US charges Julian Assange with violating Espionage Act

The US justice department has charged Wikileaks founder Julian Assange with violating the country’s Espionage act by publishing military and diplomatic files in 2010.

Assange rejects the claim, saying that he is a journalist.

The department unveiled 17 new charges against Assange, accusing him of directing and abetting intelligence analyst Chelsea manning in stealing secret US files.

Assistant attorney general John Demers said Assange actions posed serious harm to United States national security.

Assange 47 is currently in prison in Britain for jumping bail and faces a US extradition request when he is released 11 months from now.