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Assange promises to step up flow of leaks
Out on bail over rape claims, he expects US to press spy charges
LONDON: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, declaring that he is the victim of a smear campaign, has said the flow of secret cables is likely to quicken with his release from prison, as it has made him more determined than ever to press on with his campaign.
'It has not altered my position; in fact, it has confirmed my position to me personally that we are on the right path. It has given me enough anger about the situation to last me 100 years,' the 39-year-old Australian computer expert was yesterday quoted by Australia's The Age newspaper as saying after he was freed on bail over rape allegations.
He promised that the flow of leaked US diplomatic documents will be stepped up now that he is back at the helm of the secret-spilling website.
Mr Assange walked free from a London court on Thursday, on a £200,000 (S$410,000) bail after nine days in jail. He must spend Christmas at an English country house, which he described as 'high-tech house arrest'.
Sweden wants to extradite him for questioning over alleged sexual assaults on two WikiLeaks volunteers. Following his release, Mr Assange told the BBC that the allegations against him were 'a very successful smear campaign and a very wrong one'.
He also told reporters that he expected the United States, which has condemned the WikiLeaks cable releases, to bring spy charges against him.
'I do not have too many fears about being extradited to Sweden. There are much bigger concerns about being extradited to the United States,' the former computer hacker told reporters here.
Mr Assange was freed after the High Court in London rejected an attempt by British lawyers acting for Sweden to keep him in jail while he fights the extradition attempt, a process that could take months.
As part of his bail conditions, he must stay at a friend's Georgian mansion near the rural town of Bungay in Suffolk, eastern England, 195km north-east of London. He has also been electronically tagged, is subject to a curfew and must report to the police daily.
Mr Assange's release was the result of a nine-day battle by his lawyers. After denying him bail on Dec 7, a judge granted it on Tuesday but kept the Australian in custody while prosecuting lawyers appealed at the High Court.
Speaking to jubilant supporters on the steps of the court building after that appeal was denied on Thursday, Mr Assange said: 'I hope to continue my work and continue to protest my innocence in this matter and to reveal as we get it - which we have not yet - the evidence from these allegations.'
His organisation was resilient and designed to withstand 'decapitation attacks', he said.
WikiLeaks has caused embarrassment and anger in Washington by releasing hundreds of classified US diplomatic cables, and his supporters have linked his detention to the massive leak.
Mr Assange said he expected the US to bring legal action against him.
'We have heard today from one of my US lawyers, yet to be confirmed, but a serious matter, that there may be a US indictment for espionage for me, coming from a secret US grand jury investigation,' he said.
Swedish prosecutors have denied that the case has anything to do with WikiLeaks.
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard said on Thursday that police determined WikiLeaks did not break any laws in the country.
The government had ordered the Australian Federal Police to investigate whether the website had broken local laws in publishing sensitive US diplomatic documents leaked to it because Mr Assange is Australian.
REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, ASSOCIATED PRESS
See Editorial
PRESSING ON
'It has not altered my position; in fact, it has confirmed my position... that we are on the right path. It has given me enough anger about the situation to last me 100 years.'
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange
Out on bail over rape claims, he expects US to press spy charges
LONDON: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, declaring that he is the victim of a smear campaign, has said the flow of secret cables is likely to quicken with his release from prison, as it has made him more determined than ever to press on with his campaign.
'It has not altered my position; in fact, it has confirmed my position to me personally that we are on the right path. It has given me enough anger about the situation to last me 100 years,' the 39-year-old Australian computer expert was yesterday quoted by Australia's The Age newspaper as saying after he was freed on bail over rape allegations.
He promised that the flow of leaked US diplomatic documents will be stepped up now that he is back at the helm of the secret-spilling website.
Mr Assange walked free from a London court on Thursday, on a £200,000 (S$410,000) bail after nine days in jail. He must spend Christmas at an English country house, which he described as 'high-tech house arrest'.
Sweden wants to extradite him for questioning over alleged sexual assaults on two WikiLeaks volunteers. Following his release, Mr Assange told the BBC that the allegations against him were 'a very successful smear campaign and a very wrong one'.
He also told reporters that he expected the United States, which has condemned the WikiLeaks cable releases, to bring spy charges against him.
'I do not have too many fears about being extradited to Sweden. There are much bigger concerns about being extradited to the United States,' the former computer hacker told reporters here.
Mr Assange was freed after the High Court in London rejected an attempt by British lawyers acting for Sweden to keep him in jail while he fights the extradition attempt, a process that could take months.
As part of his bail conditions, he must stay at a friend's Georgian mansion near the rural town of Bungay in Suffolk, eastern England, 195km north-east of London. He has also been electronically tagged, is subject to a curfew and must report to the police daily.
Mr Assange's release was the result of a nine-day battle by his lawyers. After denying him bail on Dec 7, a judge granted it on Tuesday but kept the Australian in custody while prosecuting lawyers appealed at the High Court.
Speaking to jubilant supporters on the steps of the court building after that appeal was denied on Thursday, Mr Assange said: 'I hope to continue my work and continue to protest my innocence in this matter and to reveal as we get it - which we have not yet - the evidence from these allegations.'
His organisation was resilient and designed to withstand 'decapitation attacks', he said.
WikiLeaks has caused embarrassment and anger in Washington by releasing hundreds of classified US diplomatic cables, and his supporters have linked his detention to the massive leak.
Mr Assange said he expected the US to bring legal action against him.
'We have heard today from one of my US lawyers, yet to be confirmed, but a serious matter, that there may be a US indictment for espionage for me, coming from a secret US grand jury investigation,' he said.
Swedish prosecutors have denied that the case has anything to do with WikiLeaks.
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard said on Thursday that police determined WikiLeaks did not break any laws in the country.
The government had ordered the Australian Federal Police to investigate whether the website had broken local laws in publishing sensitive US diplomatic documents leaked to it because Mr Assange is Australian.
REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, ASSOCIATED PRESS
See Editorial
PRESSING ON
'It has not altered my position; in fact, it has confirmed my position... that we are on the right path. It has given me enough anger about the situation to last me 100 years.'
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange
