Family and supporters of Julian Assange are expecting the WikiLeaks founder to return home to Australia this week, but before he does, the 52-year-old is expected to make a court appearance at a little-known island in the western Pacific Ocean.
It's known for its sun, sand and snorkelling and soon, a major US espionage court case. Saipan, a tiny island in the western Pacific Ocean, has found itself under the global spotlight amid reports that Australian WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is expected to appear at a court hearing there that could end his 14-year legal saga. Assange is due to plead guilty to violating US espionage law , in a deal that will end his imprisonment in Britain and allow him to return home to Australia.
Saipan is the capital of the Northern Mariana Islands and a commonwealth of the United States. The US captured the Northern Mariana Islands in 1944 after the Battle of Saipan. It's a small island - just 12 miles long and 5.5 miles wide - and is considered the international gateway and the commercial hub for the Islands. It is located about 190km north of Guam and is better known for its white sand beaches, coral reefs and tourist attractions.
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