Sweden Issues Arrest Warrant for Assange

Swedish authorities have granted a prosecutor's request and issued an international arrest warrant for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. The Australian, whose current whereabouts are unknown, faces charges of rape, sexual molestation and illegal use of force, CNN reports. "The background is that he has to be heard in this investigation and we haven't been able to get hold of him to question him," said Sweden's director of prosecutions.

Assange's lawyer says the charges stem from consensual relationships his client had with two Swedish women. "Only after the women became aware of each other's relationships with Mr. Assange did they make their allegations against him," he added. Neither he nor Assange "have ever received a single written word, at any time, in any form, from Swedish authorities on the Swedish investigation against our client," the lawyer said. Click here for more on the case. (More WikiLeaks stories.)