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U.S. prosecutors are seeking to put Assange, 52, on trial on 18
counts, all bar one under the Espionage Act, over WikiLeaks'
high-profile release of confidential U.S. military records and
diplomatic cables.
Assange's lawyers in February sought permission to challenge
Britain's approval of his extradition to the U.S., arguing his
prosecution was politically motivated.
In their ruling, two senior judges said he had a real prospect
of successfully appealing against extradition on a number of
grounds.
The court has given the U.S. authorities an opportunity to
provide "satisfactory assurances" on the questions of whether he
was able to rely on the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution
and whether he could be subject to the death penalty.
If those assurances are not forthcoming, then Assange will be
granted permission to appeal. A further hearing has been
scheduled for May 20.
The U.S. argues the WikiLeaks' revelations imperilled the lives
of their agents and there was no excuse for his criminality.
Assange's many supporters hail him as an anti-establishment hero
who is being persecuted, despite being a journalist, for
exposing U.S. wrongdoing and alleged war crimes.
The U.S. meanwhile said Assange had been charged for
"indiscriminately and knowingly" publishing sources' names and
not his political opinions.
(Reporting by Michael Holden; Editing by Estelle Shirbon and
Kate Holton)
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