UK a puppet state of US, says Julian Assange's mother

Ecuador has granted asylum to Wikileaks founder Julian Assange two months after he took refuge in its London embassy while fighting extradition from the UK.

It said his human rights might be violated if he is sent to Sweden to be questioned over sex assault claims, which he denies.

The UK denied there had been any threat to storm the Ecuadorian embassy, but said it will not allow Mr Assange safe passage out of the country.

Julian Assange's mother, Christine, said the UK had been ''exposed as nothing but a puppet state of the US'' by the latest developments.