Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks. Picture: Kirsty Wigglesworth Source: AP
UPDATE: Reports suggest British police have been seen entering the Ecuadorian embassy.
The Press Association had earlier reported officers arriving outside the Ecuadorian Embassy, close to the Harrods store in Knightsbridge, London.
EARLIER
BRITAIN is threatening to raid the Ecuadorian embassy to arrest Wikileaks' founder Julian Assange.
Ecuador's foreign minister, Ricardo Patino, told a news conference that the South American nation had received a written and verbal threat on Wednesday from Britain that "it could assault our embassy" if Assange was not handed over.
Patino also said that Ecuador "has made a decision" on Mr Assange's asylum bid and will announce it on Thursday at 7am local time (10pm AEST).
"Ecuador rejects in the most emphatic terms the explicit threat of the British official communication," he told a press conference in Quito.
He said such a threat was "improper of a democratic, civilised and rule abiding country".
"If the measure announced in the British official communication is enacted, it will be interpreted by Ecuador as an unacceptable, unfriendly and hostile act and as an attempt against our sovereignty. It would force us to respond," he said.
"We are not a British colony."
He said the threat was delivered to Ecuador's foreign ministry and ambassador in London.
The letter said: "You need to be aware that there is a legal base in the UK, the Diplomatic and Consular Premises Act 1987, that would allow us to take actions in order to arrest Mr Assange in the current premises of the Embassy.
"We sincerely hope that we do not reach that point, but if you are not capable of resolving this matter of Mr Assange's presence in your premises, this is an open option for us."
Ecuadorean Minister of Foreign Affairs Ricardo Patino speaks during the press conference in Quito. Picture: Rodrigo Buendia Source: AFP
Australia's Attorney-General Nicola Roxon says the government has yet to receive any formal advice from Ecuador.
"We've been just looking on the wires," she told ABC radio, adding the government was no better informed than the media.
Ms Roxon insists the matter is an issue between Mr Assange and Ecuador.
"And increasingly it seems it is a matter between Ecuador and the United Kingdom," she said.
The threats revelation comes a day after Ecuador officials privately reached agreement to offer Assange� currently holed up in their embassy in London� political asylum.
Publically the President Rafael Correa took to Twitter yesterday to deny rumours he had signed off on the asylum offer, instead saying it was still being looked at and there were still a number of legal challenges to consider.
But even if the asylum request is granted, it is unclear whether Assange will be allowed to leave as British police are waiting outside the embassy ready to arrest him for breaching the terms of his bail granted in 2010.
However, a British Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesman however contradicted the letters apparent threat. He told News Ltd last night that the country remained "determined" to fulfil any international law obligations to extradite Mr Assange.
"He is still in the Ecuadorian Embassy beyond the reach of the police. We have met with the Ecuadorian authorities to discuss this situation. The police will not enter the Ecuadorian Embassy unless invited to do so by the Ecuadorian Ambassador, '' the spokesman said.
The Ecuadorian Embassy in London would no comment last night.
However, an Ecuadorian spokesman said: "We are deeply shocked by the British government's threats against the sovereignty of our embassy and their suggestion that they may forcibly enter the embassy.This a clear breach of international law and the protocols set out in the Vienna Convention.
"Throughout out the last 56 days Mr Julian Assange has been in the embassy, the Ecuadorian Government has acted honourably in all our attempts to seek a resolution to the situation.''
Assange had embarked on a marathon round of court battles, but finally exhausted all his options under British law in June when the Supreme Court overturned his appeal against extradition.
Quito had said it was reviewing the sexual misconduct allegations as it weighs his asylum request. Assange maintains he had consensual sex with the alleged Swedish victims.
Correa has said that the mere possibility that Assange could face capital punishment in the United States could be reason enough for his government to grant the activist's asylum petition.
Assange's WikiLeaks website infuriated Washington when it released hundreds of thousands of secret war reports from Iraq and Afghanistan and countless US embassy cables containing unguarded and at times embarrassing remarks by a number of world leaders and diplomats.
The leftist Correa has often been at odds with Washington and has expressed support for Assange, offering him asylum as far back as 2010 before later backing off.
Offering shelter to a high-profile figure like Assange - hailed as a whistleblower by his supporters - could help Correa push back against critics who accuse him of clamping down on press freedom.
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