Julian Assange, founder of the Wikileaks whistleblowing publisher, has struck a deal with the United States in the long-running dispute over his extradition and is expected to be released.
According to Wikileaks, after being released from British custody, Assange took off for the Western Pacific on Tuesday evening after a stopover of several hours in Bangkok.
The agreement in principle will allow Assange - who has been held in jail in the United Kingdom in a years-long extradition dispute - to be released to freedom in exchange for pleading guilty to espionage before a US court.
Washington accuses Assange of stealing and publishing secret material from military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan with the whistleblower Chlesea Manning, thereby allegedly endangering the lives of US intelligence sources and others.
He is expected to be sentenced to more than five years in prison. This is the same length of time that the internet activist has already spent in a high-security prison in London.
Assange's plane takes off for US foreign territory
Assange is travelling on a Bombardier charter plane from Thailand's capital to the island of Saipan, which belongs to the Northern Mariana Islands and is a foreign territory of the United States.
On the flightradar24 flight-tracking platform, flight number VJT199, which Assange's wife Stella and Wikileaks had previously mentioned on social media, was the connection most monitored by users worldwide.
A letter from the US Department of Justice to the judge in charge, Ramona Manglona, states that the location was chosen because Assange did not want to travel to the United States and the archipelago is close to Australia.
The aircraft is expected to arrive early Wednesday morning. The Australian is due to appear in court in the US territory on Wednesday.
The 52-year-old is then expected to travel on to his homeland in Australia.
Australia welcomes its citizen's release
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday welcomed the development and said his country was providing assistance to Assange.
"The government is certainly aware that Australian citizen Mr Julian Assange has legal proceedings scheduled in the United States," Albanese told Australia's parliament during Question Time, calling the news a "welcome development."
Family waiting in Australia
Wikileaks posted on X that there had been long negotiations with the US Department of Justice.
"After more than five years in a 2x3 metre cell, isolated 23 hours a day, he will soon reunite with his wife Stella Assange, and their children, who have only known their father from behind bars," Wikileaks wrote on X.
His wife published a photo on X that was reportedly taken in Sydney and shows a video call with her husband from Stansted Airport.
"Frankly, it's just incredible. It feels like it's not real," Stella Assange told the BBC in an interview.
She had not yet had time to discuss what the couple would do after the release but said his health is a priority.
Assange's parents thanked the supporters who had campaigned for their son for years and said they were grateful that their ordeal is over.
US former vice president Pence unhappy
"Julian Assange endangered the lives of our troops in a time of war and should have been prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," Pence wrote on X.
"The Biden administration’s plea deal with Assange is a miscarriage of justice and dishonours the service and sacrifice of the men and women of our Armed Forces and their families. There should be no plea deals to avoid prison for anyone that endangers the security of our military or the national security of the United States. Ever."
The Assange deal could be a topic for Thursday's debate between US President Joe Biden and his Republican rival Donald Trump.
Unnoticed departure from Britain
It had been speculated for several months that such a deal would put an end to the Assange case. Nevertheless, the timing comes as a surprise. Unnoticed by the public, Assange was released from the London prison on Monday and taken to Stansted Airport. A video released by Wikileaks overnight showed the Australian boarding the jet in a shirt and jeans, glasses pushed into his hair.
Germany welcomes planned plea deal
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock expressed her approval of the deal during a visit to Jerusalem on Tuesday in response to questions from journalists.
"I can only say that I am very happy that this case, which has been discussed very emotionally all over the world and has moved many people, has finally found a solution," Baerbock said.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier also welcomed the agreement in principle.
Reporters Without Borders: "Long overdue victory"
Rebecca Vincent, director of campaigns for Reporters Without Borders (RSF), said in a statement: "We are hugely relieved that Julian Assange is finally free - a long overdue victory for journalism and press freedom.
"He never should have spent a single day deprived of his liberty for publishing information in the public interest.
"Nothing can undo the past 13 years, but it is never too late to do the right thing, and we welcome this move by the US government."