Ecuador distances itself from WikiLeaks' Assange expulsion claim

Supporters of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange andmedia crews gathered outside the Ecuadorian embassy in London onFriday, after the whistleblowing website Wikileaks tweeted thatAssange was due to be kicked out of the building.  WikiLeaks late Thursday tweeted: "A high level source within theEcuadorian state has told WikiLeaks that Julian Assange will beexpelled within 'hours to days' using the #INAPapers offshore scandalas a pretext - and that it already has an agreement with the UK forhis arrest." Ecuador, however, distanced itself from WikiLeaks' assertion thatAssange risks being kicked out imminently."The government will not comment on the current unfounded rumours,which are also insulting. Ecuador makes its decisions in a sovereignand independent way," Foreign Minister Jose Valencia said on Twitter.He added that a government has the sovereign right to "unilaterallygrant or recall" diplomatic asylum if it so decides.The tweets briefly disappeared from his feed, but re-appeared.According to an explanatory note they were mistakenly deleted.Assange's supporters hung banners on a fence outside the embassybuilding; one read "Free Assange." Two supporters wearing so-calledAnonymous masks also briefly held up a placard with the text "FreeJulan Assange" at the entrance to the building where the embassy islocated. Assange's legal team meanwhile voiced concern, saying: "ExpellingJulian Assange would be illegal, violate international refugee lawand be an attack on the UN which has repeatedly called for Assange tobe able to walk free," the Press Association reported.The INA papers mentioned by WikiLeaks are a collection of documentsleaked to an Ecuadorian lawmaker and which have implicated PresidentLenin Moreno in a corruption scandal.Earlier this week, Moreno accused Assange of repeatedly violating theterms of his asylum and said Quito was seeking an arrangement withBritain to allow him to leave the embassy.Ecuador also suspects that WikiLeaks is responsible for sharingprivate photographs of Moreno on social media recently.Assange has been holed up in the embassy since 2012 to avoid arrestand extradition to Sweden on allegations of rape.The Swedish judiciary has since dropped its investigation, butBritish authorities have said they will still arrest the Australianwhen he leaves the embassy because he violated his bail conditions byfleeing.Assange says he fears being extradited to the United States where hecould face charges relating to the publication of hacked governmentdocuments on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.Stockholm daily Svenska Dagbladet reported on Friday that Assange hasrequested compensation from the Swedish state for his legal costs inSweden, totalling about 9 million kronor (969,000 dollars). The claimhas been filed to the Supreme Court after two lower courts rejectedthe claim.  Christine Assange, Assange's mother, wrote on Twitter on Friday, "TheUS is making its move to grab my son Julian!"In late 2017, Assange was granted Ecuadorian citizenship.His relations with his embassy hosts have been deteriorating for thepast year, with Ecuador last year cutting off his internet.