Washington: The United States has banned Julian Assange from returning unless he is granted permission, said the Justice Department on Tuesday. The decision was passed as the Australian native was freed in US territory and boarded a plane for Canberra.

"Pursuant to the plea agreement, Assange is prohibited from returning to the United States without permission," a Department of Justice statement said of the WikiLeaks founder, who has been embroiled in a years-long international legal drama after publishing thousands of secret US documents in 2010. AFP