On Monday founder of WikiLeaks and Australian citizen Julian Assange faced court in London as the long-anticipated extradition trial began. The United States government have charged Assange with 17 counts of violating the espionage act and claim he put lives at risk.

Several Australian politicians and many community groups have protested the possibility of extraditing Assange to a country with the death penalty.

Breakfast host Alex James chats with Ian Rose from local Sydney community group, Support Assange and Wikileaks Coalition, about the latest in the case and the implications it could have for Australians.