WikiLeaks founder is jailed in Britain in sex case

He is wanted for questioning after two women accused him of having sex with them without a condom and without their consent.

However his organization upheld its commitment to uncovering classified information without disruption, releasing a new batch of the secret cables that US officials say are damaging America's security and relations worldwide.

Aged 39, Australian Assange affirmed he would fight extradition to Sweden, setting the stage for what promises to be a hotly-contested legal battle. As if to prove that it isn’t intimidated, WikiLeaks released a dozen new cables, including details of a NATO defense plan for Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania that made Russia bristle.

The Pentagon welcomed Assange's arrest: "That sounds like good news to me," US. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said during a visit to Afghanistan.

WikiLeaks spokesman Kristinn Hrafnsson insisted Assange's arrest and the decision by both Visa and MasterCard to stop processing donations to the group "will not change our operation."

However, there appeared to be no need - Scores of individuals and organizations have created websites that either partially or fully duplicated WikiLeaks' main site. WikiLeaks said more than 1,000 such "mirror" sites had gone up by evening.On top of that, a group of online hacker activists (hacktivists) calling themselves ‘Anonymous’ today launched a series of distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks against companies who have ceased trading with Julian Assange and WikiLeaks in the wake of the US embassy cablegate releases.

The DDoS attacks are similar to those which WikiLeaks have reported on their own website in the past weeks and have been targeted at a number of websites including the Swiss bank Postfinance who have frozen Julian Assange’s assets and PayPal which has stopped donations to Wikileaks through its online payment services.

"I do not consent.” – Assange on extradition

At his court hearing in London, Assange showed no reaction as Judge Howard Riddle denied him bail while he awaits an extradition hearing 14 December. Asked whether he would agree to be extradited, Assange said: "I do not consent."

It was not publicly known which jail Assange was sent to, since British police never reveal that for privacy and security reasons. Some prisoners occasionally get Internet access, though only under close supervision.

During the hour-long court hearing in London, attorney Gemma Lindfield, acting on behalf of the Swedish authorities, outlined the allegations of rape, molestation and unlawful coercion that were brought against Assange following separate sexual encounters in August with two women in Sweden.

Lindfield said one woman accused Assange of pinning her down and refusing to use a condom on the night of Aug. 14 in Stockholm. That woman also accused of Assange of molesting her in a way "designed to violate her sexual integrity" several days later. A second woman accused Assange of having sex with her without a condom while he was a guest at her Stockholm home and she was asleep.

A person who has sex with an unconscious, drunk or sleeping person in Sweden can be convicted of rape and sentenced to two to six years in prison.

Assange's lawyers have claimed the accusations stem from disputes "over consensual but unprotected sex" and say the women made the claims only after finding out that Assange had slept with both.

Prosecutors in Sweden have not brought any formal charges against Assange. WikiLeaks lawyer Mark Stephens said there are doubts as to whether Sweden has the legal right to extradite him simply for questioning.

Experts say European arrest warrants like the one issued by Sweden can be tough to beat. Even if the warrant were defeated on a technicality, Sweden could simply issue a new one.

The extradition process could take anywhere from a week to two months, according to Assange's Swedish lawyer Bjorn Hurtig. If Assange loses, he may appeal to the High Court. There can be further appeals, and Sweden also has a right to appeal if the court finds in Assange's favor.

In the meantime, Stephens said he would reapply for bail, noting that several prominent Britons — including socialite Jemima Khan and filmmaker Ken Loach — have each offered to post 20,000 pounds ($31,500) so Assange could go free.

Espionage Offences

At the same time, the US government is investigating whether Assange can be prosecuted for espionage or other offenses. Pentagon and State Department officials reveald that foreign officials have suddenly grown reluctant to trust the US because of the secrets spilled by WikiLeaks.

"We have already seen some indications of meetings that used to involve several diplomats and now involve fewer diplomats," said State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley. "We're conscious of at least one meeting where it was requested that notebooks be left outside the room."

Assange had repeatedly defended his secrets-spilling website, denying that the website's publication of classified information has endangered lives.