AP.

Assange has repeatedly said he is innocent, and during an interview with Swedish daily Aftonbladet said that he had never had non-consensual sex. "It was shocking [to hear about these claims]," he told the paper. "I have been accused of various things in recent years, but nothing as serious as this."

During the same interview, he hinted that the U.S. government could be responsible for the allegations. "I don't know who's behind this but we have been warned that, for example, the Pentagon plans to use dirty tricks to spoil things for us," he said. "I have also been warned about sex traps."

However, Claes Borgstrom -- the attorney for the two alleged victims, who are between 25 and 35 years old, and met Assange during his visit to Sweden in mid-August, according to The Local -- has previously dismissed claims of American involvement as "complete nonsense."

"This is a redress for my clients, I have to say, because they have been dragged through the mud on the Internet, for having made things up or intending to frame Assange," Borgstrom said this morning, according to AP.

Wikileaks has angered the U.S. government by leaking thousands of documents about the activities of American and allied forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. And the whistle-blower site says it is preparing to release 15,000 more classified military documents on the Afghan War online in coming weeks, despite warnings from the U.S. administration that it could place the lives of soldiers and Afghan civilians at risk.

Assange is currently seeking residency in Sweden, as the country has tough laws designed to protect whistle-blowers from prosecution.