Julian Assange turns on enemies, allies to defend self

MELBOURNE - WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has lashed out at his enemies and his allies in a bid to defend his public and private conduct.

According to an interview with British newspaper the Times, Assange, 39, accused his media partners at the Guardian newspaper of unfairly tarnishing him by revealing the sex assault allegations he faces in Sweden.

It is understood that Assange is particularly angry with a senior reporter and former friend for “selectively publishing” incriminating sections of the police report.

Assange claims the newspaper, which had previously used him as its source for hundreds of leaked US embassy cables, received leaked documents from Swedish authorities or “other intelligence agencies” intent on jeopardising his defence.

“The leak was clearly designed to undermine my bail application. Someone in authority clearly intended to keep Julian in prison,” News.com.au quoted him as telling the Times.

He said that he still had not seen the full extent of the allegations against him, although he accepted that his Swedish lawyer had been handed many of the details.

Assange further said that he had enough material ready to destroy the bosses of one of the world’s biggest banks, and shares in Bank of America recently fell after speculation spread that it was the target.

“We don’t want the bank to suffer unless it’s called for. But if its management is operating in a responsive way there will be resignations,” he stated.

He also predicted that the US will face reprisals if it attempts to extradite him on conspiracy charges, and said that he believed the situation would “turn around absolutely” as a groundswell of favourable opinion grew in America.

“The people in power are organised and were able to respond quickly. But numerically they are not that strong and our support in the general population is tremendous,” he added.

Assange’s interview follows revelations that police feared he would be assassinated on the front steps of London’s High Court. (ANI)