LONDON (AP) - Julian Assange, founder of secret-spilling website WikiLeaks, has been fighting to avoid extradition to Sweden, which wants to question him about allegations of rape and molestation. His latest efforts involve seeking asylum from the government of Ecuador, which is due to announce its ruling on Assange’s request Thursday. The following are key events in Assange’s two-year-long legal saga:
2010
_ Aug. 20: Swedish prosecutor issues arrest warrant for Assange based on one woman’s allegation of rape and another woman’s allegation of molestation.
_ Aug. 21: Arrest warrant is withdrawn. Prosecutor Eva Finne says there appears to be insufficient evidence for allegation of rape.
_ Aug. 31: Swedish police question Assange, who denies the allegations.
_ Sept. 1: Sweden’s director of prosecutions, Marianne Ny, reopens rape investigation.
_ Sept. 27: Assange leaves Sweden for Britain.
_ Nov. 18: Stockholm court approves request to detain Assange for questioning.
_ Nov. 20: Swedish police issue international arrest warrant for Assange.
_ Dec. 8: Assange surrenders to police in London and is detained pending extradition hearing.
_ Dec. 14: Assange is granted bail, but prosecutors appeal.
_ Dec. 16: High Court grants bail. Assange is released after supporters pledge 240,000 pounds ($375,000) in cash and sureties.
2011
_ Feb. 24: District court rules Assange should be extradited to Sweden.
_ Nov. 2: High Court rejects Assange’s appeal against extradition.
_ Dec. 5: Assange granted an appeal to the Supreme Court.
2012
_ May 30: Supreme Court rejects Assange’s appeal.
_ June 12: Assange asks Supreme Court to reopen case.
_ June 14: Supreme Court refuses to reopen case.
_ June 19: Assange enters Ecuadorean embassy in London, seeking asylum.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.