Wikileaks founder Julian Assange reportedly helped a Russian-backed campaign of interference in the 2016 US presidential election from the premises of the Ecuador embassy in London. The 48-year-old was personally involved along with a hacker, who reportedly visited the embassy as a courier carrying the stolen material hacked from the Clinton campaign.
Details have emerged from hundreds of surveillance reports compiled by UC Global, a private Spanish security company hired by the Ecuadorian government. The documents prove claims that couriers delivered hacked files to Assange. It was also mentioned in special counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russian interference.
Former Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa confirmed the claims and said that his country was aware of his meddling.
"We did notice that he was interfering in the elections and we do not allow that because we have principles, very clear values, as we would not like anyone to interfere in our elections," he said. "We are not going to allow that to happen with a foreign country and friend like the US."
The report concluded there was "no doubt that there is evidence" that Assange had ties to Russian intelligence agencies, reported CNN. The latest revelations contrast Assange's earlier denial of working with Russia's intelligence agency. He had claimed that the source of the leaks is "not the Russian government or a state party".
Wikileak's justification behind the leak was for providing truthful information, Correa told CNN. "Sure, but (it) was just about Hillary Clinton. Not about (Donald) Trump. So, they were not saying all the truth. And not saying all the truth is called manipulation. And we are not going to allow that," he said.
Assange had earlier said that he "would have" published damaging documents about Donald Trump if he received information.
Correa has negated claims of Equador helping Russia in undermining the US elections. The US intelligence agency has said the leak was designed by the Russian government through Wikileaks to propel Trump to win the election.
Despite defending his decision to grant asylum to Assange in 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden, Correa said that the allegations make 'no sense' as he supported Hillary and called Trump "enemy of our migrants".
Correa has also slammed the report's claim that the Assange held more power than the Ecuadorian ambassador as he used his official connections to threaten diplomats and guards in the embassy in London.
The report also claimed that US officials had warned Ecuador of possible 'consequences' if Assange continued to meddle in the election campaign. While the Ecuadorian officials decided to cut off Assange's internet access and telephone services on October 15. However, this didn't stop the release of the series of confidential emails which Wikileaks released every day until the election.
Assange is currently in prison after the President of Ecuador Lenin Moreno revoked his asylum in April due to violating "the norm of not intervening in internal affairs of other states." He is facing possible US extradition where he could be given life imprisonment for compromising US nationals security.
Russia had alarmingly defended Assange's arrest and said the extradition infringes his rights and that the "hand of 'democracy' squeezes the throat of freedom."
