WASHINGTON — WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange plans to plead guilty as part of a plea deal with the U.S. Justice Department that will allow him to go free after spending five years in a British prison, according to court documents.

Assange was charged by criminal information — which typically signifies a plea deal — with conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defense information, the court documents say.

The WikiLeaks founder has been held in a prison outside London for the last five years and fought extradition to the United States

A hearing on the issue of Assange's free speech rights had been scheduled for July 9-10.

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