Julian Assange Heads Home: A Legal Odyssey Ends

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has left Saipan after pleading guilty to obtaining and publishing US military secrets. He admitted guilt to a felony count, allowing him to return to Australia after spending five years in UK prison amid extradition battles.

An aircraft carrying WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has departed from Saipan after Assange pleaded guilty on Wednesday to charges related to obtaining and publishing US military secrets.

This plea, concluded in the Northern Mariana Islands, marks the end of a prolonged legal saga that spanned multiple continents. According to the agreement with the US Justice Department, Assange admitted guilt to a single felony count but was allowed to return to Australia without serving additional time in an American prison.

The judge's sentence took into account the five years Assange had already spent behind bars in the UK, where he fought against extradition to the United States. His plane is now heading towards his home country of Australia.