Julian Assange Seeks Refuge in Northern Mariana Islands for Plea Deal Negotiations WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is reportedly considering seeking refuge in the Northern Mariana Islands as part of a plea deal with US authorities. According to sources, Assange believes he could secure a more favorable outcome in the Northern Marianas than in the United Kingdom, where he is currently facing extradition proceedings. The Northern Mariana Islands, a US territory located in the western Pacific, has its own independent judicial system and a reputation for being more lenient than the mainland US. Assange’s legal team is said to be exploring the possibility of him pleading guilty to lesser charges in the Northern Marianas and serving his sentence there. If Assange were to establish residency in the Northern Mariana Islands, it could complicate US efforts to extradite him. The US and the Northern Marianas do not have an extradition treaty, and Assange could potentially argue that he is not subject to US jurisdiction. However, it is also possible that the US could seek to compel the Northern Marianas to hand Assange over. Legal experts say that the Northern Marianas would have to weigh the request against its own laws and international obligations. The development comes as the extradition proceedings against Assange continue in the UK. The United States is seeking to extradite Assange to face charges of conspiracy and violating the Espionage Act related to WikiLeaks’ publication of classified diplomatic cables and military documents in 2010. Assange has argued that extraditing him to the US would put him at risk of torture or even the death penalty, and that the charges against him are politically motivated. If Assange is successful in seeking refuge in the Northern Mariana Islands, it would be a major setback for US efforts to bring him to justice. However, it remains to be seen whether the Northern Mariana Islands will entertain his request and whether the US will be able to pressure them into handing him over.The plane carrying WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange departed Bangkok on Tuesday after refueling, en route to Saipan. Assange is expected to enter a plea deal with the US government regarding the Espionage Act charges he faces.The plane carrying WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange departed Bangkok on Tuesday after refueling, en route to Saipan. Assange is expected to enter a plea deal with the US government regarding the Espionage Act charges he faces. The deal reportedly involves Assange pleading guilty to conspiring to obtain and disseminate classified national defense information. In exchange, he is expected to avoid additional prison time beyond the five years he has already served in the UK while fighting extradition. The agreement comes after years of legal battles and international intrigue surrounding Assange’s case. WikiLeaks published a trove of classified documents in 2010, which US prosecutors allege harmed national security. Assange has been praised by some as a hero for exposing military wrongdoing, while others have criticized him for his actions. The deal is seen as a resolution to the long-running legal saga and is expected to allow Assange to return to his home country, Australia. The hearing will be held in Saipan due to Assange’s concerns about traveling to the continental US and the court’s proximity to Australia.Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, is reportedly traveling to the Northern Mariana Islands in the hopes of reaching a plea deal with the United States government. Assange has been living in the Ecuadorian embassy in London for the past seven years, after being granted political asylum by the country. However, Ecuador recently withdrew his asylum status, and Assange was arrested by British police. The United States has charged Assange with conspiracy to hack into a government computer, and he is facing up to five years in prison if convicted. Assange has denied the charges, and his supporters have argued that he is a political prisoner who is being targeted for his work as a journalist. The Northern Mariana Islands is a U.S. territory in the Pacific Ocean, and it has its own legal system. Assange’s lawyers are reportedly hoping that they can reach a plea deal with the U.S. government that will allow him to serve his sentence in the Northern Mariana Islands, rather than in a U.S. prison. It is not clear if the U.S. government is willing to negotiate a plea deal with Assange. The U.S. Attorney General, William Barr, has said that he does not believe that Assange is a journalist, and that he should be prosecuted for his crimes. Assange’s extradition hearing is scheduled to begin on February 24th. If he is extradited to the United States, he will face trial on the hacking charges.