JULIAN ASSANGE’S extradition hearing could be delayed after the United States submitted additional “11th-hour” allegations against the Wikileaks founder, his lawyer said today. 

The US government made a fresh request to have Mr Assange extradited based on charges in a new superseding indictment, claiming it was the result of further investigations.

Mr Assange faces 17 charges under the US Espionage Act and one of conspiracy to hack into official computers while trying to expose war crimes.

By issuing a third indictment, Washington has sought to expand the charges against him, including by extending the group of people he is alleged to have conspired with beyond former US army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning, prosecutor Clair Dobbin told Westminster magistrates’ court.

Mr Assange, who attended the short hearing via video link from Belmarsh prison, has yet to be arrested over the latest indictment, full details of which were not read out in court.

His extradition hearing is scheduled to start on September 7 at the Old Bailey.

Lawyer Florence Iveson, representing Mr Assange, said the “11th hour” submission was “astonishing.”

She accused the US of “seeking to add a considerable amount of conduct and seeking to extend the case significantly.”

Ms Iveson said that lawyers had not yet been able to take full instructions from their client regarding the third version of the indictment against him.

She argued that the new material should have been provided “at a much earlier stage,” adding that it could affect the evidence of witnesses due to be called in September.

Ms Iveson said that her team would try to make a decision by next week on whether to make an application to vacate the case, giving them more time to prepare.