WikiLeaks founder Assange fears Washington charges

The founder of WikiLeaks Julian Assange said Friday it was "increasingly likely" that the U.S. would try to extradite him on charges related to WikiLeaks, as he spent his first day on bail on an English country estate.

The 39-year-old chief of the whistle-blowing website is fighting extradition to Sweden, where he is wanted for questioning over allegations that he sexually assaulted two women, which he denies.

But speaking outside Ellingham Hall, a friend's mansion in eastern England, where he must live while on bail, Assange said he was more concerned about potential moves from U.S. authorities.

"The big risk"

"The big risk, the risk we have always been concerned about, is onwards extradition to the United States. And that seems to be increasingly serious and increasingly likely," the Australian told reporters, according to AFP.

Assange said his lawyers believed a secret U.S. grand jury investigation had been started into his role in WikiLeaks' release of thousands of leaked U.S. diplomatic cables -- a probe he condemned as "illegal".

Looking relaxed and wearing a green puffa jacket in the snowy conditions, he said the mansion was a "big improvement" on the London jail where he was held in solitary confinement for nine days before his release on bail Thursday.

Media reports suggest that U.S. prosecutors are trying to build a case against Assange on the grounds that he encouraged a U.S. soldier, Bradley Manning, to steal U.S. cables from a government computer and pass them to WikiLeaks.

Assange said WikiLeaks had pledged $50,000 (38,000 euros) to Manning's legal fund.

But he told ABC television in the U.S. that: "I had never heard of the name Bradley Manning before it was published in the press."

"WikiLeaks technology (was) designed from the very beginning to make sure that we never know the identities or names of people submitting us material."

However, he later told British media that Manning "is the only one of our military sources who has been accused and that means that he is in a difficult position."

The big risk, the risk we have always been concerned about, is onwards extradition to the United States. And that seems to be increasingly serious and increasingly likely

Julian Assange

"Smear campaign" linked to WikiLeaks

The former computer hacker claimed the Swedish case against him was part of a "smear campaign" linked to WikiLeaks, saying the prosecutor there had yet to provide "a single piece of evidence to back up its allegations."

Swedish prosecutors deny their case is related to WikiLeaks.

Assange's release was the result of a nine-day battle by his lawyers to have him freed following his arrest in London on a Swedish warrant on Dec. 7.

Although a judge in a lower court granted him bail Tuesday, prosecuting lawyers appealed. It was only after that appeal was rejected in the High Court Thursday that Assange could be freed.

Judge Duncan Ouseley rejected the argument that Assange was likely to flee the country, but his supporters had to come up with a 240,000-pound (283,000-euro, $374,000) surety.

Assange has also been electronically tagged, is subject to a curfew and must report daily to a police station near the mansion in picturesque Suffolk.

The mansion is owned by Vaughan Smith, a former soldier and journalist who founded the Frontline Club in London which acts as WikiLeaks' British base. He has described Assange as "courageous."

Assange has vowed the allegations against him would not stop WikiLeaks from releasing further documents.

"People like to present WikiLeaks as just me and my backpack -- it is not true. We're a large organization," he told reporters Friday.

People like to present WikiLeaks as just me and my backpack -- it is not true. We're a large organization

Assange