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WikiLeaks claims worst attacks are from in Dubai, US, UK and Switzerland

Julian Assange free on bail at Ellingham Hall

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said his organisation had come under attack not so much from governments but from banks as he vowed to release damaging leaks about them.

“We have been attacked, primarily not by government... although things are heating up now, but by banks, banks from Dubai, banks from Switzerland, banks from the US, banks from the UK, so yes of course we are continuing to release material about banks,” he told CNBC television from the mansion in Suffolk where he is free on bail.

Asked about the US Army former intelligence analyst Bradley Manning the main suspect of having filtered the information with diplomatic cables and who remains jailed in a US military base, Assange admitted that “he is in a difficult position” but underlined that WikiLeaks policy is “not to know where the documents come from since this is the best way to protect sources”.

In an interview published last month by Forbes magazine, Assange, who has released thousands of confidential diplomatic cables, claimed a fresh “mega-leak” will target a major US bank “early next year”.

Assange said the bank leak would “give a true and representative insight into how banks behave at the executive level in a way that will stimulate investigations and reforms, I presume”.

The controversial Australian said that he was ready to unleash tens of thousands of documents that could “take down a bank or two”. The main target is thought to be Bank of America, based on comments last year from Mr Assange.

The WikiLeaks founder was arrested and remanded in custody on December 7 in London at the request of Swedish authorities, which want the Assange extradited in order to question him over allegations of sexual offences. He denies any wrongdoing.

Assange was freed on bail 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.