WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange finds himself isolated, fighting extradition and deserted by many of his former partners and friends. His organisation is damaged and cannot receive the leaks that are its lifeblood. Can WikiLeaks survive?
WikiLeaks is effectively closed for new business after a computer mastermind nicknamed The Architect walked out of the organisation last year.
Assange himself is appealing against a decision that he be sent to Sweden to answer questions about sex allegations involving two women last year. The High Court in London is expected to decide within days whether Assange should be extradited.
In tonight's Foreign Correspondent on ABC TV, Assange denies the site he founded is in crisis.
“There is no problem in the hundreds of relationships that this organisation has signed partnerships with, on every continent except Antarctica," he said.
"None of those have failed. They are all strong."
But the evidence of former friends and partners suggests otherwise.
The Architect walked when Assange's former deputy, Daniel Domscheit-Berg, also fled the operation after a falling out with the Australian founder.
The Architect took with him the all-important submission system that allows whistleblowers to lodge sensitive information and keep their identities secret.
Since then Assange and WikiLeaks have been unable to accept online submissions.
Mr Domscheit-Berg says the WikiLeaks drop box is all The Architect's creation.
"Not a single line of code ever was made by Julian. He has no role in creating the submission system and neither have I. And neither did I or he ever have access to that system," Mr Domscheit-Berg said.
Mr Domscheit-Berg has been building a WikiLeaks rival that, despite great fanfare, has so far failed to launch.
He and other former operatives have told Foreign Correspondent of the bad blood that pervaded the WikiLeaks operation and has accused Assange of making serious threats.
"He became very paranoid about the way he was dealing with me, dealing with others as well. He threatened me that he would hunt me down and kill me," Mr Domscheit-Berg said.
In the meantime, Assange is under virtual house arrest at the stately home of a supporter in rural Norfolk, north-east of London.
If the High Court decides Assange has to be extradited to Sweden to face sex allegations, his lawyers, including Australian human rights lawyer Geoffrey Robertson, are worried the Swedish authorities will hand him over to the United States.
"Under the US Espionage Act there are sections that do carry the death penalty," Mr Robertson said.
"For that reason I suspect he wouldn't be extradited on those charges, but there are lesser charges that carry up to 10 years imprisonment. And that is what he would face, 10 years in a maximum-security prison."
Wiki Whacked airs on Foreign Correspondent tonight at 8pm on ABC1.
WikiLeaks is effectively closed for new business after a computer mastermind nicknamed The Architect walked out of the organisation last year.
Assange himself is appealing against a decision that he be sent to Sweden to answer questions about sex allegations involving two women last year. The High Court in London is expected to decide within days whether Assange should be extradited.
In tonight's Foreign Correspondent on ABC TV, Assange denies the site he founded is in crisis.
“There is no problem in the hundreds of relationships that this organisation has signed partnerships with, on every continent except Antarctica," he said.
"None of those have failed. They are all strong."
But the evidence of former friends and partners suggests otherwise.
The Architect walked when Assange's former deputy, Daniel Domscheit-Berg, also fled the operation after a falling out with the Australian founder.
The Architect took with him the all-important submission system that allows whistleblowers to lodge sensitive information and keep their identities secret.
Since then Assange and WikiLeaks have been unable to accept online submissions.
Mr Domscheit-Berg says the WikiLeaks drop box is all The Architect's creation.
"Not a single line of code ever was made by Julian. He has no role in creating the submission system and neither have I. And neither did I or he ever have access to that system," Mr Domscheit-Berg said.
Mr Domscheit-Berg has been building a WikiLeaks rival that, despite great fanfare, has so far failed to launch.
He and other former operatives have told Foreign Correspondent of the bad blood that pervaded the WikiLeaks operation and has accused Assange of making serious threats.
"He became very paranoid about the way he was dealing with me, dealing with others as well. He threatened me that he would hunt me down and kill me," Mr Domscheit-Berg said.
In the meantime, Assange is under virtual house arrest at the stately home of a supporter in rural Norfolk, north-east of London.
If the High Court decides Assange has to be extradited to Sweden to face sex allegations, his lawyers, including Australian human rights lawyer Geoffrey Robertson, are worried the Swedish authorities will hand him over to the United States.
"Under the US Espionage Act there are sections that do carry the death penalty," Mr Robertson said.
"For that reason I suspect he wouldn't be extradited on those charges, but there are lesser charges that carry up to 10 years imprisonment. And that is what he would face, 10 years in a maximum-security prison."
Wiki Whacked airs on Foreign Correspondent tonight at 8pm on ABC1.
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