SYDNEY: Australia Prime Minster Anthony Albanese said on Tuesday he wanted Julian Assange brought back home to Australia as soon as possible, after the WikiLeaks founder left Britain before an expected guilty plea to violating US espionage law.

“Regardless of the views that people have about Mr. Assange (and) his activities, the case has dragged on for too long,” Albanese said in the country’s parliament.

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“There is nothing to be gained by his continued incarceration and we want him brought home to Australia.”