Assange threatens to step up publication of secret US cables

"Our work with WikiLeaks continues unabated. We are stepping up publishing for Cablegate and other materials. They will be shortly appearing with the help of our newspaper partners," 39-year-old Assange said outside a London court, where he appeared briefly as part of his fight to avoid extradition to Sweden over sex crime charges against him.

WikiLeaks has published thousands of classified US documents, including those related to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, apart from secret diplomatic cables from American missions across the world.

Assange is wanted by Swedish authorities over claims he sexually assaulted two women during a visit to Stockholm last year. He denies the allegations.

The WikiLeaks founder was released on bail by a High Court judge just before Christmas after spending nine days in Wandsworth prison.

His bail was renewed and the conditions remained unchanged, except that he will be allowed to stay in London during his two-day extradition hearing in February to cut down travel time.