I get death threats from US troops says WikiLeaks chief Julian Assange

WikiLeaks chief Julian Assange claims he is being bombarded with death threats by American soldiers.

Mr Assange, 39, says his son Daniel, 20, and his lawyer have also received similar chilling warnings.

After being released on £275,000 bail in London while awaiting extradition to Sweden to face rape allegations, he said: "I receive death threats all the time. My lawyer receives them, my son receives them. Most seem to come from members of the United States armed forces."

His son, who works for a software design company, is believed to be in hiding in Australia. The WikiLeaks founder, who is Australian, spoke to Spain's El Pais newspaper from the Norfolk manor house where he is staying under the terms of his release.

He said: "It's marvellous to have left solitary confinement. I have seen that we received support on a global scale, especially in South America and Australia, and it seems as if everybody everywhere is supporting us."

He said he spoke only for a few minutes on the steps of the High Court in London after being released last Thursday because police had feared he would be killed.

Mr Assange claimed he had been held in Wandsworth Prison on a wing housing "people who have been convicted of sex offences, child killers". He added: "There were crazy paedophiles who shouted all night."

But he claimed he'd had the support of most of the warders, including one who gave him a card with the words: "I only have two heroes in this world — Martin Luther King and you."

It comes as London members of the "hacktivist" group Anonymous launched Operation Paper Storm, flooding Tube and train carriages with printed copies of US government cables published by WikiLeaks. The group, which launched a cyber attack on Mastercard, Visa, Paypal and Amazon this month in response to their withdrawal of services to WikiLeaks, has extended its online truce until 11 January, when Mr Assange is next due in court over the extradition.

An Anonymous source said: "If Julian is extradited the target's going to move to Sweden."

Mr Assange also claims he lost a tooth while in jail after chewing on a metal object in a plate of food. He said: "I don't know if it was put there or if it was a simple accident." He said he wrapped the tooth up in paper but it later disappeared from his cell.

He strenuously denied the allegations made against him by two women in Sweden and claimed he is the victim of a smear campaign. He said: "I don't like to see the word rape next to my name. I have never had a sexual relationship with anyone without consent."