WikiLeaks founder appeals detention order

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has filed another appeal against a court order to detain him in a rape investigation, Swedish officials said today.

The appeal was received by the Supreme Court in Stockholm today, court spokeswoman Tove Levelind said.

Earlier this month, an appeals court rejected Assange's first appeal, upholding a district court decision to detain him for questioning.

Assange, whose whereabouts are unknown, is wanted by Sweden for internationally concerning allegations against him that include rape and sexual molestation. They stem from his encounters with two Swedish women during a visit to the Nordic country in August.

He has denied the allegations, calling them part of a smear campaign. He has not been formally charged.

WikiLeaks made another disclosure of classified documents over the weekend, including diplomatic cables and sensitive US State Department documents.

The 39-year-old Australian has angered the US and other governments with such disclosures, including secret documents about the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

During his August visit to Sweden, Assange applied for a residency permit in the country, where the WikiLeaks site has some of its servers and laws offer strong protection for whistle-blowers. Sweden rejected the request.

Yesterday, Ecuador's deputy foreign minister, Kintto Lucas, praised Assange for his work and offered him residency in the leftist-run Andean nation "without any kind of trouble and without any kind of conditions."