Defiant WikiLeaks Chief Decries 'Smear' Campaign

(Dec. 17) -- On his first full day of freedom in 10 days, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange decried today what he called a possible "secret" indictment against him and revealed that his biggest fear is the prospect of being extradited to America.

The 39-year-old also called Swedish sex-crimes allegations a "very successful smear campaign," and said the word "rape" now comes up "millions" of times when searching his name on Google.

Assange posted bail from a London prison Thursday and is fighting extradition to Sweden on rape charges. Assange spoke to several media outlets by video link and telephone from a supporter's mansion in the English countryside, where he's under curfew, wears an electronic ankle bracelet and must report to police daily.

But he's back online, directing his anti-secrecy website's efforts to continue publishing a trove of leaked U.S. diplomatic cables. The site has released just 1,621 of the more than 250,000 documents it claims to possess, The Associated Press reported.

"This is not the beginning of the end. Rather it is merely the end of the beginning," the WikiLeaks founder told NBC' s "Today" show. He appeared to be referring both to his website's work, and to efforts in several countries to charge him with more crimes.

Assange told NBC he's heard about "something like an espionage indictment made secretly" against him in the United States. A Justice Department spokeswoman told The Daily Telegraph that there's "an ongoing investigation into the WikiLeaks matter" but wouldn't confirm any details.

Earlier this week, The New York Times reported that U.S. authorities are searching for proof that Assange may have colluded with Army intelligence analyst Pfc. Bradley Manning, who allegedly stole the U.S. diplomatic cables. If they can find evidence, they may be able to charge him with conspiracy.

"One of the concerns that we have had since I have been in the U.K. is whether the extradition proceeding to Sweden is actually an attempt to get me into a jurisdiction which will then make it easier to extradite me to the United States," Assange told the Telegraph.

Assange told ABC's "Good Morning America" he had never heard of Manning.

Stepping out into a London street after being behind bars for a week and a half, Assange told reporters Thursday that he doesn't have "too many fears about being extradited to Sweden."

"I have much bigger concerns about being extradited to the United States," he said.

Assange hasn't been charged with any crime in the U.S. But if convicted of the Swedish sex-crimes allegations, he could serve a maximum of four years in jail. However, his fear is that if he's charged with espionage in America, he could face a much longer legal battle and potential sentence if convicted.

Assange also told NBC today that he's been unable to get information about any possible charges American authorities are trying to levy against him. "In fact, like the Swedish investigation, the whole damn thing is kept secret," he said.

Two Swedish women have accused Assange of rape and molestation. Assange denies any wrongdoing, saying his relations with both women were consensual. He told the BBC he considers the allegations under the country's strict legal definition of sex crimes part of a "smear attempt" to discredit his work.

"My feeling is in fact that there's a number of different interests -- personal, domestic and international -- that are all feeding from this [legal] process and encouraging it and pushing it along," he said.

Assange told ABC that he had been set up and said there are text messages between his two female accusers that prove it.

"There are intercepted SMS messages between the women and each other and their friends that I am told represents a set-up. Now those SMS messages, the Swedish prosecutor has refused to release," Assange said.

Assange's Swedish lawyer has seen the texts but is under a gag order.

Asked whether he'll honor a pledge not to flee before his next court hearing, scheduled for Jan. 11, Assange told the BBC that he's done "everything by the book" so far and would continue to do so.