WikiLeaks might move to Switzerland

WikiLeaks is still considering moving its operations to Switzerland, where its site is currently hosted, its founder Julian Assange has told Swiss media.

Two French-language newspapers, Tribune de Genève and 24 Heures, published on Monday what they described as an exclusive interview with Assange.

He is currently in Britain where he faces extradition hearings in connection with rape charges against him in Sweden.
 
“Switzerland is a possibility; and our main domain name is a .ch,” Assange told the interviewers. “Despite strong pressure, the Switch company, which manages domain names [in Switzerland] has held out.”
 
But he made it clear that nothing had been decided, and said Australia was also being considered. Assange first mentioned the possibility of moving to Switzerland back in November.
 
He denied rumours that he had requested political asylum in Switzerland, but said he was banned under the terms of his release on bail from saying whether he intended to do so.
 
Assange said WikiLeaks was continuing to function more or less normally, but that the operation was losing money.

He is due to appear in court on Tuesday to fix the date of the extradition hearings.

In related news, a Swiss banker whose actions caused a United States judge to briefly shut down WikiLeaks three years ago, faces trial in Zurich on January 19 for allegedly distributing confidential documents showing how his former employer helped rich clients dodge taxes, it has been reported.

The case appears to be the first time a WikiLeaks informant will go on trial, according to the Associated Press news agency.