Arrest of WikiLeaks founder Assange is a ‘priority’, says US Attorney General, as reports say charges loom

The arrest of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is a US “priority”, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Thursday, as media reports indicated his office was preparing charges against him.

“We are going to step up our effort and already are stepping up our efforts on all leaks,” Sessions said at a news conference in response to a question about a US priority to arrest Assange.

The Justice Department chief said a rash of leaks of sensitive secrets appeared unprecedented.

“This is a matter that’s gone beyond anything I’m aware of. We have professionals that have been in the security business of the United States for many years that are shocked by the number of leaks and some of them are quite serious,” he said.

“Whenever a case can be made, we will seek to put some people in jail.”

Prosecutors in recent weeks have been drafting a memo that looks at charges against Assange and members of WikiLeaks that possibly include conspiracy, theft of government property and violations of the Espionage Act, the Washington Post reported, citing unnamed US officials familiar with the matter.