Assange explains embassy move

LONDON, July 23 (UPI) -- WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange says he moved into the Ecuadorean Embassy in London after a suspicious visit from a security contractor.

Assange, an Australian citizen who was under house arrest in Britain and fighting extradition to Sweden for questioning about alleged sex crimes, told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. he sought political asylum after a security contractor arrived unannounced late one night to fit a second electronic bracelet on his leg.

In a phone interview from the embassy, Assange said the suspicious visit came the same day the Swedish government publicly announced it would detain him without charge, ABC News reported Monday.

Assange said the security contractor filed a bail breach against him "under the basis that we refused to let them in at 10:30 p.m. unannounced."

Assange said he feared his last avenue of appeal was about to be terminated by prosecutors.