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Assange had all but run out of legal options in Britain, where the Supreme Court last week affirmed an earlier decision that he should be sent to Sweden. He could still apply to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. His lawyers have said they are considering doing that. The asylum bid took many Assange supporters by surprise -- including some of those who put up a total of 200,000 pounds ($315,000) to guarantee his bail. Vaughan Smith, the former journalist who let Assange stay at his rural English home for more than a year as part of his bail terms, said the news "came as surprise to me." Smith said he stood to lose his 20,000 pound surety, but defended Assange nonetheless. "This is money my family needs," Smith said. "But my family don't believe they are facing life imprisonment or death. "I am convinced (Assange) genuinely believes he will be sent to America and will face something terrible there." Some legal experts said they were mystified by the reasoning behind Assange's dramatic asylum bid. But human rights lawyer Helena Kennedy, a former member of Assange's legal team, said he could be planning to bargain with Sweden for assurances that he would not be handed over to the U.S. She said if granted such assurances, Assange might be willing to go to Sweden voluntarily.
[Associated
Press;
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