The U.K. says Julian Assange can be extradited to the U.S. to face spying charges

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange pauses as he makes a statement to media gathered outside the High Court in London in 2011. (Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP)

LONDON (AP) — The British government has ordered the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to the United States to face spying charges. WikiLeaks said it would appeal.

Home Secretary Priti Patel signed the extradition order on Friday, her department said. It follows a British court ruling in April that Assange could be sent to the U.S. over WikiLeaks' publication of a huge trove of classified documents more than a decade ago.